PUBLIC PROGRAMS ::::
Since its founding in 1871, SFAI has sought to educate artists within an environment in which the most advanced and experimental forms of contemporary art are amply represented. Students are given direct access to exhibitions, lectures, symposia, films, and other unique interdisciplinary events. An integral part of campus life, such events connect students to the larger community of artists, art, and contemporary ideas.

The goals of the new exhibition and public program are to (1) develop collaborations with organizations of similar scale globally, to mark the importance of “in-between” spaces of action, (2) encourage transdisciplinary exchange and collaboration to propose new ways of creation, (3) further articulate SFAI as a site of experimentation and production, (4) claim the reinvention of the public sphere in a time of privatization and gentrification as a “global trend”, (5) ensure that conferences, lectures, panels and publications accompany each program, (6) provide content for real production, ideas, and prototypes that bridge artistic creation with technological, industrial and social practices, businesses, NGOs and cooperatives—creating necessary resources and collaborative partners for the institution, and (7) encourage challenges to established models of curating and organization, fostering instead models for self-organization.

The Walter and McBean Galleries house exhibitions, workshops, and other alternative and experimental avenues for presenting work by international contemporary artists. SFAI hosts many visiting artists, curators, and scholars—for a few days or for several months—who lecture, present new projects, give one-on-one critiques, lead seminars, and more. Among the more than 30 visiting artists and scholars in Spring 2007 were Laurent Gutierrez and Valérie Portefaix (Map Office); Judith Barry; Carlos Basualdo; John C. Welchman; Jem Cohen; Retort; Anne M. Wagner; Trinh T. Minh-ha and Elvan Zabunyan; Andrea Bowers; Anthony McCall; Didier Faustino; Tony Oursler; Eduardo Cadava; Jürgen Bock; Teddy Cruz; Hoy Cheong Wong; Richard Meyer; Judith Hopf; Robert Atkins; and Hitlon Als.

As part of the Visiting Lecture Series, artists, critics, and lecturers visit SFAI for several days or remain in residence for up to a semester and meet with students, give a public lecture, teach an intensive, or participate in seminar discussions and/or critiques.

Organized by Renée Green, SFAI's Dean of Graduate Studies, the Graduate Lecture Series, Spheres of Interest, provides an opportunity for students to engage with the thoughts and productions of an international array of guest participants from a variety of fields.

The McBean Distinguished Lecture, presented annually, is a central event in our academic calendar recognizing the excellence and career achievements of key figures in the worlds of art and culture—people whose diverse aesthetic viewpoints and ideas provide a global perspective and enhance the students’ educational experience. Collectively, the recipients form a truly extraordinary series of public discussions about contemporary art: Robert Rauschenberg & Walter Hopps (2000); Adrian Piper (2002); John Baldessari (2003); Rachel Whiteread (2004); Barbara Kruger (2005); and William Kentridge (2006). Participation from Rem Koolhaas in 2007 further elevates the prestige of this annual series.

At SFAI, it's important not only to witness, but also to organize and participate in, the exhibition of contemporay art. To that end, SFAI provides students the opportunity to show their own work in the on-campus student-run Diego Rivera Gallery, Swell Gallery, Prentice and Paul Sack Still Lights Gallery, our Online Gallery, and in other unique spots across both campuses.

Click here for a list of PUBLIC PROGRAMS at SFAI
Click here for the VISITING LECTURE SERIES Calendar