About Us

A Message from the Dean

Welcome to the School of Fine Arts at the University of Minnesota Duluth!

Jack Bowman - DeanThe School of Fine Arts has a long history of academic excellence and is a premier cultural center for fine arts in the Northland. The School is made up of three academic areas (the Department of Art and Design, the Department of Music, and the Department of Theatre) and three professional units (the Fine Arts Academy, the Tweed Museum of Art, and Glensheen, the historic Congdon estate). Together these units offer academic and extra-curricular opportunities that generate a comprehensive arts education and stirring cultural performance season. From performing in a grand opera to designing sets for a one-act play, to exhibiting your art in the Tweed, to an internship at Glensheen, there are opportunities for every interest!

We are blessed in the School of Fine Arts with gifted artists, faculty, and staff who are passionate about their disciplines and about quality undergraduate instruction. In every discipline, students work closely with faculty for an undergraduate experience that is enriching and enlightening. The school offers a range of degrees, including broad Bachelor of Arts or Music degrees and more concentrated, focused degrees such as the Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Music, and Master of Fine Arts.

The School of Fine Arts pursues numerous outreach opportunities (both locally and internationally) to enhance our students' and patrons' experiences. Our Fine Arts Academy coordinates non-degree programs that reach out to the community through accessible performing and visual arts instruction of the highest quality, and partnership activities with several conservatories and universities abroad bring an amazing breadth of cultural influences to our galleries and stages.

In everything we do, the School of Fine Arts strives for excellence, both from our faculty and our students. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us. I hope we hear from you soon!

Sincerely,
Jack Bowman
Dean

Vision

The vision of the School of Fine Arts is to:

  • Offer excellent academic programs serving the needs of 21st century student artist/scholars
  • Enrich academic programs through school-wide collaborations
  • Augment programs and outreach through performances, lectures, and residencies of distinguished guest artists
  • Enhance academic programs through international initiatives
  • Elevate programs and outreach through professional units such as the Tweed Museum of Art and Glensheen Historic Estate
  • Serve as a catalyst for collaboration in the regional fine and performing arts community