UR Now: University News
UR scholars have been honored with national awards
Richmond students receive Fulbright, Gilman, and other prestigious scholarships.
Upcoming Courses
Frames of Reference: Annual Program, Artists’ Film & Video
“The series is an annual program that showcases some of the most creative, challenging, thoughtful and visionary artists working in film and video today. The mission is to show media that resists conventions and ideologies of mainstream media and explores creative, innovative approaches to narrative.” — Jeremy Drummond, associate professor of art
2025-2026 Series to be announced soon
Art History
The art history program at the University of Richmond offers students the chance to explore the historical, social, and philosophical contexts of art, with courses covering both Western and non-Western traditions, as well as museum studies. Students are encouraged to study abroad, gaining firsthand experience with the cultures behind the art they study, while also developing a broader understanding of how different societies value art. A distinctive feature of the program is the opportunity to work on University Museums-sponsored exhibitions and complete a year-long senior thesis, culminating in a public presentation at the annual A&S Student Symposium.
Graduates of the program have gone on to diverse careers, from academia and museum work to positions in non-profit art organizations, auction houses, and galleries. Some have used their cross-cultural skills in roles with organizations like the Peace Corps, while others have pursued advanced degrees in fields such as international relations or law, demonstrating the versatility of the critical thinking skills gained through the study of art history.
Visual & Media Arts Practice
The visual and media arts practice program at the University of Richmond educates both majors and non-majors on the significance of creative practice in contemporary and historical contexts. Through interdisciplinary approaches to traditional and modern media, the program fosters students’ creative and critical development.
Foundation courses and art history surveys prepare students for deeper engagement with various media, leading to individualized projects at higher levels. The capstone sequence, including the Interdisciplinary Arts Seminar, Advanced Studio Seminar, and Senior Thesis Exhibition, challenges students to develop and present a body of work for the Thesis Exhibition. Along the way, they gain valuable skills in documenting their work, writing artists’ statements, applying for grants, building professional resumes, and networking within the art world.
Equipment, Resources & Studio Spaces
Renovated and expanded in 2018 and 2019, the Department of Art & Art History has one of the best-equipped spaces in the country for a University and program of its size. The area spaces for drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, film, sound, video, and animation are state of the art, as is the new art history seminar room and auditorium. Combined with the facilities of the University Museums, the department provides a fantastic environment for education in the visual arts.
The Visual Resource Center offers guidance on image searching, copyright, and usage, alongside access to global image collections, art-related news, reference books, and a DVD collection. Students also have access to ARTstor, a vast image database with over a million images, including 15,000 locally digitized collections, accessible both on and off-campus for study and presentations.
Feature Stories
UR Now: Alumni
Richmond alum’s creative leap from a legal career to filmmaking
Caroline McNamara discovered her calling when she started working behind the camera lens and gained international attention.
Rankings News
University of Richmond Named ‘Best Value College’ by Princeton Review; Ranked as a Top 10 School for Internships
Richmond has once again been named to The Princeton Review’s list of “Best Value Colleges” for 2025. Richmond has been included on this list since 2013.
Five University of Richmond Graduates Receive Fulbright Grants to Teach English Abroad
Five UR graduates have accepted Fulbright grants for the 2025-26 academic year.
Upcoming Events
Faculty Highlights
Driscoll publishes on art history of the Blackness of technology
Megan Driscoll, assistant professor of art history published “Being Seen: An Art History of the Blackness of Technology” in The Routledge Companion to African Diaspora Art History.
Drummond film selected for Richmond International Film Festival
Associate Professor of Art Jeremy Drummond’s film Monument, is an Official Selection of the 2025 Richmond International Film Festival. The film makes its Richmond premiere at the event.
Drummond presents officially selected film internationally
Jeremy Drummond, associate professor of art, will present his latest film, Monument, at the Revelation Perth International Film Festival and the MicroActs Intimate Histories. He will also present the film as an Official Selection at the 28th Brooklyn Film Festival, the Digerati Experimental Media Festival, the St. Moritz Art Film Festival, the Umbria Underground Film Festival, and the TerraLenta International Environmental Documentary Film Festival.
Drummond film acquired for distribution
Associate Professor of Art Jeremy Drummond’s film Monument, has been acquired for distribution by The Film-Makers' Cooperative, the largest archive and distributor of independent and avant-garde films in the world. The film has also been acquired by Video Pool Media Arts Center for international distribution and Vtape, a collection of contemporary and historical video art, documentaries, and installations.
Faculty in the News
Roanoke College Unveils Sculpture to Recognize Its Historic Ties to Slavery
Art professor Sandy Williams IV is featured.
New sculpture honors enslaved labor's role in Roanoke College history
Art professor Sandy Williams IV is featured.
Roanoke College honors enslaved laborers' role in its history with sculpture
Art professor Sandy Williams IV is featured.
Roanoke College Dedicates “Authors and Architects” Memorial to Enslaved Laborers
Work by art professor Sandy Williams IV is featured.
Resources
Contact Us
Mailing Address:
Department of Art and Art History
451 Keller Road
University of Richmond, VA 23173
Phone: (804) 289-8272
Interim Department Chair: Timothy Barney
Visual and Media Arts Practice Coordinator: Jeremy Drummond
Academic Administrative Specialist: Miriam Blackmon