Getting Involved
Boston College and the Boston metropolitan area provide a wealth of opportunities for students with an interest in viewing, creating, becoming involved with or pursuing a career in Art.
Anime of Boston College is a community of students interested in Japanese animation and related music, art, manga and fansubbing/translation.
The Boston College Art Club strives to function as a creative outlet for all BC students. Whether it be displaying student work or organizing creative events, the Art Club's primary focus is to both maintain and grow BC's art community. This dynamic, thriving group of artists and art lovers welcomes those who do not normally have the time or tools for art-making to join them in exploring creativity.
The Boston College Art Law Society explores the intersection of the arts and the law. BC Law students with an interest in the arts, ranging from the performing arts, visual art, and music work together with fellow Bostonians to create programming that explores where, why, and how art and law intersect. The Art Law Society strives to highlight a variety of complex legal issues, including cultural heritage preservation and museum law.
Hollywood Eagles strives to promote an appreciation of and production of film and film criticism at BC, and to provide a support community for film students preparing for a career in the field. Hosts the annual Baldwin Awards for excellence in student filmmaking.
The Arts Council works to increase the visibility of the arts at Boston College and to strengthen student involvement and community participation in the University's arts programs. The Arts Council's signature event is the Boston College Arts Festival, which takes place annually at the end of April. The Arts Council also organizes Career Night for the Arts each fall, providing students with an opportunity to network with B.C. alumni who have successfully forged careers in the arts. Students are invited to become members of the Arts Council's Student Arts Coalition, the members of which participate in the discussion about challenges facing student artists at B.C (and possible resolutions), and act as arts ambassadors and advocates on campus. Email artscnl@bc.edu to get involved.
The Art, Art History, and Film Department administers the Salmanowitz Program for Moral Courage in Film, which is devoted to encouraging the production of films concerned with acts of moral courage, providing role models for youth world-wide.
The Charles S. and Isabella V. McMullen Museum of Art organizes a program of exhibitions and related events that draw on the research of international scholars and collections, as well as more local resources and talent, including faculty from many BC departments. The Museum also houses a permanent collection. Each spring, students are invited to submit an application to become a McMullen Museum Student Ambassador during the following academic year. Student Ambassadors collaborate on student programs and exhibition openings, act as museum greeters, update the Museum's social media platforms, and assist with research and other projects.
The BC Events Calendar lists all types of current and future campus arts events. The Arts Council also publishes an Arts Calendar each semester.
Al-Noor is the Boston College Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Journal that publishes student research on the Middle East and Islam.
ASiAM is BC's Asian American literary magazine.
Funded through the Office of the Provost, Elements is the undergraduate research journal of Boston College, showcasing the varied research endeavors of fellow undergraduates to the greater academic community.
The Laughing Medusa is Boston College's Women's Literature and Arts Journal.
Stylus is Boston College's literary and art magazine.
The Terrace is the McMullen Museum of Art's digital publication. Boston College students are invited to submit their artwork and scholarly papers for publication. In addition, The Terrace frequently solicits student work for online exhibitions related to exhibitions on view at the Museum.
Students may also want to consider working for The Heights.
The University Libraries offer the O'Neill Level One Gallery for the display of creative work from various clubs and organizations on campus. Contact Scott Britton for more information or to submit a proposal. Current Library exhibits.
Students are also eligible to submit exhibition proposals for the Arts Council's Carney Gallery.
The Visual Culture Consortium is an association of scholars in art history, architecture, art, and visual studies departments, libraries, and schools. It encourages innovative research among young scholars by organizing lectures and events, including an annual undergraduate art history symposium.
The Boston area boasts a wealth of riches in the visual arts. In addition to those listed below, most area colleges offer exhibitions at campus galleries or museums, and the many local art schools have multiple venues for displaying art. Calendars at local institutions list lectures by international artists and scholars, as well as all kinds of arts events. The ArtsBoston Calendar is a useful place to begin exploring what's on locally.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: BC is a member of the University Membership Program. Students with a BC student ID enter free and receive discounts on concerts, films, and museum store purchases.
ICA (The Institute of Contemporary Art): Students enrolled in Boston College Art classes may request an ICA student membership card by bringing their Boston College i.d. to Devlin 434 during business hours. The membership card can be presented along with the BC i.d. for free admission to the ICA during the current academic year. In addition, the ICA is free for everyone on Thursday evenings from 5:00 until 9:00 pm.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Students with a BC student ID enter free and are eligible for free lecture tickets as well as discounts on docent-led tours and concert tickets.
The Harvard Art Museums: Including the Fogg Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, the Harvard Art Museums offer a range of exhibitions and events.
The Boston area hosts a thriving community of working artists. National and international artists also find Boston a desirable venue for exhibiting their work. Many of the city's galleries are clustered in the SoWa district ("South of Washington Street" in the South End) or on Newbury Street in Back Bay. SoWA artists open their studios to visitors, and galleries stay open late for First Fridays, and, throughout the year, open studios are held in other areas of the city as well.