Message from the Director

Welcome to the School of Visual Arts at the Boston University College of Fine Arts.  We are a close-knit community of artists within an exceptional university that offers a rich variety of artistic and cultural opportunities.  Located in the heart of Boston, we encourage our students to become involved with the myriad of historically important museums, galleries, theatres, and libraries in the area through trips, internships, and work placements.

Within the walls of Boston University are resources critical to the development of emerging artists.  Our dedicated faculty instill passion for the arts by challenging perceptions and encouraging innovation.  In addition to being first-rate educators, faculty members maintain their own art practice, and have garnered many awards, including fellowships from the Guggenheim foundation and National Endowment for the Arts.  The curriculum is supplemented by a vibrant program of visiting artists lectures and exhibitions.  Our students work in spaces that are constantly updated, including state-of-the-art printmaking studios and multimedia classrooms.

The School of Visual Arts offers introductory and advanced classes in painting, sculpture, graphic design, art education, ceramics, photography, glassblowing, and printmaking. Frequent master classes encourage students to engage with a broad range of disciplines from other divisions of the University.  To compliment a rigorous foundation program, each student is given a solid background in art history, contemporary critical analysis, and liberal arts . Students graduate from the BFA, MFA, or MA programs with a variety of skills necessary for a career as a creative artist in today’s dynamic and constantly shifting art world.  In addition, disciplined and motivated students have the opportunity to take advantage of the wide variety programs available at a large University by minoring or combining majors from other disciplines.  Boston University students also have access to an abundance of study abroad programs.  School of Visual Arts students are therefore encouraged to study studio art in Venice, Landscape Painting in Tuscany, or Graphic Design in London.

Our diverse and talented students come from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, but share a common goal of pursuing their own artistic vision in ways that contribute to culture and society at large.   I invite you to discover more about our school and the many accomplishments of its faculty, students, and alumni, either by browsing through this website, or coming for a visit.

Lynne Allen
Director
School of Visual Arts