Get Involved
Boston College offers a vibrant arts scene and many ways to get involved. From the studio to the stage, our arts programs enrich the lives of our students, faculty, and greater community. At Boston College, the arts inspire reflection and spark creativity. Through visual, musical, and physical art activities on and off-campus, you’ll find many opportunities to think in new ways and connect to others in a dynamic environment.
Where does one even start? The Arts Council is here to help you connect to everything our campus and community has to offer.
Connect
Eyes on Art
Eyes on Art is Boston College's weekly newsletter for anyone interested in the arts! It includes events, exhibits, calls, advocacy, contests, around town events, and more.
ConnectHere to encourage advocacy, enhancement & visibility for the arts at BC & beyond.
@bc_artscouncilThe BC Arts Journal
In the spring of 2020, after a four-year hiatus, the BC Arts Insider Blog was relaunched and rebranded as the BC Arts Journal. The blog showcases artistic talents across campus giving voice to the opinions and ideas of the student, faculty, staff, and alumni artists.
Read MoreStudent Organizations
With more than 300 student organizations to choose from, focused on everything from arts and culture to politics, service, and social justice, you'll have opportunities to connect to a wide variety of students, develop leadership skills, and make a difference on campus and beyond.
Jointhe Terrace
The Terrace is a digital publication produced by the McMullen Student Ambassadors. Learn about the Student Ambassadors, find episodes of the McMullen podcast, “Art in Focus,” an archive of lecture recordings, research on the McMullen permanent collection, as well as articles, interviews, digital resources, Boston spotlights, and more.
Read MoreArts Coalition
The Coalition advocates for the arts by acting as arts ambassadors, encouraging participation and artistic formation across campus, not just socially but academically. Through this engagement, the coalition guides the student body to engage, create and experience forms of expression and contemplate lesser known narratives to bring awareness of the beauty in diversity.
AdvocateJohn J. Burns Library's Blog
Located in the original Bapst Library building on Boston College’s Chestnut Hill campus, the John J. Burns Library offers students, scholars, and the general public opportunities to engage with rare books, special collections, and archives.
Read MoreCollaborate
The Arts Council and the Arts Festival committee are always looking for new ideas and creativity to incorporate into yearly programming and expand the Annual BC Arts Festival. If inspiration has struck, please contact arts@bc.edu with the subject lines of Arts Collaboration or Arts Festival Proposal. The Arts Council takes proposals for the upcoming festival until December. You will be contacted within a week of submitting your proposal by an Arts Council representative.
Design Swarms
In a collaboration with the Provost and the Vice Provost for Research, the 2019 festival featured events on the processes of creative innovation: through design thinking, 3D prototyping, and storytelling.
Learn MoreMAKER Workshops
In a collaboration with the Provost and the Vice Provost for Research, the 2019 festival featured events on the processes of creative innovation: through design thinking, 3D prototyping, and storytelling.
Learn MoreStories by (Design + Thinking) @BC
In a collaboration with the Provost and the Vice Provost for Research, the 2019 festival featured events on the processes of creative innovation: through design thinking, 3D prototyping, and storytelling.
Learn MoreExhibit
Gallery 203
Gallery 203, located in Carney Hall, aims to promote student expression and exposure of the visual arts across campus. The Gallery builds off of the Jesuit value of exploring one’s feelings, desires, fears, and responses to the everyday world around us. All BC students, clubs, faculty, and staff are welcome to share their artistic work with the community.
Learn MoreUniversity Libraries
Exhibits in the BC Libraries advance discovery of library resources by highlighting connections between collections, academic, and community life at Boston College. The Libraries feature ten exhibit spaces and rotate exhibitions on a regular basis. The Libraries welcome partnership with the community and other institutions, groups, or individuals to create thoughtful exhibits.
Learn MoreArt Club
Art Club strives to function as a creative outlet for all BC students. Whether it be displaying student work or organizing creative events, ArtClub's primary focus is to both maintain and grow BC's art community.
Learn MoreParticipate: Arts Festival
The combined efforts of students, faculty, and the entire BC community are what makes the Boston College annual art festival unique every year. These individuals (just like you) are passionate about the arts, and are committed to presenting and celebrating three days of performances, exhibitions, and creative expression.
In addition, any arts event taking place on the Boston College campus during the three day festival can be listed in the Arts Festival program by filling out our participation application. The application will be available online in November. All events will also be listed on the Univeristy online events calendar.
The 2022 festival will take place Thursday, April 28–Saturday, April 30, 2022. Below are some ways you can get involved. Learn more at bc.edu/artsfestival.
Programs and Events
Each year, the Arts Festival committee accepts applications for new and returning programs and projects. The entire BC community is encouraged to register and submit proposals to take part in the annual Arts Festival.
General RegistrationCultural Showcase
The Arts Festival is dedicated to collaborative programing that showcases students' and BC's cultural heritage. All Boston College cultural groups are welcome to apply, individuals will also be accepted.
Showcase RegistrationArts Walk + Exhibitions
One of the many highlights of the Arts Festival is the Arts Walk and gallery exhibitions that are curated by Boston College Professors and the Student Festival Gallery Director. The submission deadline is April 2022. All applicants must be able to show affiliation with the Boston College community.
Artist RegistrationDance Events
Each year, the Arts Festival committee accepts applications for new and returning programs and projects. The entire BC community is encouraged to register and submit proposals to take part in the annual Arts Festival.
Dance RegistrationRoad to the Arts Festival
The festival provides opportunities for performing artists like singers, songwriters, and bands to perform. Partnering with CAB and the Music Guild, BC student musicians can participate in BC’s Best – a talent competition at the festival that is preceded by several preliminary competitions.
Singer Songwriter RegistrationMaker/Craft Sale
The entire Boston College community is invited to participate in a maker/craft/art sale for items like jewelry, scarves, pottery, etc., during the Arts Festival. Artists must be able to demonstrate some affiliation with the Boston College community.
Participant RegistrationA Cappella Showcase
Each year, the Arts Festival committee accepts applications for new and returning programs and projects. The entire BC community is encouraged to register and submit proposals to take part in the annual Arts Festival.
A Cappella RegistrationRoad to the Arts Festival
The festival provides opportunities for performing artists like singers, songwriters, and bands to perform. Partnering with CAB and the Music Guild, BC student musicians can participate in BC’s Best – a talent competition at the festival that is preceded by several preliminary competitions.
Band RegistrationVolunteer + Ambassador
The festival runs on student, faculty, staff, and community volunteers and ambassador. Volunteering is a great way to soak in BC's creative community. Opportunities to get involved range from run crew to hosting, face painting to art installation, social media marketing to program coordinating, and more. Plus, all volunteers receive an annual arts festival t-shirt.
Volunteer RegistrationWho can perform in the arts festival?
All Boston College affiliates (undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae) may apply to perform during the festival. Performance applications are submitted online beginning in November. Performance groups may include non-Boston College affiliates, as long as at least 50% of the performers are a part of the Boston College community.
What are the expectations?
Performers are expected to honor their commitment to performing in the arts festival. On the day of the scheduled performance, all performers are expected to arrive at their assigned venue at least 20 minutes prior to their performance time slot. Communication is essential in regards to performance needs and any potential schedule conflicts.
Can performers pick their location, day and performance time?
All performances are scheduled by the Arts Council staff and Arts Festival programming committee. In the application there is an option to list preferred venues, dates and times, however we cannot guarantee that your requests will be met. All time slots are carefully selected to prevent schedule conflicts for performers in multiple groups, so when filling out your application please make note of this in the additional information section.
What kind of support is provided?
We provide publicity for individual events in the Arts Festival guide and on the University Event calendar. We also publicize the festival in general throughout the greater Boston area.
In addition, we provide production support to artists by supplying a performance venue, stage manager, chairs and music stands, and other audio equipment depending on the venue.
What if my group needs to cancel?
Everything doesn't always go as planned. If your group has a conflict, please contact Tatiana Flis, Arts Festival Director, as soon as possible.
To ensure that your submission is considered, read all of the following BEFORE submitting your work. The deadline for submissions is April 1st, 2021. The artwork will be displayed in a Campus Art Walk, Gallery 203, Devlin Hall, Maloney Hall 4th Floor, and the Robsham Theater throughout the 2021 Arts Festival–Thursday, April 29th through Saturday, May 1st, 2021.
1. Submission Form
Complete a submission form for each piece that you submit (max 3).
Before you click "Submit," right-click and print a copy of your submission form or write the information from the form on a piece of paper. Attach the printed form or the written information to the the back of your work.
2. Drop Off
Drop off in Room 204 in Carney Hall will be announced in the spring 2021 semester.
Submitted artwork must be ready to hang; paintings on canvas must be wired and works on paper (drawings, paintings and photographs) must be framed and wired. Corresponding submission form must be attached to each work.
3. Pick Up
All artists displayed in the Art Tent must pick up their work on Saturday, May 1, 2020 between 4:00–6:00 PM.
Work not collected by this time will be brought back to the submissions storage space, Carney Hall 204, for you to retrieve during a to be scheduled time. Remember, the longer your work stays there, the greater risk you take of losing it. The Arts Festival, Arts Council nor Boston College are responsible for your work in any way after the closing of the Arts Festival at 6:00 PM, on Saturday.
BC Arts Festival Submission Guidelines
Maximum of three pieces per artist. Each piece should have its own submission form.
Every effort will be made to keep artwork secure, however, artists submit at their own risk. Again, the Arts Festival, Arts Council and Boston College are NOT responsible for any work not picked up by the artist or their representative by Saturday, May 1st, 6:00 PM.
The exhibits are curated by faculty and the gallery staff. Not all submissions will be accepted, and there is no guarantee that your work will be displayed.
Art for Sale
Works of art on exhibit can be sold at the Arts Festival. Artists must set a price when the work is submitted. The Arts Festival will advertise that this price is non-negotiable. The Arts Festival Visual Arts Coordinator will not collect cash or checks but will coordinate a direct buyer-to-artist transaction.
Work sold will be labeled with a red sticker. Purchasers may not pick up their work until after the festival is over. (Pick-up time is Saturday, 4:00–6:00 PM.)
Basic Art Pricing Guidelines:
Quantifying Creativity: How Any Artist Can Price Their Art for Sale from ArtBusiness.com.
The Lighter Side of Pricing Your Art by Sonya Paz, professional artist and writer.
Who can volunteer to help with Art Festival?
Everyone! Regardless of whether or not they are affiliated with Boston College.
What can volunteers expect to do?
Volunteers may help set up or put away chairs, music stands, and signs; greet visitors and provide basic directions to venues; check in performers; and other tasks as needed.
In advance of the festival, volunteers may help deliver programs and t-shirts to various locations on campus, or organize festival materials.
What are the perks of volunteering?
Learn a new skill, add valuble expereince to your resume, grow your network and meet new people. All volunteers receive an free arts festival t-shirt!