Columbia University School of the Arts to Host MFA Visual Arts + Sound Art Open Studios and Information Sessions
On Sunday, November 16, Columbia University School of the Arts will host the MFA Visual Arts + Sound Art Open Studios and Information Sessions. This event offers visitors the opportunity to explore the school’s graduate studios, meet current MFA students, and gain insight into their studio practices. The morning Information Sessions will include conversations with faculty members, guided tours of the facilities, and an overview of the program’s curriculum and admissions process.
The Information Sessions will be held at the Lenfest Center for the Arts and will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person:
- 10am (ET): Sound Art Info Session (RSVP)
- 11:30am (ET): Visual Arts Info Session (RSVP)
The Open House and Open Studios will be held in person at the Lenfest Center and Prentis Hall:
- 11am–1pm (ET): Open House (Lenfest Center)
- 2pm–5pm (ET): Open Studios (Prentis Hall)
The MFA Visual Arts + Sound Art Open Studios and Information Sessions are free and open to the public. Learn more here.
About the Visual Arts + Sound Art Program
Columbia’s Visual Arts + Sound Art program provides students with rigorous, studio-based training under the guidance of internationally recognized artists. The curriculum encourages experimentation, cross-disciplinary dialogue, collaboration, and critical engagement with contemporary art theory. Students are urged to push the boundaries of their practice while tapping into New York City’s vast network of museums, galleries, and independent art spaces.
Graduates of the program go on to become exhibiting artists, educators, and cultural innovators whose work influences today’s visual and sonic landscapes.
Visual Arts
The two-year interdisciplinary MFA in Visual Arts allows for creative exploration across various mediums including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and moving image. Students engage with curators, art critics, and art spaces throughout New York City, a global hub for contemporary art.
Sound Art
The Sound Art concentration, offered in collaboration with Columbia’s Department of Music and Computer Music Center, supports artists who integrate sound with sculpture, moving image, installation, new media, performance, and conceptual strategies. Students benefit from a collaborative, experimental environment that situates sound within New York’s vibrant performance and new media scene.
Application Deadline
January 20, 2026
Columbia University School of the Arts
Columbia University School of the Arts, located in the heart of New York City, is a community of artists and thinkers shaping the future of visual, literary, cinematic, and performing arts worldwide. In addition to the MFA Visual Arts + Sound Art program, the school offers MFA programs in Film, Theatre, and Writing. For more information, visit arts.columbia.edu.
