University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

The College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is a fully accredited, comprehensive arts college, with bachelor’s and master’s degree programs that prepare students for careers in the arts. Unlike most professional art schools, which are independent, CVPA is an active component of a public university, with all of the educational resources that implies.

CVPA offers a breadth of high-level programs. Students can study art education, art history, digital media, illustration, graphic design/letterform, photography, ceramics, jewelry/metals, textile design/fiber arts, painting/2-D studies, sculpture/3-D studies, and music. The visual arts Foundations Program introduces students to visual concepts and practices and is required of all first-year studio majors.

The Campus

Noted architect Paul Rudolph created a dramatic design for UMass Dartmouth’s 710-acre main campus. CVPA’s studios and classrooms are located there and in the exciting new Star Store campus. Formerly a department store in nearby downtown New Bedford, the Star Store has been converted into a modern urban arts complex with spacious studios, galleries, and state-of-the-art equipment. CVPA is located just minutes from the Atlantic Ocean; 30 minutes from Cape Cod and Providence, Rhode Island; and an hour from Boston.

Facilities

Located on both the North Dartmouth and New Bedford campuses of the University, the facilities and equipment available to students in the College of Visual and Performing Arts are among the finest in New England. CVPA encourages applicants to attend an Open House or Portfolio Review Day. A campus visit can be scheduled through the Admissions Office to tour the College’s studio facilities, cutting-edge computer labs, a virtual reality studio, artisanry workshops, photography and printmaking studios, music practice rooms, a recital hall, and all that the University has to offer.

Faculty

CVPA faculty members are artists, designers, historians, and educators—each distinguished in his or her field. Many are recipients of such prestigious awards as the National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council grants, Fulbright Scholar awards, and national and international arts fellowships. Faculty members exhibit in galleries and museums regionally, nationally, and internationally; give invited performances at scholarly meetings; and consult in a variety of professional capacities.

Exhibition Opportunities

CVPA’s significant contribution to the regional arts scene is evident in its dynamic presence within the communities of SouthCoast Massachusetts. The College is active in downtown New Bedford, participating in the monthly AHA! Night venues and exhibiting work in local storefronts. The College’s galleries maintain a high caliber of exhibitions on the Dartmouth campus in the Campus Gallery and Gallery One and in New Bedford at the University Art Gallery and Gallery 244. The college’s Retail Gallery in New Bedford provides opportunities for student artists to sell their work.

The University Art Gallery is devoted to showing the work of international and national artists. The CVPA Campus Gallery and Gallery One feature frequently changing exhibitions of CVPA student and faculty work that is curated by college faculty members. Gallery 244 is a student-run gallery, featuring work by graduate students—emerging artists in their own right. Informal exhibition spaces abound on both campuses, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

Special Programs

Study abroad is encouraged; programs have included Sicily, Japan, France, and Portugal. Internships and experiential learning are also encouraged; recent placements have included Graphics Express; WGBH; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Smithsonian; the Boston Ballet; and the Walt Disney Studios.

Application Procedures

Deadline--freshmen and transfers: continuous. Notification date--freshmen and transfers: continuous. Required: high school transcript, college transcript(s) for transfer students, minimum 2.0 high school GPA, portfolio, SAT or ACT test scores, slides of portfolio. Recommended: essay, minimum 3.0 high school GPA, 3 letters of recommendation. Auditions held 1 time. Portfolio reviews held continuously on campus; the submission of slides may be substituted for portfolios (required).