Today, the arts play a central role in a Bowdoin education, but that hasn’t always been the case.
In a three-part series, Dean for Academic Affairs Cristle Collins Judd explores the history and trajectory of the arts at Bowdoin and the generosity, vision and determination that have built extraordinary facilities, nurtured the impressive talent of faculty and their students, and continue to bring joy to audiences and thousands of art lovers each and every year.
From the works of art bequeathed by James Bowdoin III 200 years ago, housed initially in Massachusetts Hall, to the new Edwards Center for Arts and Dance in the former Longfellow Elementary School, Dean Judd provides context for the arts at Bowdoin, explaining what has been built along the way, in terms of curriculum as well as with bricks and mortar.
Read the installments and view slideshows depicting how the campus and curriculum have evolved through the years:
- A Brief History of the Arts at Bowdoin (Part I)
- A Brief History of the Arts at Bowdoin (Part II)
- A Brief History of the Arts at Bowdoin (Part III)