College of Fine Arts, UT Austin

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

Teen Girls Are Taking Over Off-Broadway, Telling Big Stories About Growing Up After the success of John Proctor Is the Villain , girl theatre is all the rage.

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

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

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

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).

Congratulations to College of Fine Arts alumna Kimberly Belflower (M.F.A., Playwriting, 2017) on being named to the Outstanding Young Texas Ex Awards for 2026. Kimberly is the author of the Tony Award-nominated play "John Proctor is the Villain" and a professor at Emory University in Atlanta.

Read more about her and the other award winners: https://www.texasexes.org/about-us/awards/outstanding-young-texas-ex-award

Flashback Friday to Summer 2016 and our welcome event for new Fine Arts students.

Join us on Monday, August 24 for this year's welcome event, Gone to Fine Arts, 5-7 pm in the DFA building.

The New York Times recently highlighted Kirk Lynn, professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, for his extraordinary work completing Thornton Wilder’s final unfinished play, "The Emporium." The production, now on stage at Classic Stage Company in New York, brings new life to a work more than 75 years in the making.

https://nyti.ms/4of5Ugv

Recent Studio Art grad Dylan Haefner came to UT to learn from passionate artists and found a creative community that shaped his path as a photographer.

From the darkroom to central Italy to Review Santa Fe, Haefner made the most of his time in the College of Fine Arts.

Read his story at the link in bio.

Photo by: Dylan Haefner

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.