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| University of Santo Tomas College of Fine Arts and Design | |
|---|---|
| Name | College of Fine Arts and Design |
| Established | 1946 |
| Type | College |
| Parent | University of Santo Tomas |
| City | Manila |
| Country | Philippines |
University of Santo Tomas College of Fine Arts and Design is a constituent college of the University of Santo Tomas, located in Manila in the Philippines. The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs in visual arts, industrial design, and multimedia arts, and participates in national and international exhibitions such as the Venice Biennale and the Singapore Biennale. It maintains partnerships with institutions like the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National Museum of the Philippines, and the Ayala Museum.
The college traces its origins to post-World War II reorganizations linked to the University of Santo Tomas expansion and the rebuilding of Manila after the Battle of Manila (1945). Early faculty and students were influenced by figures associated with the Philippine Art Gallery, the Thirteen Moderns movement, and exchanges with visiting artists from the United States. The college underwent curricular reforms following policy shifts influenced by the Commission on Higher Education (Philippines) and participated in cultural projects during the administrations of presidents such as Manuel Roxas and Diosdado Macapagal. Throughout the late 20th century, it welcomed artists and scholars connected to institutions including the University of the Philippines Diliman, the De La Salle University, and the Museum of Modern Art.
Programs include degrees in Fine Arts (BFA), Interior Design, Industrial Design, Advertising Arts, and graduate degrees such as the Master of Fine Arts and research degrees aligned with policies from the Commission on Higher Education (Philippines). The curriculum integrates studio courses with seminars referencing methods used at the Rhode Island School of Design, the Royal College of Art, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Electives and collaborative modules are conducted in partnership with the Ateneo de Manila University, the Asia-Europe Foundation, and the British Council to facilitate exchanges and joint projects.
Facilities include studios modeled after workshops at the Art Students League of New York, computer labs equipped with software from Adobe Systems, fabrication shops with tools comparable to those at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology makerspaces, and galleries used for student exhibits and collaborations with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. The college occupies heritage-era buildings near landmarks such as the Manila Cathedral and the Rizal Monument and makes use of spaces within the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas Hospital complex for interdisciplinary activities with medical illustration units and conservation projects with the National Museum of the Philippines Conservators.
Student organizations include chapters comparable to groups at the Student Council Association of the Philippines, art collectives influenced by the Thirteen Moderns, and publications modeled after journals such as Artforum and October (journal). Annual events include juried exhibits curated with partners like the Cultural Center of the Philippines and participation in competitions associated with the Ateneo Art Awards, the Pasay City Art Fair, and the Metro Manila Film Festival design segments. The college maintains exchange programs with the Tokyo University of the Arts, the National University of Singapore, and the Korean National University of Arts.
Faculty have included artists and designers whose careers intersect with institutions and events such as the National Museum of the Philippines, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and international biennales like the Venice Biennale and the Singapore Biennale. Alumni have contributed to movements and organizations including the Thirteen Moderns, the Sining Makabansa collective, the Ayala Foundation, and media outlets such as ABS-CBN and GMA Network. Graduates have been recognized by awards like the Ateneo Art Awards, the Thomson Reuters Foundation Prize, and national decorations granted by offices of presidents such as Corazon Aquino and Ferdinand Marcos Jr..
The college hosts research projects in conservation and visual culture collaborating with the National Museum of the Philippines, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and international partners including the Smithsonian Institution and the Getty Foundation. Exhibitions are regularly mounted in campus galleries and in off-site venues such as the Ayala Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and participate in exchanges with festivals like the Manila Biennale and the Art Fair Philippines. Outreach includes community arts programs with local governments like the City of Manila and heritage conservation initiatives coordinated with the Intramuros Administration.
Accreditations are aligned with standards from the Commission on Higher Education (Philippines) and accreditation bodies analogous to international agencies such as the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities and networks like the ASEAN University Network. The college's programs have been benchmarked against curricula from the Rhode Island School of Design, the Royal College of Art, and regional comparators like the University of the Philippines Diliman and the National University of Singapore in university surveys and national education assessments.
Category:University of Santo Tomas Category:Art schools in the Philippines