College of Fine Arts, UT Austin

09/09/2026

Please join us in welcoming Danielle Begnaud, a new assistant professor of practice in the Department of Design.

Begnaud is a multidisciplinary designer whose work spans toys, games and interactive objects. Her research asks what can happen when children become partners in the design process, contributing their ideas to the toys, furniture, classrooms, playgrounds and schools created for them.

A UT Austin alumna, Begnaud returns to her alma mater after nine years of designing, researching and teaching in New York City. This year, she is teaching Intro to 3D Design and Intro to Prototyping, followed by Toy Design in the spring.

Learn more about Begnaud’s work and her return to the Forty Acres in our new faculty Q&A: https://bit.ly/4x6eQre

09/07/2026

Please join us in welcoming Caroline Anderson, a new assistant professor in the Department of Art and Art History.

An interdisciplinary artist, writer and curator, Anderson works across sculpture, installation, digital media and fiction. Her research considers technology, intelligence and the shifting categories we use to understand the world around us.

At UT Austin, she is developing two courses: Strange Forms, which connects AI and digital processes with physical fabrication, and Emergent Worlds, which draws from AI, science fiction, cybernetics and contemporary art.

Learn more about Anderson’s creative practice, professional path and plans for the classroom in our new faculty Q&A: https://bit.ly/4ykpknS

08/25/2026

Last night was Gone to Fine Arts, our annual welcome event for the newest Longhorn Fine Arts students, featuring games, karaoke, a photo booth, arts and crafts, and plenty of info about organizations and services with the College of Fine Arts.

Welcome to our newest students! Hope you are having a great first week!

08/13/2026

Teen girls are taking center stage, and Longhorn playwrights are helping lead the way. 🤘🎭

A recent Playbill feature explores the rise of “girl theatre,” a wave of bold new plays that treat the messy, tender and deeply consequential experience of growing up with the dramatic weight it deserves.

Among the playwrights mentioned are three UT Theatre and Dance alumni: Kimberly Belflower, whose "John Proctor Is the Villain" helped fuel the trend; Eliya Smith, playwright of "Dad Don’t Read This"; and Libby Carr, playwright of "Calf Scramble."

We’re proud to see three Longhorns helping shape one of theatre’s exciting trends and bringing complex stories about girlhood to stages. The College of Fine Arts is a creative incubator, and our alumni are trendsetters.

Read the Playbill feature: https://bit.ly/3TriWfz

After the success of John Proctor Is the Villain , girl theatre is all the rage.

08/11/2026

The Austin American-Statesman recently announced the new inductees into the 2026 Austin Arts Hall of Fame, and the College of Fine Arts was well represented with faculty, alumni and friends in this year's cohort. Congratulations to Professor Donnie Albert, Professor Beili Liu, Professor Emerita Franchelle Dorn, former Assistant Dean and Executive Director of Development Sondra Lomax and alumni Matthew Hinsley and Rupert Reyes!
https://bit.ly/4q5susJ

08/06/2026

Art History Professor John R. Clarke's research is highlighted in the cover story of this month's issue of National Geographic! Professor Clarke and Michael Thomas (Ph.D., Art History, 2001) are co-directors of the Oplontis Project, which documents the excavation of the Oplontis site near Pompeii.

This month's magazine explores what Clarke, Thomas and their colleagues have uncovered at sites buried by the Mount Vesuvius eruption and what their discoveries can tell us about the lives of ancient Romans of all classes.
https://bit.ly/4wKYJ3a

Texas Global at The University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin Department of Art and Art History

08/04/2026

From the classroom to IBM, UT senior Emmy Chen is putting her design education to work.

A dual-degree student in design and advertising, Chen is spending the summer as a visual design intern with IBM’s Blue Studio. As the only visual designer on a cross-functional intern team, she is helping turn complex research and thought-leadership reports into engaging content for executive audiences.

Her experience shows how an interdisciplinary education can prepare students to collaborate, solve problems and make an impact in the workplace.

Read more about Chen’s path from UT Austin to IBM: https://bit.ly/4fMzEO5

07/30/2026

The College of Fine Arts wants to acknowledge the enduring impact Gilberto Cárdenas had in the arts. Our students and faculty will continue to learn from the legacy of the collection he’s bestowed to The Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas. The collection is under the stewardship of curator Claudia Zapata (B.F.A., Art History, 2005).

05/15/2026

Our College of Fine Arts staff members recently gathered for our annual Staff Service and Appreciation event to celebrate our incredible colleagues. We recognized staff members who had 40, 30, 20, 15 and 10 years of service at the university, as well as three staff members who recently received the President's Outstanding Staff Award. We appreciate the creativity, professionalism and excellence in our Fine Arts staff members.