Artistic expression is at the heart of human experience, and its voice is vital in every sector of society from medicine and science to government and commerce. Originality, invention, innovation and creative engagement is how human civilization corrects, advances and flourishes.
The Center for Creativity, Design and the Arts serves as the fulcrum for public discourse about art and creativity through forums, lectures, exhibitions, artists’ studio tours and colloquia open to the public. The Center leads curriculum innovation in the arts and creativity across the disciplines and supports the work of artists through fellowships and connections with students. In addition to the center's work, students can major in several creative areas, including performing and visual arts.
Performing Arts
The performing arts major at Sweet Briar is strongly interdisciplinary, allowing students to pursue one area in great depth while encouraging collaboration with other performing arts as much as possible. We recognize that students may be interested in specific disciplines, so the performing arts major has three tracks — dance, music and theatre. We also offer minors in dance, music, musical theatre and theatre.
Visual Arts
The visual arts can be explored in two ways: through the hands-on practice of skills and techniques in a variety of mediums, or through an in-depth study of art’s history and meaning. At Sweet Briar, the visual arts major has two tracks: art history, and studio art.
The art history track provides students with an understanding of art and architecture in a cultural context. Students will be introduced to the means by which art can be critically observed, intelligently analyzed and knowledgeably discussed. Inherently interdisciplinary, the study of art history touches not just art and history, but also philosophy, literature, music and anthropology. Rooted in research, exploration of art history deepens academic skills that are fundamental to the liberal arts.
The studio art track helps students develop practical skills and the ability to access their creativity. Students have the opportunity to master a wide range of classic and experimental techniques by creating visual expressions of ideas drawn from their own experiences and enriched by the broad spectrum of knowledge available to them in the liberal arts program .
