A native New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent, born and raised in the Lower East Side (Loisaida), David Arroyo has studied and worked in the fields of graphic design, photography, filmmaking, and writing since 2009. He's loves to watch all kinds of indie, foreign, and horror films, and voraciously read as many volumes of manga/graphic novels as he can get his hands on. He lives in NYC with his partner and their beloved handsome cats.

EDUCATION |

The New School Master of Arts in Media Studies, specialized in Film & Audio Production, Film Research & Analysis

NYC College of Technology, CUNY Cum Laude, Bachelor's of Technology in Communication Design, majored in Graphic Design & Photography

CONTINUING EDUCATION |

Wesleyan University Creative Writing Certificate

Parsons School of Design - The New School Fundamentals of Illustrated Journalism and Memoir Course

Gotham Writers Workshop Fiction I and Novel II - First Draft

The Poynter Institute Poynter American Copy Editors Society Introductory Certificate in Editing

The Art Students League Class Monitor, Abstraction - Inspiration & Development of Ideas

EXHIBITIONS |

2025 Morton Fiber Show, Morton Memorial Library & Community House, NY (group)

2025 The Art Students League 2025 Student Salon, The Art Student’s League, NY (group)

2024 The Art Students League 2024 Student Salon, The Art Student’s League, NY (group)

AWARDS |

2025 Lydia García Author Fund, The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, NY

2025 Fellowship, The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, NY

2025 Member, Diasporican Art in Motion - Artists Database, The Center for Puerto Rican Studies

at Hunter College, https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/artists/david-arroyo/

2024 Honorable Mention, The Art Students League Student Salon, NY

2018 Finalist, Photographer’s Forum 38th Annual Spring Photography Contest

2014 Finalist, Photographer’s Forum 34th Annual Spring Photography Contest

2013 Honorable Mention, Mixed Messages Graduate Student Film Showcase, NY

2012 Opening Film, Fine Cuts Film Showcase, The New School, NY

2012 Commendation, Sony World Photography Awards, Enhanced Category

2011 Honorable Mention, International Photography Awards, Night Category

2011 Media Studies Department Scholarship, The New School, NY

2011 University Scholars Award, The New School, NY

TEXTS |

Arroyo, David: Jorge Soto Sánchez: An Homage to his Life, Art, and Writing, Gotham Dreaming Studio, forthcoming 2026

Arroyo, David: Los Elementos Adentro de Mi, Gotham Dreaming Studio, 2023

Arroyo, David: Red Soul Into the Dark, Gotham Dreaming Studio, 2022

Photographer’s Forum, Best of Photography, 2018, p. 90

Arroyo, David: Red Soul Into the Dark, Gotham Dreaming Studio, 2018

Arroyo, David: Yuuma: The Geisha Redux, Gotham Dreaming Studio, 2018

Glitterwolf Magazine, Issue 9: Gender, 2015

Arroyo, David: The [Masc] We Wear, Gotham Dreaming Studio, 2015

Arroyo, David: Lost + Found, Gotham Dreaming Studio, 2015

Photographer’s Forum, Best of Photography, 2014, p. 230