The arts are integral to the academic mission of Brown University—so vital, in fact, that “cultivating creative expression” is a key component of the University’s current strategic plan, Building on Distinction. Brown is recognized for its rigorous fusion of arts practice and scholarship, and serves as an incubator for both traditional and experimental art and media. Its Open Curriculum fosters curiosity-driven investigation and invites participation from students of all disciplines and skill levels, as well as from faculty and scholars using the arts as a foundation for cross-cultural exploration and an agent of social change.
Brown University has an ambitious vision for the arts as an integral presence throughout a liberal arts education. We believe the arts are fundamental to critical inquiry into the most important questions facing humanity around the world, and we support artists operating at the highest levels of their craft to inform, be informed by, and collaborate with scholars in disciplines across the sciences, social sciences and humanities. Brown has a deep and broad ecosystem of creative individuals, academic and artistic programs, research initiatives, exhibition and performance venues, specialized equipment and technical expertise, boundless and fearless curiosity, and a collective commitment to creating art that has measurable social impact — we term this ecosystem Brown Arts.