College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

Rick Davis is Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Executive Director of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, and Professor of Theater. From 1991 until the company’s closure in 2012, he was artistic director of Mason’s professional theater company, Theater of the First Amendment (TFA). Under his leadership, TFA became one of the Washington area’s most respected theaters, winning twelve Helen Hayes Awards and producing more than twenty world premieres.

Arts Emerging: A Celebration of Renewal brought more than 300 people to the Fairfax Campus on a Saturday evening for a festive event that pulsed with artistic energy and the spirit of community.

This summer, the College of Visual and Performing Arts is bringing the music back to Northern Virginia. Throughout June, performing arts faculty and student artists will return to the stage for the Lunchtime with the Arts at Mason series, taking place on Thursdays in June from 12:30-1:30 pm.

For more than a year, the pandemic has impacted many aspects of the day-to-day at the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). One thing that hasn’t changed is our faculty and staff’s commitment to providing outstanding educational experiences. This moment has enhanced our resilience and creativity in order to satisfy the needs of the student community.