University of the Arts (Philadelphia)
University of the Arts (UArts) is a private arts university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its campus makes up part of the Avenue of the Arts in Center City, Philadelphia. Dating back to the 1870s, it is one of the oldest schools of art or music in the United States.
Type
1870, 1876, 1985
$54.1 million (2020)[1]
Kerry Walk
121 full time, 420 part time
1,900
Urban
Red
White
Unicorn
The university is composed of two colleges and two Divisions: the College of Art, Media & Design; the College of Performing Arts; the Division of Liberal Arts; and the Division of Continuing Studies. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. In addition, the School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.[2]
History[edit]
19th century[edit]
In 1870, the Philadelphia Musical Academy was created. In 1876, the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art was founded as a museum and art school. In 1877, the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music was founded.
20th century[edit]
In 1921, after graduating from South Philadelphia High School, contralto Marian Anderson applied to the Philadelphia Musical Academy but was turned away because she was "colored."[3] Today the University's School of Music has a black dean, Kevin Haden.
In 1938, the museum changed its name to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the school became the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art.[4] In 1964, the school became independent of the museum and renamed itself the Philadelphia Museum College of Art (PMCA).
In 1944, the Children's Dance Theatre, later known as the Philadelphia Dance Academy, was established by Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck. In 1962, the Conservatory of Music and the Musical Academy merged, then, in 1976, the combined organization acquired the Dance Academy, and renamed itself the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. After establishing a School of Theater in 1983, the institution became the first performing arts college in Pennsylvania to offer a comprehensive range of majors in music, dance and theater. This institution is now the College of Performing Arts of the University of the Arts.
In 1985, the Philadelphia Museum College of Art and the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts merged to become the Philadelphia Colleges of the Arts, and gained university status as the University of the Arts in 1987.
In 1996, the university added a third academic division, the College of Media and Communication.
21st century[edit]
In 2011, the College of Media and Communication merged with the College of Art and Design to become the College of Art, Media & Design.
Academics[edit]
The University of the Arts' approximately 1,500 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs in six schools: Art, Design, Film, Dance, Music, and the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts. In addition, the university offers a PhD in Creativity. The Division of Continuing Studies offers courses through its Continuing Education, Pre-College, Summer Music Studies, and Professional Institute for Educators programs.[5][6]