VCU School of the Arts
Encyclopedia
Virginia Commonwealth University
's School of the Arts, located in Richmond, Virginia
, comprises sixteen programs and more than 3,000 students. With the inclusion of the campus in Qatar, come an additional 5 programs and another 214 students. It began as one night class taught by Theresa Pollak in the fall of 1928.
Around the 1940's and 1950's the School of Art began acquiring some recognition nationwide. A brochure issued by RPI about 1940 carried two photographs which had been published by Life magazine. The school has been for years one of the largest at RPI and its successor, Virginia Commonwealth University.
Herbert J. Burgart, who became director about 1966-67 was quoted by the Richmond Times-Dispatch on March 23, 1969, as saying that his information was that it is the "largest professional art school in the country, with 1,200 full-time undergraduate students and 75 graduate students."
Miss Pollak retired in 1970 after more than 40 years of service. At this time the newspapers announced the faculty had increased to 72 full-time and 24 part-time teachers. The new and attractive art school building completed in 1970 is named for that first teacher in the department, Miss Pollak.
The following are overall rankings among all United States
Programs
The Department of Interior Design graduate program was ranked as the #4 Interior Design graduate program in the South and #6 nationally by the journal DesignIntelligence in its 2008 edition of "America's Best Architecture & Design Schools". The undergraduate program was ranked #5 regionally.
(RPI) in 1930 by Colonel Abraham Archibald Anderson (1847 Π1940). Colonel Anderson, a gentleman portrait artist who founded the American Art Association in 1890, believed that Richmond would develop, with support, a thriving art community.
The VCU Institute of Contemporary Art is a new 20 million dollar art gallery to replace the current Anderson Gallery. It will be built on the southwest corner of Broad and Belvidere. The new location would establish the gallery as the western anchor for the First Fridays Art Walks. The gallery will be approximately 32000 square feet (2,972.9 m²) with a 210 seat auditorium for guest lectures and film screenings.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
's School of the Arts, located in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, comprises sixteen programs and more than 3,000 students. With the inclusion of the campus in Qatar, come an additional 5 programs and another 214 students. It began as one night class taught by Theresa Pollak in the fall of 1928.
History
The first important step in the expansion of the curriculum into an entirely new field was the opening in 1928 of the School of Art in a studio constructed in the loft of an old stable. The establishment of the School of Art resulted partly from the encouragement provided by an initial gift of $1,000 by Colonel A. A. Anderson, a wealthy New York artist; partly from gifts from Richmond citizens of $24,000; partly from a grant of financial assistance made by the State Department of Education; and partly from the willingness of the first teacher, Miss Theresa Pollak, to work in those early years without a salary guarantee.Around the 1940's and 1950's the School of Art began acquiring some recognition nationwide. A brochure issued by RPI about 1940 carried two photographs which had been published by Life magazine. The school has been for years one of the largest at RPI and its successor, Virginia Commonwealth University.
Herbert J. Burgart, who became director about 1966-67 was quoted by the Richmond Times-Dispatch on March 23, 1969, as saying that his information was that it is the "largest professional art school in the country, with 1,200 full-time undergraduate students and 75 graduate students."
Miss Pollak retired in 1970 after more than 40 years of service. At this time the newspapers announced the faculty had increased to 72 full-time and 24 part-time teachers. The new and attractive art school building completed in 1970 is named for that first teacher in the department, Miss Pollak.
Rankings
VCUarts is ranked the #1 public university and #4 overall school of arts and design in the country by U.S. News & World ReportThe following are overall rankings among all United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Programs
- #1 - Sculpture
- #3 - Fashion Design
- #4 - Graphic Design
- #4 - Fiber Arts (Craft/Material Studies)
- #5 - Glass (Craft/Material Studies)
- #8 - Painting
- #9 - Multimedia/Visual Communications (Communication Arts, Photography & Film, and Kinetic Imaging)
- #10 - Metals/Jewelry (Craft/Material Studies)
- #12 - Ceramics (Craft/Material Studies)
- #17 - Printmaking
The Department of Interior Design graduate program was ranked as the #4 Interior Design graduate program in the South and #6 nationally by the journal DesignIntelligence in its 2008 edition of "America's Best Architecture & Design Schools". The undergraduate program was ranked #5 regionally.
Departments
- Art Education
- Art History
- Cinema
- Communication Arts
- Craft/Material Studies
- Dance & Choreography
- Fashion Design
- Fashion Merchandising
- Film
- Graphic Design
- Interior Design
- Kinetic Imaging
- Music
- Painting & Printmaking
- Photography
- Sculpture + Extended Media
- Theatre
Anderson Gallery
VCU's Anderson Gallery was established through a monetary gift given to the Richmond Professional InstituteRichmond Professional Institute
The Richmond Professional Institute was an educational institution established in 1917 which merged with the Medical College of Virginia to form Virginia Commonwealth University. RPI was located on what is now known as the Monroe Park Campus of VCU. The entire history of RPI can be found in "A...
(RPI) in 1930 by Colonel Abraham Archibald Anderson (1847 Π1940). Colonel Anderson, a gentleman portrait artist who founded the American Art Association in 1890, believed that Richmond would develop, with support, a thriving art community.
The VCU Institute of Contemporary Art is a new 20 million dollar art gallery to replace the current Anderson Gallery. It will be built on the southwest corner of Broad and Belvidere. The new location would establish the gallery as the western anchor for the First Fridays Art Walks. The gallery will be approximately 32000 square feet (2,972.9 m²) with a 210 seat auditorium for guest lectures and film screenings.