College of the Arts

Creative expression meets real-world impact.

PLEASE NOTE: The College of the Arts office (Lincoln Hall 349) will be physically closed until further notice while staff work remotely. Don't hesitate to reach out to the-arts@pdx.edu with any specific questions or concerns.

Virtual Front Desk

Have questions? Visit the College of the Arts Office of the Dean's Virtual Front Desk! We are available: Monday & Wednesday between 9am-12:30pm; Tuesday, Thursday & Friday between 1pm-3pm.

Visit our Virtual Front Desk

Experience the arts at PSU

Find your creative voice—and experience the voices of others—at the most dynamic and accessible public arts institution in Oregon.

Through creative research, community projects, and hundreds of public events each year, the College of the Arts makes Portland a better place to live.

In the studio and on the stage, in the classroom and the community. Our students and faculty cultivate the bold ideas that can change the world.

Artists are problem solvers. Today more than ever, that’s what the world needs.

Creative practice demands new ideas, empathy for others, collaboration and practical results. These skills are essential for solving the big challenges facing society today—and they’re at the heart of our college. That’s why our graduates are well prepared for successful careers in the arts and beyond.

Our schools

School of Architecture

School of Art + Design

School of Film

School of Music & Theater

Student Resources

How to Apply

Academic Advising

Scholarships

Your generosity makes a difference

Innovation, advocacy, and community building are central to addressing today’s challenges—and creativity is key. College of the Arts students pursue rigorous academic curricula and learn the skills and discipline for successful and sustainable careers in the arts. Your gift will have direct impact on aspiring artists, musicians, designers, and makers!

The College of the Arts Student Hardship Fund was created to provide immediate support to students in need of emergency funds to cover both academic and personal expenses, such as housing, medical bills, utilities, and equipment. Thank you for your gift to support College of the Arts students facing financial hardship during this challenging time.

Give to the College

Give to the Harsdship Fund

Upcoming events

December 3

TECHFEST NW

Last year, many of you gathered at Viking Pavilion at Portland State University for the annual TechfestNW conference. This year in the wake of COVID-…

Add to my Calendar 2020-12-03 08:00:00 2020-12-02 09:09:00 TECHFEST NW Last year, many of you gathered at Viking Pavilion at Portland State University for the annual TechfestNW conference. This year in the wake of COVID-19, we had to cancel our in-person conference originally planned for April 2020. But don't fret—TechfestNW is back and better than ever!We are thrilled to announce that Techfest is going virtual this year. Eager to know what's next for the future of work, cities, health, privacy, and equity? Join us in December for a virtual conference with engaging talks about the challenges and opportunities our world is facing. We have a fantastic lineup of speakers, a platform that will allow guests to network, a virtual expo, and tons of other exciting opportunities. Also, get to see more than 70 startups pitching their ideas to some of the country's smartest investors. We hope to see you there! https://www.techfestnw.com/?mc_cid=dfa75972a2&mc_eid=5ecf4376b2 https://www.techfestnw.com/?mc_cid=dfa75972a2&mc_eid=5ecf4376b2 https://www.techfestnw.com/?mc_cid=dfa75972a2&mc_eid=5ecf4376b2 America/Los_Angeles public

December 3

Artist Visit and Screening: ariella tai

The School of Film is proud to host a lecture and screening by video…

Add to my Calendar 2020-12-03 08:00:00 2020-12-02 09:09:00 Artist Visit and Screening: ariella tai The School of Film is proud to host a lecture and screening by video artist ariella tai. ariella tai is a video artist, film scholar, and independent programmer based in Portland, OR. They are interested in black performance and cultural vernaculars in film, television and media studies. tai is one half of “the first and the last,” a fellowship, workshop and screening series supporting and celebrating the work of black women and femmes in film, video and new media art. They have shown work at Anthology Film Archives, Portland Institute For Contemporary Art, Northwest Film Center, Wa Na Wari, the Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival, MOCA and Smack Mellon, amongst others. tai’s most recent video work "safehouse" premiered at Trinity Square Video in Toronto, ON. IG: @patravonkant about cavity: cavity is a video that considers revenge. Sourcing and manipulating images and audio from popular and cult media, cavity seeks to treat black women’s narrative and performance as malleable- containing possibilities for agency, alternate readings and resolutions. What would it look like to fight back against those who dispose of us? What would it look like to enjoy it? about she’s not gonna get more dead: she’s not gonna get more dead opens with footage from the BET show Being Mary Jane and selects excerpts of Black women vampires–Sanaa Lathan in Blade, Angela Bassett in A Vampire in Brooklyn, Michele Kelly as Alonna Gunn in the TV series Angel and finally, Aaliyah in Queen of the Damned–to meditate on what makes someone–and what it might look like to be–more than dead. treating death and dying as axes on timelines of traumatic experience, this short film seeks to create new narratives where Black women are able to achieve release and relief. Portland State Film's YouTube Channel Kristin Hole hole@pdx.edu Kristin Hole hole@pdx.edu America/Los_Angeles public

December 2 December 2

Fall Forward: Core End of Term Virtual Celebration

Join us for a live ceremony, screenings of student work, virtual hangouts, and other fascinating CORE community art events! Join Core, the first-…

Add to my Calendar 2020-12-02 12:30:00 2020-12-02 13:45:00 Fall Forward: Core End of Term Virtual Celebration Join us for a live ceremony, screenings of student work, virtual hangouts, and other fascinating CORE community art events! Join Core, the first-year program of the School of Art + Design, for a celebration of student work at our virtual event, Fall Forward. It's the end of the term and the Core wants to celebrate with you! We have an amazing line-up of creative ways to experience the thoughtful artworks that students created during the term. Here are ways to participate! Attend the ZOOM opening at 12:30! Check out the schedule on our Core website (linked above) where you'll find links to all the events. Students will be sharing live video and artworks, organizing discussion groups, and even a drop in to ‘introduce your pet’ group. (Which funny enough is a side benefit to learning-teaching remotely!) Sessions: A Showcase of Surface Work Parmesan! Animation Shorts from the Core Time class 3D Works Hosted by the Core Space class Ideation Workbook Virtual Pictionary Time 103 Video Screening Best Work Show & Tell (Come share your work!) Sip and Chill, a Break from 2020 Taking a Virtual Walk Together Pet Project (All animals are welcome!) https://psu-core.com/fall-forward-2020-exhibition-event/ art@pdx.edu art@pdx.edu America/Los_Angeles public

Two people read the back cover of a book at the Portland State University bookstore.

November 30, 2020

College of the Arts