History

Enhancing the status and accessibility of the arts at Boston College is an important goal of the University President, Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., and a particular passion of J. Robert Barth, S.J., former Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Father Leahy established the Arts Council in December of 1997 to support and encourage the growth and prominence of dramatic, musical, visual, and other art forms on the campus. After completing a review of the "state of the arts" on campus, the council defined its goals and strategies for improvement of the arts of Boston College.

In its first decade, the Boston College Arts Council: established a widely-popular annual Arts Festival; created an awards program for alumni, faculty, staff, and students; designed and produced a suite of marketing vehicles for the arts, including a print calendar, monthly emails, and a blog; and developed an annual Career Night for the Arts and alumni networking programs – including the Arts Alumni Network.

The Arts Council's current projects include: expanding the arts facilities for performance and the exhibition of student art; developing new and enhancing existing academic programs; assisting in the marketing of university arts events; and increasing the presence of public art on campus.