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University of the Arts (Philadelphia)

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University of the Arts (UArts) was a private arts university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its campus made up part of the Avenue of the Arts cultural district in Center City, Philadelphia. On May 31, 2024, university administrators suddenly announced that the university would close on June 7, 2024, although its precarious financial situation had been known for some time.[3] It was accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.[4]

University of the Arts
Dorrance Hamilton Hall in 2024
TypePrivate art university
Established1870, 1876, 1985
Endowment$54.1 million (2020)[1]
Academic staff
77 full time, 282 part time
Students1,313 (fall 2022)[2]
Undergraduates1,170
Postgraduates143
Location
Philadelphia
,
Pennsylvania
,
United States

39°56′46″N 75°9′57″W / 39.94611°N 75.16583°W / 39.94611; -75.16583
CampusUrban
Colors  Red
  White
MascotUnicorn
Websitewww.uarts.edu

The university included two colleges and two divisions: the College of Art, Media & Design; the College of Performing Arts; the Division of Liberal Arts; and the Division of Continuing Studies. The School of Music was accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.[5]

History

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In 1870, the Philadelphia Musical Academy was created. In 1876, the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art was founded as a museum, which became the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and art school. Though never housed in the same building, the museum and the school were one institution. In 1877, the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music was founded.

In 1893, the School of Industrial Art purchased an early 19th century neoclassical building initially constructed for the Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. The purchase was an early act of historic preservation, as it saved the building from developers who wished to bulldoze it.[6]

In 1921, contralto Marian Anderson applied to the Philadelphia Musical Academy but was turned away because she was "colored."[7]

In 1938, the museum changed its name to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the school became the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art.[8] In 1964, the school became independent of the museum and renamed itself the Philadelphia College of Art (PCA).

In 1944, the Children's Dance Theatre, later known as the Philadelphia Dance Academy, was established by Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck. In 1962, the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music and the Philadelphia Musical Academy merged; in 1976, the combined organization acquired the Dance Academy and renamed itself the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. After establishing a School of Theater in 1983, the institution became the first performing arts college in Pennsylvania to offer a comprehensive range of majors in music, dance and theater. This institution later became the College of Performing Arts of the University of the Arts.

In 1985, the Philadelphia College of Art and the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts merged to become the Philadelphia Colleges of the Arts, and gained university status as the University of the Arts in 1987.

In 1996, the university added a third academic division, the College of Media and Communication. In 2011, the College of Media and Communication merged with the College of Art and Design to become the College of Art, Media & Design.

The Philadelphia Art Alliance became a part of the university in 2017.[9]

Financial and enrollment challenges

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In the late 2010s and 2020s, the university faced declining enrollment and a poor financial outlook. In the 2018–19 school year enrollment was at 1,914 falling to 1,149 by the start of the fall 2023 semester. The university was profitable for the 2021–22 fiscal year, but the next year it had a projected operating loss of $2.56 million, on a budget of about $50 million.[10]

From 2018 to 2022, the university led a capital campaign that allegedly raised $67.2 million, including $5.5 million for financial aid and $24 million for its endowment, which grew to $61.2 million. The school also received a $2.5 million grant from Pennsylvania for infrastructure projects. The exact amount gifted has since come into question.[11][12] The endowment money was not usable for day-to-day operations, which remained imperiled. Starting in 2019, the day-to-day university fund ended each academic year with only a single month of funding remaining. In 2022, the president behind the capital campaign, David Yager, was driven out by a faculty vote of no confidence. He was replaced by Kerry Walk.[13]

In October 2023, Walk privately announced to the deans of the university that "she’d recently discovered serious financial problems that she’d been unaware of when she accepted the job". This was not communicated to students, faculty or alumni, and is the only known discussion of serious issues before the following May.[13]

Closure

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On May 31, 2024, Walk abruptly announced the school had exhausted all of its funds and would close on June 7. The announcement caught many by surprise, including then-current students, faculty, and the university's accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.[14] The accreditor withdrew the university's accreditation the day after the closure was announced; it could be restored if the university successfully appeals.[4] On June 4, 2024, Walk announced her resignation after canceling an information meeting for faculty and students the night before.[15]

On June 5, 2024, the board of trustees hired the consulting firm Alvarez and Marsal to oversee the closure.[16][17] On September 13, 2024, the university filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation.[18]

Academics

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The University of the Arts' approximately 1,500 students were enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs in six schools: Art, Design, Film, Dance, Music, and the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts. In addition, the university offered a PhD in Creativity. The Division of Continuing Studies offers courses through its Continuing Education, Pre-College, Summer Music Studies, and Professional Institute for Educators programs.[19][20] The university was accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Facilities and collections

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The university's campus, in the Avenue of the Arts cultural district of Center City Philadelphia, included six academic buildings and four residence halls. There were 10 performance venues and 12 exhibition/gallery spaces on campus.[21]

The Albert M. Greenfield Library housed 152,067 bound volumes, 6,936 CDs, 14,901 periodicals, 16,820 scores and 1965 videos and DVDs. The Music Library collection held about 20,000 scores, 15,000 books, 10,000 LP discs, and 8,000 CDs. The Visual Resources Collection includes 175,000 slides. Additional university collections included the University Archives, the Picture File, the Book Arts and Textile Collections, and the Drawing Resource Center.[citation needed]

UArts' 10 galleries included one curated by students. Exhibitions have included the Quay Brothers, Vito Acconci, R. Crumb, Rosalyn Drexler, April Gornik, Alex Grey, James Hyde, Jon Kessler, Donald Lipski, Robert Motherwell, Stuart Netsky, Irving Penn, Jack Pierson, Anne and Patrick Poirier, Yvonne Rainer, Lenore Tawney and Andy Warhol.[citation needed]

 
Arts Bank Theater

The University of the Arts had seven theaters. The Levitt Auditorium in Gershman Hall is the largest on campus with a seating capacity of 850. Also in Gershman Hall was a black box theater used for student-run productions. The university's Arts Bank Theater seats 230, and the Laurie Beechman Cabaret Theater is located in the same building. The university also utilized the adjacent Drake Theater, primarily for dance productions. The Caplan Center for the Performing Arts, located on the 16 & 17th floor of Terra Hall – which opened in 2007, housed two theaters. Its black box theater seated 100 and a recital hall seated 250.[citation needed]

At the time of closing, it had three dormitories for students: Furness Residence Hall, Juniper Residence Hall, and Spruce Residence Hall.[22] In 2023 the university sold another, Pine Residence Hall.[23]

Polyphone Festival

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The annual Polyphone Festival of New and Emerging Music, launched in 2016, focused on the emerging musical. Composers, librettists, directors, choreographers and music directors were invited to the campus to work with students on developing musicals.[24]

Notable alumni

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Notable faculty

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ As of June 30, 2020. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. February 19, 2021. Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  2. ^ "College Navigator - University of the Arts".
  3. ^ Boucher, Brian (June 3, 2024). "Philadelphia's University of the Arts Announces Sudden Closing". New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "University of the Arts - Statement of Accreditation Status". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  5. ^ "Accreditation | University of the Arts". www.uarts.edu. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  6. ^ "PMSIA LOCATIONS".
  7. ^ Alicia Ault. "How Marian Anderson Became an Iconic Symbol for Equality." Smithsonian Magazine, August 14, 2019. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-marian-anderson-became-iconic-symbol-equality-180972898/ Archived January 30, 2022, at the Wayback Machine See also "Marian Anderson." Brooklyn Museum Website. https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/heritage_floor/marian_anderson Archived January 30, 2022, at the Wayback Machine See also "American Experience: Voice of Freedom." Season 33, Episode 2: Marian Anderson
  8. ^ Sixty-second Annual Report of the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the Year Ended May 31, 1938, with the List of Members, 1938
  9. ^ Dobrin, Peter (September 9, 2017). "Philadelphia Art Alliance to merge with University of the Arts". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  10. ^ Snyder, Susan (May 31, 2024). "The University of the Arts is closing June 7, its president says". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  11. ^ Pontone, Maya (June 6, 2024). "UArts Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over Alleged Labor Violations". Hyperallergic.
  12. ^ "Edge University Magazine 2022" (PDF). UArts.
  13. ^ a b Murrell, David (August 8, 2024). "The Inside Story of the University of the Arts's Stunning Collapse". Philadelphia Magazine.
  14. ^ Snyder, Susan; Harold, Brubaker; Graham, Kristen A. (May 31, 2024). "The University of the Arts is closing June 7, its president says". Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024.
  15. ^ A. Graham, Kristen; Snyder, Susan (June 4, 2024). "Upheaval continues at UArts: Its president resigns, but Temple offers a possible merger". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  16. ^ Andersen, Eva; Burton, Kyle (June 5, 2024). "University of the Arts hires consulting firm Alvarez and Marsal to handle closure - CBS Philadelphia". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  17. ^ Graham, Kristen A. (June 14, 2024). "A week after UArts closure, here are some questions answered and what comes next". www.inquirer.com. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  18. ^ Braun, Martin (September 13, 2024). "Philadelphia College Files Bankruptcy After Shock Closure". Bloomberg. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  19. ^ "UArts Quick Facts". University of the Arts. 2022. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  20. ^ "Academics". University of the Arts. 2022. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  21. ^ "About". University of the Arts. 2022. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  22. ^ "Residence Halls". University of the Arts. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  23. ^ Briggs, Ryan W.; Blumgart, Jake (June 4, 2024). "UArts owned a string of iconic Center City properties". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  24. ^ "Polyphone 2021". University of the Arts. 2021. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  25. ^ Dreishpoon, Douglas (1988). Sculpture Inside Outside. Walker Art Center. p. 86. ISBN 978-0-8478-1004-8. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  26. ^ Courtney, Julie (1991). Philadelphia Art Now: Artists Choose Artists. Institute of Contemporary Art. p. 105. ISBN 978-0-88454-075-5. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  27. ^ Adam Blackstone
  28. ^ Blumenthal, Ralph (August 18, 1997). "Radio Documentaries Focus on Overlooked Corners". New York Times – via Proquest.
  29. ^ "May 2016 Sculpture Magazine - Anne Chu". www.sculpture.org. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  30. ^ "The 2014 Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists". www.jamesbeard.org.
  31. ^ Wink, Christopher (May 6, 2009). "Shop Talk: Daniel Delaney of Vendr.TV". Technical Philly. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
  32. ^ "Paul Felder". UFC. July 16, 2017. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  33. ^ "Sidney Goodman Estate – The official website of the Sidney Goodman Estate". sidneygoodmanestate.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  34. ^ George Krause: Universal Issues, Introduction by Anne Tucker, Rice University Press, Houston, Texas, 1991
  35. ^ "Jared Leto - Biography - Movies & TV - NYTimes.com". www.nytimes.com. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  36. ^ Roberts, Sam (May 29, 2016). "Frank Modell, Longtime New Yorker Cartoonist, Dies at 98". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 7, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  37. ^ Jason Buchanan (2008). "Elise Neal – Biography". movies.msn. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  38. ^ "Neil Welliver Biography (1929-2005) - Life of an American Artist". Totally History. December 24, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  39. ^ "Archives - Philly.com". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  40. ^ "William Daley". Smithsonian American Art Museum. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
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