Message from Dean Cole

There can be no society that does not benefit from the arts. At the School of the Arts, we believe that in pushing the bounds of creative expression, we contribute to our societies, helping to shape our collective future for the better. Whatever form it takes and whatever its aims, art acts in the world; it forces us to think deeply, to see our surroundings and ourselves anew, and it enables us to reimagine what connects us all, our humanity.

The School of the Arts at Columbia University is a home for world-renowned artists and scholars who work across and among our four primary disciplinary areas of film, theatre, visual arts, and writing. Our faculty and alumni are leading figures in their fields, true luminaries who inspire the public with their work, and our students stand ready to add their own creative voices to this exceptional community. These artists never cease to dazzle with their creativity and productivity, in work that is original, urgent, innovative, beautiful, challenging, and much more.

Our School is thoroughly integrated into the arts world of New York City, a scene that is unmatched for its depth, diversity, and richness. Our students and faculty take full advantage of this remarkable place, including participating in the arts communities of our neighborhoods in Morningside Heights, on the Upper West Side, and Manhattanville, in West Harlem, and working with artists and arts organizations all across this great city.

Ours is a breathtaking community of artists working at the height of their fields—screening their work at the world’s most renowned film festivals and within major movie-houses, creating and starring in performances at some of the most established venues in the theatrical industry, exhibiting perspective-shifting work in major museums and internationally acclaimed art galleries and throughout the public sphere, and publishing writing in the most distinguished venues. Faculty in Film and Media Studies are field-defining scholars. Our faculty and alumni have been awarded the highest recognition in their fields, including Academy, Emmy, and Tony Awards, MacArthur Foundation Fellowships, Guggenheim Fellowships, Pulitzer Prizes, National Book Awards, and the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Arts fields are always changing, never more than in the era of AI, and our faculty are committed to helping students prepare for the newest developments in their disciplines, and to be innovative thinkers under these changing conditions. Active practitioners in their fields, our faculty train students not only to adapt to new technologies and structures, but to be active creators within this complex ecology.

We hope you will take time to read our news, where you will learn about these remarkable  faculty, students, and alumni, with their rich creative output, and can peruse our many free events and initiatives. If you are looking to engage one of the most exciting locales for art-making in the world, the School of the Arts is for you. For prospective students, our Admissions & Financial Aid Office is eager to help guide you through the extraordinary possibilities our School offers

Sincerely,
Sarah Cole, Dean of the School of the Arts, Columbia University