Prospective Students

Why Study the Arts?

“By participating in the arts, our students develop cognitive abilities and forms of intelligence that complement training in other disciplines, and in some cases they discover talents and interests that will shape their careers and principal avocations.”

– Shirley M. Tilghman (Princeton University President, 2001 – 2013)

The Princeton campus is always buzzing with creativity: plays, readings, a capella concerts in the archways, breakdancing and bhangra and everything in between. But art isn’t just for kicks—it’s a cornerstone of the academic life of the University. Art makes us human. It helps us to make sense of our own lives and identify with the lives of others. It is also increasingly recognized as a driver of the innovative thinking needed to solve our world’s most pressing problems. Learning and practicing art, and tapping into your creativity, can make you better at whatever you do. So in your four years at Princeton (which will race by), do yourself a favor: take a course in the Lewis Center for the Arts. You have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore and make art with some of the best working artists who will ever set foot in a classroom, as well as unparalleled resources to make your creative visions a reality.