School of Visual Arts (SVA) is widely recognized as one of the finest colleges of art and design in the United States for its innovative programs, unparalleled faculty and active participation in the cultural life of New York City. Since its inception in 1947, SVA has grown into a dynamic multi-disciplinary institution with a student body of over 4000 and faculty of over 1000 artists, writers, designers, filmmakers and photographers. In addition, the Division of Continuing Education at SVA enrolls approximately 2400 New Yorkers in programs ranging from one-day workshops to semester-long courses. SVA operates three galleries for the exhibition and sale of student work: the SVA Gallery, the Westside Gallery and the Visual Arts Gallery, which is located in the landmark Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea, New York City's gallery district. SVA also presents a number of professional exhibitions throughout the year. In addition to myriad exhibitions, SVA hosts a wide range of lectures, film screenings and other cultural events—most of which are free and open to the public—at the SVA Theatre and other state-of-the-art facilities on campus.