Arts and Culture
UT Austin is located in the heart of one of the most vibrant cities in the U.S. Known for SXSW and celebrated as the live music capital of the world, creativity, expression and artistic exploration thrive on our campus. The university hosts acclaimed artists, performers and musicians from around the globe at its renowned museums, exhibition spaces and performance centers.
Featured Museums and Exhibition Centers
Blanton Museum of Art
The Blanton Museum of Art is one of the foremost university art museums in the country. The Blanton’s permanent collection of more than 18,000 works is recognized for its European paintings, an encyclopedic collection of prints and drawings, and modern and contemporary American and Latin American pieces.
Harry Ransom Center
The Harry Ransom Center (HRC) is an internationally distinguished humanities research center at The University of Texas at Austin. Its extensive collections provide unique insight into the creative process of some of our finest writers and artists, deepening the understanding and appreciation of literature, photography, film, art, and the performing arts. The HRC houses nearly 1 million books, more than 42 million manuscripts, 5 million photographs, and 100,000 works of art. Highlights include original works by Frida Kahlo, including her iconic self-portrait with thorn necklace and hummingbird; some of Albert Einstein's unpublished notes and calculations for his work on general relativity; Gabriel García Márquez's manuscripts, correspondence, notebooks, and more (digitized for easy perusal); and a digitized inventory of the works of Dylan Thomas, one of Wales’ most celebrated poets and dramatists.
Texas Performing Arts
Texas Performing Arts offers diverse music, theatre and dance performances. International artists perform year round at its many venues, including Bass Concert Hall, Bates Recital Hall, and the McCullough, Payne and Brockett Theaters.
Visual Arts Center
The Visual Arts Center (VAC) provides a platform for artists, curators, and educators to experiment, test ideas, and take risks. The VAC hosts two artists-in-residence each academic year, including visiting international artists, and each residency culminates in an exhibition in the VAC’s main gallery space. The artist-in-residence program offers emerging artists an opportunity to engage with students and faculty at UT, to utilize the myriad resources on campus -from special collections to libraries and archives - and host an exhibition of their work.