A Letter from the Dean
Welcome to Western Connecticut State University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts (SVPA), recognized as one of the region’s distinctive public university programs in the arts. Only an hour from New York City, yet located in the scenic foothills of New England’s Berkshires, the school offers a conservatory-level education at the relatively affordable cost of a public university. Here, New York City’s proximity means our students receive the benefit of a faculty of internationally recognized artists, directors, designers, performers, and scholars dedicated to teaching a highly diverse student population.
At Western, our students engage in high quality artistic endeavors within a liberal arts setting where individuality and cultural diversity are prized. Small class sizes affording individual attention and an inclusive atmosphere are trademarks of our commitment to providing a supportive yet demanding learning environment where our students prepare for careers in the visual arts, theater, music and music education.
The University is an important part of the artistic community of western Connecticut and the greater New York City metropolitan area, providing access to more than 100 performances, gallery exhibitions, and guest artist appearances, many at no charge to the public. I invite you to come to campus, hear a concert, attend a theatrical production, or view a gallery exhibition. With the construction of our new instructional, performance, and exhibition center scheduled for 2014, we are confident that we will continue to provide students and audience members alike with high quality educational programs, performances, and exhibitions well into the future.
Dean, School of Visual and Performing Arts
