MFA in Art and Media

The first of its kind in the region, the two-year Master of Fine Arts in Art and Media (MFA) at NYU Abu Dhabi offers an individualized, studio focused curriculum that is responsive to artistic, technological, economic, and societal shifts and needs. Students innovate in their own studios and contribute new knowledge to the wider community and art world while studying at one of the world’s most diverse campuses. 

In this program students will:
–Engage with new conceptual approaches based on debates at the forefront of contemporary art practices
–Work with an interdisciplinary ethos across different fields
–Experiment with mediums, methods, and techniques in innovative ways
–Develop professional skills to pursue careers in the arts
–Undertake and realize creative research and historize their practice

Field-based learning: a global crossroads of knowledge and art practices
The cultural traditions and heritage of the UAE, along with its burgeoning place as a global art center, make field-based learning an important component of the MFA program. In the context of graduate studies, the intensification and depth of practices from field-based learning help build new art communities and connections that emanate outward from the Emirates to the world. This unique cultural mix demonstrates a complexity that is addressed throughout the MFA program which positions itself at the global crossroads of knowledge and practices.

Throughout the program, students will have access to local stakeholders and institutions, including Warehouse 421, Abu Dhabi Art,  Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah Art Foundation, Art Jameel and AlSerkal Avenue. Students also have the opportunity to receive studio visits from a wide roster of prominent curators and artists. 

Students can choose to work in-depth in a particular area or across multiple arts disciplines, including: Painting and Drawing, Photography, Sculpture and Installation, Printmaking, Fiber Art, Video, Performance, Digital Arts, Sound Art.

Vibrant artistic community
Artists drive cultural and technological innovation, provide critical vision, and establish vital forms of human exchange. Teaching students the perceptual and analytical skills used by artists allows them to engage with and move more thoughtfully through cultural spaces, environments, institutions, and the societies from which they come. The MFA program helps students hone these skills by stressing rigorous academic study in combination with studio-based practices and theoretical writing. The program fosters competency in research, material knowledge, creative production, analysis, decision-making, teamwork as well as specialist art practice skills. It ensures core competencies through three main pillars: artistic inquiry, production, and experimentation; art discourse and research; and professional development and leadership. Students learn to visualize questions, articulate research and ideas in expansive ways, connect seemingly unconnected phenomena and concepts, and provide valuable insights to the global contemporary and historic condition.

Studio spaces
NYU Abu Dhabi offers state-of-the-art production facilities in photography, painting and drawing, sculpture, printmaking, fiber art, digital, video, and sound art. Students enrolled in the program gain access to the rich ecosystem of art studios, workshops, and labs on campus and have individual studios that serve as core teaching and research spaces.

Faculty
Please visit here for the faculty list. NYUAD’s MFA faculty have backgrounds in traditional mediums such as photography, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, as well as film, interactive media, sound, installation-based work, and socially engaged practices.

Applications
Applications for fall 2023 are now open, with a prioriy deadline of January 15, 2023. We are hosting a virtual information session on November 9 for more information. Register here. Sign up here for portfolio review days to receive feedback from our faculty on your application portfolios. Come meet students and faculty while exploring NYUAD’s Arts Center facilities at open studios on November 18 at 3pm.

NYU Abu Dhabi automatically considers every master’s applicant for merit and needs-based financial support packages. Students on average receive scholarships of 30–80 percent of the tuition costs, with exceptional students eligible for up to 100 percent tuition scholarships. Our goal is to form a high-achieving class of master’s students for each program, and admissions decisions are made without knowledge of individuals’ financial need. Please visit our page, or contact nyuad.graduateadmissions [​at​] nyu.edu for more information.