History of Manhattan Art

The Leader of Global Art Education

Founded in New York City in 1992, Manhattan Art is one of the longest-running portfolio preparation studios dedicated to art and design school admissions in the United States.

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For more than three decades, Manhattan Art has helped students gain admission to leading art high schools, colleges, universities, and graduate programs through structured portfolio development, individualized mentorship, and foundation-based art education.

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Students have earned admission to some of the world's most respected institutions, including Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, Brown University, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Carnegie Mellon University, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute, School of Visual Arts (SVA), School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Cooper Union, California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), and many others.

Since its founding, Manhattan Art students have earned more than 2,428 admissions offers and over $299,870,000 in scholarships and merit-based awards.

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Educational Philosophy

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Manhattan Art was founded on the belief that strong portfolios are built through disciplined observation, technical foundation, conceptual development, and consistent practice.

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Unlike recreational art programs, Manhattan Art emphasizes academic preparation, portfolio development, and admissions-focused instruction aligned with the expectations of competitive art and design institutions.

Today, Manhattan Art continues to prepare students for admission to leading schools through a commitment to artistic growth, academic rigor, and individualized mentorship.