My first year as dean has been a bit of a whirlwind, and it’s been such a joy to dive into the College of Fine Arts community and to learn more about the impactful work being advanced by our faculty, staff, students and alumni.
As I’ve been traversing the state to meet with our Advisory Council members and other friends of the college, I’ve also been carving out time to learn more about the rich and diverse arts scene across Texas.
In 2020, The University of Texas earned the Hispanic Serving Institution designation and was also awarded the prestigious Seal of Excelencia. These recognitions represent a broad effort by the campus and UT community and help demonstrate the university is committed to providing high-quality education that values the Hispanic experience along with other student experiences.
As I learn more about UT’s connection to Latinx communities in the state, I’ve been meeting Austin- and San Antonio-based artists to learn more about the visual and performing arts scenes in Central Texas.
In Dallas, I convened a dinner with a high school art teacher, a community college professor, a professor at a four-year institution and three Latinx art makers from the region. We had a lively discussion about arts in Texas and how we see Latinx artists and curators breaking new artistic and scholarly ground in their respective fields.
I’m delighted to share that the College of Fine Arts will be hosting its first summit on Latinx arts this fall, and we’ll be drawing from a stellar slate of alumni to talk about their artistic, scholarly and curatorial practices. Stay tuned for more information, and I hope you’ll join us for this convening during the fall.
Sincerely,
Ramón H. Rivera-Servera
Dean, College of Fine Arts