Why Iowa?

Nestled in the heart of Iowa's beautiful arts campus, on the banks of the Iowa River, generations of artists and art historians have launched their careers and artistic journeys here. Join them.

Create a foundation

Advance your work

Learn from experts

You belong here

Be part of a legacy of excellence—and the birthplace of the MFA. Learn from faculty who are leading artists, designers, and scholars. Create and learn in facilities that are architectural masterpieces.

Create your story

When you make art at Iowa—or explore the ways that art shapes and reflects culture—you'll blaze a unique artistic journey. Make Iowa your artistic and academic home. Join us.

printmaking class

Birthplace of the MFA

The first university to accept creative works as graduate theses.

Our program also pioneered the practice of bringing established artists to the faculty.

MFA student with work

# 7

National Ranking: Printmaking

U.S. News & World Report, 2020

student painting a large canvas

# 23

National Ranking: Best Fine Arts Programs

U.S. News & World Report, 2020

Events

Student exhibitions

Eternally Within Me - Al-Qawi Nanavati MFA Exhibition - School of Art, Art History, and Design promotional image

Eternally Within Me - Al-Qawi Nanavati MFA Exhibition - School of Art, Art History, and Design

Wednesday, November 6, 2024 8:00am to 8:00pm
Visual Arts Building
Happiness For Everybody, Free, and No one will go Away Unsatisfied! - Jo Adams BFA Exhibition - School of Art, Art History, and Design promotional image

Happiness For Everybody, Free, and No one will go Away Unsatisfied! - Jo Adams BFA Exhibition - School of Art, Art History, and Design

Wednesday, November 6, 2024 8:00am to 8:00pm
Visual Arts Building
Closing reception November 8th from 8-10pm.

Visiting artists and scholars

Anthony Sonnenberg - Visiting Artist in Ceramics - School of Art, Art History, and Design promotional image

Anthony Sonnenberg - Visiting Artist in Ceramics - School of Art, Art History, and Design

Thursday, February 6, 2025 7:00pm
Visual Arts Building
Canceled
Aaron R. Turner - Visiting Artist in Photography - School of Art, Art History, and Design promotional image

Aaron R. Turner - Visiting Artist in Photography - School of Art, Art History, and Design

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 6:00pm
Visual Arts Building
Aaron Turner is a photographer and educator currently based in Arkansas. He uses photography as a transformative process to understand the ideas of home and resilience in two main areas of the U.S., the Arkansas and Mississippi deltas. Aaron also uses the 4x5 view camera to create still-life studies on identity, history, blackness as material, and abstraction. Aaron received his MA from Ohio University and an MFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. He was a 2018 Light Work...
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MFA virtual exhibitions

Gracie Baer - MFA Exhibition (Sculpture and Intermedia)
April 8, 2024 - April 12, 2024

Braden Dexter - MFA Exhibition (Graphic Design)
April 8, 2024 - April 12, 2024

Agnes. Harry Mills - MFA Exhibition (Jewlery and Metal Arts)
April 8, 20024 - April 12, 2024

Kyle Agnew - MFA Exhibtion (Photography)
April 1, 2024 - April 5, 2024

Sofia Echeverri - MFA Exhibition (Painting and Drawing)
April 1, 2024 - April 5, 2024

Na'ah Gordon - MFA Exhibition (Painting and Drawing)
April 1, 2024 - April 5, 2024

Jordan Ramsey Ismaiel - MFA Exhibition (Painting and Drawing)
March 25, 2024 - March 29, 2024

Lauren Krukowski - MFA Exhibition (Printmaking)
March 25, 2024 - March 29, 2024

Jake Willliams - MFA Exhibition (3D Design)
March 25, 2024 - March 29, 2024

David Hurlin - MFA Exhibition (Sculpture)
March 18, 2024 - March 22, 2024

Molly Sandweiss - MFA Exhibition (Jewelry and Metal Arts)
March 18, 2024 - March 22, 2024

Jamie Weinfurter - MFA Exhibition (Sculpture)
March 18, 2024 - March 22, 2024

Stevie Haley Delgado MFA Exhibition (Sculpture)
March 4, 2024 - March 8, 2024

Annie Klein MFA Exhibition (Printmaking)
March 4, 2024 - March 8, 2024

Amelia Rosenberg MFA Exhibition (Ceramics)
march 4, 2024 - March 8, 2024

Abe Irshaidat MFA Exhibition (Graphic Design)
February 26, 2024 - March 1, 2024

Abbey Peters MFA Exhibition (Ceramics)
February 26, 2024 - March 1, 2024

Lauren Coghlan MFA Exhibtion (Graphic Design)
February 19, 2024 - February 23, 2024

Katrice Kelly MFA Exhibition (Painting and Drawing)
February 19, 2024 - February 23, 2024

View more Exhibitions

News and announcements

CLAS art, art history, and design faculty member receives Iowa Artist Fellowship

Monday, November 4, 2024
Ali Hval, assistant professor of instruction in the School of Art, Art History, and Design.

School of Art, Art History, and Design November 2024 Newsletter

Friday, November 1, 2024
Read the University of Iowa School of Art, Art History, and Design November 2024 newsletter.

School of Art, Art History, and Design October 2024 Newsletter

Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Read the University of Iowa School of Art, Art History, and Design October 2024 newsletter