community outreach

The College of Visual Arts takes pride in serving a broad and diverse community. From our students and professional artists to our neighbors and youth throughout the greater Twin Cities area, CVA serves as a nexus for arts education and training at all levels of artistic skill and interest.

The college is committed to serving a truly diverse audience with opportunities to explore the world through creative thinking and artistic practice.

Community Partnerships

The College of Visual Arts works in partnership with a wide variety of local and national institutions to offer students exceptional experiences and resources as well as to reach audiences who might benefit most from opportunities CVA can provide:
YWCA
Juxtaposition Arts
ArtsUs
Public Art Saint Paul
COMPAS
Minneapolis Public Schools’ Arts for Academic Achievement
Saint Paul Public Schools
Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum
Paris College of Art
Walker Art Center
Minnesota Center for Book Arts
The Textile Center of Minnesota
Big Table Studios
Northern Lights.mn

Professional Practice

One of the unique components of the CVA curriculum is a focus on professional practice. CVA students are engaged with working artists throughout their education, exposing them to the realities of art-making and the impact artists can have within a community. Whether or not graduates pursue a career as working artists, CVA alumni have a greater capacity for creative problem solving and a deeper understanding of the enrichment arts can have in the daily life of a community.

Professional Advisory Committee

CVA engages more than 60 industry and civic leaders serving on nine committees to guide CVA’s professional practice programming and provide the appropriate support and direction for CVA graduates as they transition into the professional world. Learn more

College Art Prep for Success (CAPS)

CVA embraces the broadly diverse community of our students and prospective students. The campus environment and educational programs are built on academic excellence and support for individual learning styles. The CAPS program assures that artistically gifted students of all learning, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds have the opportunity and support to pursue a BFA degree in art and design. CVA launched the College Art Prep for Success program to increase academic and social integration skills among academically disadvantaged students. CAPS participants develop study skills and work habits critical to maximizing their educational experience while developing self-confidence, self-advocacy, and lifelong learning skills. Learn more

Teaching Artist Program

The College of Visual Arts Teaching Artist Program offers students the experience necessary to work as professional teaching artists in schools and the larger community. Courses engage students experientially as they practice as peer teachers, participate in reflective K-6 classroom observations, and work with teachers in Practicum placements in both Minneapolis and St. Paul.

CVA students learn basic teaching skills, including the development of lesson plans, learning objectives, and assessment tools. Learn more

Community Education

CVA celebrates the individual and community-wide benefits of lifelong learning by offering both traditional and unique non-credit classes, workshops, and concentrated study programs for adults and high school students throughout the year. Designed to accommodate a variety of interests and abilities, community education programming reflects CVA’s academic focus, while advancing the value of art and design in the community. Learn more

CVA Gallery

The CVA Gallery organizes and presents a broad range of exhibitions from nationally recognized artists to local art-makers and designers to CVA students and high school-aged artists. Located at the heart of a historic district within reach of both upper and lower income neighborhoods, the CVA Gallery is a portal through which the community gains access to both art and artistic practice, bridging a disparity that can often divide one population from another. With our proximity to audiences from all backgrounds and levels of artistic knowledge and ability, the CVA Gallery is uniquely poised to bring the community together through creative ideas and expression. Learn more

CVA Opportunity Fund

Through the CVA Opportunity Fund, the college actively solicits donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations to support a diverse range of student circumstances, including academic disadvantages, economic need, and teaching resources. The CVA Opportunity Fund allows the president and senior administrators to direct financial assistance to the areas of greatest need within our student body and community outreach efforts, including financial aid, scholarships, and program support.