About
Welcome from Phylicia Rashad, Dean of the College of Fine Arts
Welcome to the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, the cultural center of Howard University.
For 20 years, the College of Fine Arts was absent from the Mecca. That is not to say there was no art or culture on campus. To be sure, the arts and artists have always had a place at Howard University. But in the late 1990s, the University elected to migrate the college’s offerings into the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Fine Arts became the Division of Fine Arts. This decision was met with detractors, among them one Chadwick A. Boseman.
Phylicia Rashad
Dean of Fine Arts
While Chadwick Boseman's death in August 2020 prevented him from seeing the resurrection of his beloved college, by naming the reestablished College of Fine Arts in his honor, we will ensure that his legacy will fortify its foundations as this old institution breaks new ground."
Our Mission
In accordance with the mission of Howard University, the College of Fine Arts offers an undergraduate and graduate education capable of empowering students to achieve their tremendous potential as artists and professionals.
As the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) with a college dedicated to the arts, Howard serves as a critical space and provides a supportive environment for artists from historically excluded communities to find their own voice and provide a voice for the voiceless.
The College of Fine Arts generates global leadership in the arts and creative economies, giving new shape to wide cross sections of our society and serving as a hub for national and international dialogue about arts and culture.
By focusing on an array of disciplines, students have the opportunity to explore the full breadth of their talents while identifying their unique purpose in life and their distinctive duty to their communities.
Our Commitment
The College of Fine Arts is committed to cultivating artists who use self-expression for the pursuit of social progress. The College fulfills this commitment by:
- Attracting talented and passionate students as well as top-tier faculty members, artists and educators;
- Living up to the legacy of Howard alumni who have gained national and international prominence as administrators, artists, designers, performers, playwrights, scholars, historians, and more;
- Bolstering the reputation of the Departments of Art, Music and Theatre Arts as well as ancillary programs, including but not limited to the University Choir, the University’s Marching Band, the Howard University Jazz Ensemble, and many more; and
- Cultivating unique opportunities for professional partnerships and collaborations to enhance the experiential education of our students.