Arts Programs and Departments
Trinity is home to a vibrant, arts community of talented faculty, students and visiting artists.
Whether it’s a musical theater production in the Goodwin Theater or an art exhibit in the Widener Gallery, our students and faculty in the arts departments at Trinity, as well as alumni and visiting artists, keep the Austin Arts Center busy throughout the year.
Fine Arts
Trinity’s strong programs in Art History and Studio Arts are led by a faculty of nationally recognized scholars and working artists. Art history majors receive a rich introduction to the global heritage of art and develop a framework for comparative analysis and critique. Majors and minors in studio arts build a deep portfolio of both classic and new media and exhibit in student-curated campus galleries. All fine arts majors travel to museums in Boston and New York, are encouraged to study abroad through Trinity International Programs in Rome, Paris, Beijing and other cities, and participate in a wide variety of academic internships in Hartford and other arts and cultural institutions around the world. Visit the Art History or Studio Arts websites.
Music
Music is the emotional language of culture. Music majors and minors at Trinity immerse themselves in the theory and practice of popular, classical, and world music with cross-disciplinary studies in American studies, international studies and anthropology. Majors can choose to specialize in American popular music, ethnomusicology, or musical theater. Visit the Music Department website.
Theater & Dance
The study of theater and dance at Trinity is both a private and public experience. In studio classrooms, students work through the classical elements of performance—acting, improvisation, voice, and movement—and then engage with the community through staged productions, concerts, and service opportunities. Students help teach movement classes to Hartford youth and have the option of spending an unforgettable semester in New York City through the Trinity/La MaMa Performing Arts Program. Visit the Theater and Dance website
Creative Writing
About half of Trinity’s English majors and minors concentrate in creative writing. Our award-winning and widely published faculty lead hands-on workshops in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and screenwriting. Students have many opportunities to publish their work and become involved in the process of editing and producing a literary magazine via Slate, our student-run journal. Our program is also home to the A.K. Smith Reading Series, which brings writers of national and international significance to campus each semester. Previous visitors have included Derek Walcott, Colm Toíbín, Rivka Galchen, Earl Lovelace, and Yusef Komunyakaa. Visit the English Department website.
Film Studies
The Interdisciplinary Program in Film Studies at Trinity draws on courses in film studies and production taught in sixteen of the College’s departments and programs. History, politics, philosophy, psychology, culture, theatre, literature, music and visual art are all potentially implicated in the experience of film, and our courses invite students to explore the multiple dimensions of cinematic art. The program also offers students interested in filmmaking an opportunity to develop that interest through film production courses, internships, study abroad programs, and the option of doing a senior production thesis. Visit the Film Studies website.
InterArts
InterArts is an innovative, multidisciplinary, one-year program designed for a select group of outstanding first-year students who share a deep interest in the arts. InterArts students undertake an intensive exploration of the meaning and practice of art in all its forms. Over two semesters, InterArts students share seminars, go as a group to arts and cultural events, participate in workshops with visiting artists, and collaborate on original projects. Visit the InterArts website.
