Mission, Approach, and Objectives
The School of Art has educational, artistic, and social missions.
The educational mission of the School of Art is to:
provide a learning and creating environment, which develops in the individual student the knowledge, skills and commitment necessary to work as an artist in society.
The artistic mission of the School of Art is to:
nourish the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary practice of art by striving to inform it with knowledge from the culture-at-large;
and cultivate a broad-spectrum approach to artistic possibilities, which respects tradition and encourages innovation.
The social mission of the School of Art is to:
provide the world with diverse, inquisitive and informed artists who utilize artmaking in a variety of ways to approach a resonant relationship with society and who can sustain and continually renew the vitality and relevancy of art;
and connect to society through the work of its students, faculty and staff – locally, nationally, and internationally.
School of Art Approach to Artmaking
The School of Art regards artmaking as a mode of creative inquiry with results that may be materially tangible or intangible, static or time-based, long-lived or temporary. It fosters an approach to artmaking that:
is inclusive rather than exclusive, embracing all knowledge, skills, materials and contexts;
engages contemporary issues, ideas and technologies, anticipating the future and utilizing the past not as a safety net but as a springboard;
is independent of pre-existing assumptions and official sanction – a purposeful purposelessness;
and can be both a social and a private activity accomplished within varying national and international contexts.
Activities, programs and initiatives within the School of Art:
nourish the creative needs and abilities of individuals and communities in and outside of the School;
promote a culture of continual learning and change to endure art's long-term viability;
respond to local, national and global contexts, addressing culture inside and outside of the visual arts;
pursue critical excellence in all facets of creative practice from intellectual inquiry and intuition to practical skills and passionate gestures;
thrive amidst an array of knowledge and skills within an open university environment;
and are attuned to the comprehensive and public nature of a university, both enriching and mining its resources.
School of Art Objectives
To fulfill its missions and realize its goals, the objectives of the School of Art are to:
- produce artists who are a progressive and creative force in the world;
- attract intelligent, talented and diverse students;
- support and promote the professional development of undergraduates, graduate students, staff, faculty and alumni;
- continue to evaluate and evolve the undergraduate, graduate and pre-college curricula;
- regularly improve and upgrade facilities and equipment;
- continue to expand the economic resources of the school;
- stimulate awareness and increase the visibility of the School of Art's missions, accomplishments and aspirations;
- develop new programs and cooperative interdisciplinary collaborations within and beyond the university;
- engage and embrace alumni as part of the current school community;
- and nurture the school as a community connected to others locally and globally.
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