UT Establishes New Vice Provost for the Arts

In a move that recognizes the arts as strategic assets that are central to The University of Texas at Austin's academic mission and to innovation, discovery and societal impact, Executive Vice President and Provost William Inboden announced the creation of a new vice provost for the arts, under which Texas Performing Arts (TPA) and the Blanton Museum of Art will now be housed. Inboden named Bob Bursey as the inaugural vice provost for the arts, effective Aug. 1.

"Bringing Texas Performing Arts and the Blanton Museum together will ensure a cohesive, connected arts ecosystem, and an integrated approach that will advance our academic mission, student experience and public impact," said Inboden.

In his new role, Bursey, who currently serves as the executive and artistic director at Texas Performing Arts, will continue to lead TPA and expand its public mission, including growing its work in K-12 engagement and civic programming and broadening access to the arts for the campus community. TPA is recognized nationally as the No. 1 university-based performing arts center by annual audience, budget and level of performance activity.

Since he began leading TPA in 2020, Bursey has transformed the organization. Last season, TPA drew more than 400,000 attendees across 237 performances - up 40% from 2018-19. TPA's budget has also more than doubled since FY2019.

Under the current purview of the College of Fine Arts, TPA has thrived, and placing it within the Provost's Office - the University's central academic unit - reinforces its alignment with University-level priorities around public engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, student success and public trust.

To further integrate arts teaching, research and experiential learning across disciplines, Bursey will also oversee the Blanton Museum of Art, led by Simone Wicha. Under Wicha's leadership, the Blanton has transformed into one of the country's most attended university art museums and is recognized as being at the forefront of interdisciplinary teaching and public engagement. Today, the museum attracts 250,000 visitors annually, up 60% since FY2017. Student attendance also grew during this period to 26,000 UT students annually, including students from 300 courses spanning every UT college and school.

"UT is home of some of the most impactful arts organizations in the country," said Bursey. "I'm looking forward to supporting cross-campus strategy for these programs to reach their greatest collective potential to engage students and activate the arts across the university's teaching, research, and public service missions."