Visual Arts

Architectural Studies: Major, Minor
Art History: Major, Minor
Museum Studies: Minor
Studio Art: Major, Minor

The study of the visual arts provides a powerful lens through which you can better see, evaluate and understand the world that surrounds you. 

Encompassing multimedia studio explorations, art historical research, and specialized opportunities in architectural and museum studies, the Department of Visual Arts empowers the broader examination of the liberal arts at the College. You will hone your sensitivity to visual culture and the built environment, refine your skills of visual expression and critical analysis, and engage the surrounding community as points for visual inspiration, reflection, and advocacy.

In the classroom, you will study the rich heritage of global artistic and cultural traditions through specialized lecture and seminar courses. In the studio, you will engage traditional and new methods of art-making, becoming absorbed in the process of creating original work. Outside the College, you will immerse yourself in the architecture, galleries, and museums of Worcester and nearby Boston. The New England region’s rich cultural resources form an integral part of the visual arts curriculum, and will provide you with abundant learning, community engagement, and internship opportunities.

The department — consisting of art history, studio art, and architectural studies — features a group of highly respected scholars and artists who regularly lecture, publish, exhibit, and curate nationally and internationally. The faculty place great emphasis on student mentoring in the classroom and in the field, facilitating student research projects and exhibitions, and leading excursions to area sites, galleries and museums.

Engaged Learning Beyond the Classroom
students in cantor art gallery
Studio Concentration Seminar

Senior studio art majors participate in a yearlong course centered on the development of an individual body of work.

Sun rising over a city
Study Abroad

Study abroad in programs that support architectural studies, art history and studio art.

group in the worcester art museum looking at art on a wall
Visiting Artists and Excursions

There are frequent visiting artists and lecturers and regular field trips to museums and galleries throughout the region.

Visual Arts News

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Students Choose Service Over Sunshine on Spring Break Immersion Program
One in 10 Holy Cross students left the typical spring break trip in the sand this past March, opting instead for a week-long adventure focused on service, justice and love. The Spring Break Immersion Program (SBIP) is one of several …
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Visual Arts Lecturer Creates ‘The art exhibit we all need right now’
The creativity of a child and fond memories of building forts during childhood are some of the inspirations behind “Hideout,” a recent installation at the Boston Children’s Museum by Amy Archambault ’08, lecturer in the visual arts department and Millard …
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Photos: ArtsWorcester Showcases Holy Cross Talent at Annual Exhibition
From the layered landscapes of the Grand Canyon to the beauty of the human body, 13 Holy Cross students explore the intersectionality of art, science, and identity through original artwork on display at the 13th Annual ArtsWorcester College Show. The …