MacEwan University has announced the addition of a new Bachelor of Fine Arts. The program builds on the university’s decades of experience in preparing graduates through diploma programs to shape Alberta’s vibrant arts and culture sector, creating a supportive environment where students can study their craft and develop the skills they need to develop their future careers.

“It truly has been the creativity and energy of our students, faculty, and alumni that has helped to build MacEwan University’s arts legacy over the past 50 years,” says Dr. Annette Trimbee, MacEwan University president and vice-chancellor.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts will offer students the opportunity to explore the interdependent and interdisciplinary nature of contemporary art while seeking ways to respond to the rapidly changing needs of the creative and cultural industries.

Students will learn and collaborate in Allard Hall, which offers access to state-of-the-art learning and performance spaces. In addition to the facility itself, Allard Hall is in close proximity to downtown Edmonton’s galleries, theatres, museums, concert halls, festivals and more.

Though COVID-19 has impacted the arts, the pandemic has also illustrated the critical role that the arts play in society — and in our quality of life. A re-energized arts scene is part of the province’s plans to restart the economy, and the Bachelor of Fine Arts program will position graduates to respond to a resurgence and planned growth in this sector.

“This is exactly the kind of energy we need right now,” says Dr. Trimbee.

Graduates of this program will possess management savvy and knowledge, intrapreneurial and entrepreneurial skills, as well as a depth of knowledge, skill and expertise in their chosen discipline.
“This unique degree gives our Theatre, Fine Art and Arts and Cultural Management students the opportunity to complete their degree at MacEwan,” says Dr. Allan Gilliland, dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications. “It also provides them with two more years to hone their skills in our world-class facility, Allard Hall, before embarking on a career in the arts.”

The Bachelor of Fine Arts will feature four majors:

• Arts and Cultural Management encompasses presenting and promoting all things arts and culture: music, theatre, dance, galleries, museums, archives, heritage conservation and the literary arts. The core of this major is leadership and project management.
• Musical Theatre Performance offers students intensive conservatory-style training in musical theatre and opportunities to showcase their talents in smash-hit Broadway musicals and cutting-edge contemporary plays for public audiences.
• Studio Arts takes an experiential learning and hands-on approach to equipping students with skills in performance and sound art, painting, drawing, video, sculpture, fibres and more. In this interdisciplinary environment, students are challenged to think critically and creatively about contemporary art.
• Theatre Production trains students in stage and production management, costuming, scenic painting, scenic construction, lighting, video, properties, and audio to prepare them for dynamic career opportunities in live and recorded entertainment sectors as technicians, artisans, craftspeople and managers.

“A Bachelor of Fine Arts gives students room to learn, to share knowledge and to take their careers in many different directions,” Dr. Craig Monk, MacEwan’s provost & vice-president, Academic. “It will prepare MacEwan students to contribute to diverse teams while working in the arts and beyond. It will allow them to develop the skills to be responsive to that with which the world confronts them.”

Applications open in Fall 2021 with programming to begin September 2022. Learn more at MacEwan.ca/BFA.