About

Boston University College of Fine Arts (CFA) is a community of fine and performing artists — musicians, visual artists, and theatre-makers — who believe in the power of creativity.

While artistic and academic rigor are signatures of the program, education within BU College of Fine Arts extends beyond the walls of the practice rooms and studios. Students also benefit from the rich centers of art and culture throughout the city of Boston, international opportunities through the study abroad program, and a worldwide network of alumni and connections to professions.

Here at CFA, we are thought leaders and arts innovators. We are diverse and inclusive. We are international. We’re committed to excellence. Our artists work with award-winning faculty, practice in top-notch facilities, thrive in the spaces of creative experimentation, and pursue the many opportunities available at one of the world’s best universities.

The Schools of CFA

CFA brings together the School of Music, the School of Theatre, and the School of Visual Arts and offers professional training in the arts in conservatory-style environments for undergraduate and graduate students.

Who are we?

Three Schools. In one College. In one top-tier University. Intimate arts school. World-class research institution. A diverse community of creators, advocates, change-makers.

Let us introduce ourselves to you.

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A large group of people gathers inside the Boston University Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre Yan Luo Lobby, a modern, glass-walled atrium, attentively listening to BU College of Fine Arts Dean Harvey Young. Dean Young is wearing glasses and a dark jacket, and stands near the floor-to-ceiling windows holding a microphone. The audience, consisting of CFA students, faculty, and staff of various ages and diverse backgrounds, is dressed in warm clothing, with some holding plates of food and drinks. The natural light from the windows casts a glow on the space, and reflections can be seen on the glass.

Our Community of Artists

From University resources to one-on-one advising questions, the CFA Student Services team, academic advisors, and faculty are here to support all students.

Our faculty and staff are dedicated to the academic success and well-being of our students, but they too are equipped with the tools and resources they need for success in their roles as artist-scholars, scholar-artists, and administrators.

Once a Terrier, always a Terrier. The CFA Development & Alumni Relations team welcomes alums' questions about benefits, events and performances, giving back, and much more. We also love receiving updates from our alums, and getting to celebrate their successes.

Read the latest news on our students, faculty, and alumni

Units within CFA

CFA is home to BU Art Galleries, BU Office for the Arts, BU Bands, BU Tanglewood Institute, and Wheelock Family Theatre. What do they share in common with one another? They create professional, accessible art experiences for all.

CFA Rankings

Did you know Boston University College of Fine Arts is one of the best fine and performing arts colleges in the world?

Ranked #6 in Graduate Painting Programs (US News & World Report), CFA has also been counted among the Best Drama Schools (The Hollywood Reporter), and Best Colleges for Music in America (Niche), with graduates making waves in the arts and entertainment industry for decades.

Read more about our prestigious programs, outstanding opportunities, and amazing alums!

Learn More

Latest Stories

Explore what's new in the ever-expanding world of CFA student, faculty, and alumni news and work.

Toni Pepe, Chair, Department of Photography and Associate Professor of Art at Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Visual Arts, is wearing a black sweater and a plaid skirt while adjusting a camera mounted on a tripod in a room with several papers and pictures taped to the wall in the background.
CFA Faculty

Creatives in Practice: Toni Pepe

BU's Chair of Photography and Associate Professor of Art is an artist-in-residence at the Boston Public Library’s Special Collections, where she focuses on the material life of photos and clippings that document women in the media

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Theatre

Boston University School of Theatre Unveils Fall 2025 Season

A vibrant celebration of love intertwining Nigerian and Nepali cultures, BU's annual festival amplifying and celebrating new opera and theatre works, and a charming musical about transformation and self-love are all part of BU School of Theatre's fall 2025 season

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Research

Creatives in Practice: Yo-EL Cassell

BU's Head of Movement, Yo-EL Cassell, performs at Harlem Stage's soldout show The Lifeboat, utilizing his Journey of Youth technique, which he also teaches to his theatre students

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Let's Be Social

Follow BU College of Fine Arts on FacebookInstagramLinkedInX, and YouTube.

Events

There's always something going on at the College of Fine Arts! Check out all upcoming concerts, productions, exhibitions, lectures, and community events.

Visual Arts BU Art Galleries

Information, Overload - Boston University School of Visual Arts 2025 Alumni Exhibition

Day: Tuesday Sep 16th Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm 808 Gallery
Visual Arts BU Art Galleries

Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá (Not From Here, Not From There) Exhibition

Day: Tuesday Sep 16th Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm Faye G., Jo, and James Stone Gallery
CFA Student Events

LGBTQIA+ Student Welcome

Day: Tuesday Sep 16th Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm CFA 259
Visual Arts BU Art Galleries

Information, Overload - Boston University School of Visual Arts 2025 Alumni Exhibition

Day: Wednesday Sep 17th Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm 808 Gallery
Visual Arts BU Art Galleries

Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá (Not From Here, Not From There) Exhibition

Day: Wednesday Sep 17th Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm Faye G., Jo, and James Stone Gallery
Arts Music

Breath, Rhythm & Music for Your Wellbeing

Day: Wednesday Sep 17th Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm Howard Thurman Center
Theatre Arts

The Ceremony

Day: Wednesday Sep 17th Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre
Visual Arts BU Art Galleries

Information, Overload - Boston University School of Visual Arts 2025 Alumni Exhibition

Day: Thursday Sep 18th Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm 808 Gallery
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CFA In The News

We're making headlines - read all about it!