Sonia BasSheva Mañjon, Chief Academic Officer, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

In an interview with Invest:, Sonia BasSheva Mañjon, chief academic officer of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, discussed the transformations at PAFA and its unique dual identity as a museum and school. “What makes us unique is that Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is not only an academy but also a museum with a collection and an archive. This truly sets us apart,” Mañjon said.

What recent changes at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts have had the biggest impact on your academic and public engagement work?

There have been many significant changes. First, it is important to note that Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the first art museum and school in America. It was established in 1805. We have a very long history and legacy of significant contributions to both the arts and education. What makes us unique is that Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is not only an art school but also a museum with a collection and an archive. This truly sets us apart.

Over the last year, we have navigated a dynamic environment. We are transitioning from a degree-granting institution to a certificate-granting institution. This summer, we are in the process of teaching out our Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts programs. In the fall, specifically on Aug. 25, we will launch three certificate programs: one in foundation, one in studio residency — both of which are at the undergraduate level — and one post-baccalaureate certificate program.

The reason for this shift is that the landscape of education has changed significantly, particularly since the pandemic. It altered many industries, including how individuals approach education. As tuition costs have increased nationwide, students are less willing to take on substantial debt, especially for degrees in the arts. However, students still want to pursue careers in the creative sector.

To address this, we have developed our three certificate programs, which last from one to two years. These programs allow students to focus specifically on rigorous artistic instruction, creative development, and professional practice. Because Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is both a school and a museum, students have access to facilities such as foundries, paper-making studios, printmaking studios, ceramics studios, painting and sculpture studios, and digital media labs. They have everything they need to produce art.

By moving away from degree-granting programs, we have eliminated requirements like sciences and other subjects that students often question in terms of relevance to their art practice. We are giving students exactly what they want in a more concise and economical format, allowing them to avoid four years of education and significant debt. 

In what ways does PAFA’s dual identity as a museum and school create opportunities that other institutions might not have?

Recently, an article in the Gothamist, published on July 8, 2025, highlighted record-high application numbers from Generation Z students eager to enroll in the arts. There is a common misconception that the arts are not a viable career path. As a creative and an artist, I understand this firsthand. My parents, both immigrants, discouraged me from studying the arts, urging me toward business or law instead. I pursued dance as an undergraduate, much to my mother’s dismay, before later studying cultural anthropology in graduate school and earning a Ph.D.

Creatives play a vital role in society by articulating culture, humanity, and innovative perspectives. The arts foster a humanistic understanding of the world, helping to address complex issues through creative solutions. This is crucial in all industries, whether law, medicine, or business. A creative approach enhances problem-solving and outcomes.

For example, we have a program called Art and Medicine, where we collaborate with medical students and doctors. Through art-making, painting, and studying anatomical casts from our 19th-century collection, they learn to see patients holistically, not just as symptoms requiring prescriptions, but as individuals with emotions and fears. This is just one example of how the arts intersect with other fields.

Additionally, my background in business and dance has allowed me to navigate administrative responsibilities while maintaining a creative and humanistic approach. The arts are essential to fostering empathy, understanding, and innovative thinking across all disciplines.

In an evolving higher education landscape, what are the most significant challenges for specialized fine arts institutions, and how is PAFA responding to them?

The critical challenges are around the question of access, of who gets to study art and who does not, and the price tags. Education in general, across the industry, is facing challenges in terms of enrollment and costs. There was a time when higher education, at least public education, was heavily subsidized through federal money. That is not the case anymore. Institutions are really having to think about their business models. What is the business model? How can we keep tuition costs at a place where it makes sense for students to want to make that investment, or for parents who have students coming out of high school and may be paying for their child’s education?

I have two sons. Both went to college. I paid for one, and the other was fortunate enough to have a scholarship. You think about not wanting your kids to have debt as soon as they get out of school. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts has been very fortunate because, due to our long history, we have a very old and established scholarship endowment. We are able to match student needs through funds that we currently have in our endowment, which we can allocate per year in scholarships and prizes.

Another thing that makes us unique is that students not only receive need-based scholarships and merit-based scholarships based on their portfolio review, but they can also apply for prizes. At the end of the year, we have what is called the Annual Student Exhibition, where all of our students mount their work in the gallery. Our Women’s Committee hosts an opening reception for the exhibition, where people can come and purchase the students’ work. This year, 100% of the proceeds went directly to the students. They can mount as many pieces as they want in the exhibit and set their prices. It has been very lucrative for them. At the same time, they can also apply for prizes. We have travel prizes where a student can receive up to $5,000 to travel, perhaps to Italy to paint. That same prize gives them the ability to return to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts for a year and have a full year of tuition paid for.

That is very unique and very flexible. When I think about the market and how we are navigating certain trends, we are trying to be flexible. We are really specializing in art education. We are focusing on interdisciplinarity. Students do not just want to be painters; they want to do painting and film, or digital media. Artificial intelligence is completely taking over a lot of what we do, so they want to look at multidisciplinary practices. And students want diverse and inclusive programming. When we see diversity, equity, and inclusion being attacked in our communities right now, it is so important that we ensure we are offering diverse and inclusive programming because we have to learn how to live with each other in this world. We cannot just be homogeneous. We have to be inclusive and more pluralistic.

Looking ahead, what is your vision for PAFA’s impact on the broader conversation about equity, art, and community?

Our outlook over the next year is optimistic growth. As we launch these three new certificate programs, we will also be reopening our historic landmark building next year during Philadelphia’s 250th celebration. We will be partnering with the Philadelphia Museum of Art to mount one of the most expansive presentations of American art that has ever been mounted, probably in the country. It is called A Nation of Artists. We will be featuring over 1,000 works of art from our collection, the Middleton Collection, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This exhibition will be hosted at both of our institutions.

We are not just adapting to the future of art, we are actively shaping it, both on the academy side and the museum side. We are excited about 2026, and not only for Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts but for the broader arts community and the semiquincentennial of our country. It is going to be vitally important, especially in light of everything happening in our nation right now.