Message from the Dean

Welcome to the College of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance at Florida State University.  As you will learn exploring these pages, the College is a unique convergence of various art forms into an academic unit that affords exciting opportunities for our students and provides forums for citizens in the state of Florida and around the world to interact with exceptionally talented artists, performers and their work.  At FSU, we take great pride in the people who make up the College – faculty, staff, students and alumni.  They are what make the College truly outstanding.

At any given moment, visitors to the College can witness students learning their craft as artists, actors, dancers, designers, directors, historians, arts administrators, art educators, art therapists and interior designers.  Students have the opportunity to learn from nationally and internationally recognized leaders in their chosen field of artistic pursuit.  Our faculty regularly undertake professional activities, be they research-oriented or creative-based, that keep them aware of trends in the field and of expectations for emerging professionals.  This continuous engagement ensures that our students receive relevant education.  Beyond a talented resident faculty, the College of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance boasts vibrant visiting artist programs that bring working artists, researchers and performers to campus annually.  Such interactions expand student horizons by exposing them to a variety of artistic approaches and philosophies. 

The mission of the College of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance is not bound by the geography of the state.  Students actively learn in facilities in New York City, London, Florence, Valencia and Paris.  In these settings, our students are engaging their craft in different contexts with local educators and professionals.

Florida State University maintains excellent facilities dedicated to the study and creation of art.  The School of Dance is housed in the state-of-the-art Montgomery Hall, one of the top dance facilities in the country.  The newly-renovated William Johnson Building is home to the departments of art education, art history and interior design.  This LEED-certified building includes studio space, a library, exhibition space and technologically-enhanced classrooms.  In Fall 2012, the School of Theatre moved its scenic studio into a renovated and enlarged space that rivals other facilities in the country.  

FSU’s museums are another asset for the College.  The Museum of Fine Arts located on the Tallahassee campus regularly presents exhibits from its permanent collection and visiting shows. The FSU/John and Mable Ringling Center for the Arts in Sarasota, Florida is unique in the world of university museums.  The complex houses the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Ca’ d’Zan (the Ringling Mansion), the Tibbals Learning Center, two circus museums, the Historic Asolo Theatre and the FSU Performing Arts Center.  All College departments draw upon these valued resources to enhance the student experience.

The College of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance supports a number of innovative programs that make the educational experience truly exceptional.  Entities such as the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography and the Facility for Arts Research are redefining what it means to make art.  As they do so, they are helping emerging artists identify new and original ways to grow as artists and researchers.

The arts have the capacity to reach people from varied backgrounds, ages and cultures in ways few other disciplines can. They fundamentally enrich existence and have the power to change lives for the better. It is our intention that everything we do at the College of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance will have a positive influence on our students and ultimately make a difference in our ever-changing and challenging world.

I invite you to look us over and learn about our efforts to prepare arts leaders for the future.

Sincerely,
T. Lynn Hogan, Ph.D.
Interim Dean