Welcome to the Viterbo University School of Fine Arts

"Youth educated in truth and sensitive to beauty comprise one of the best guarantees of a stabilized and peaceful Christian society in the future."

Included in a time capsule located in the cornerstone of Viterbo's Fine Arts Center, this message reflects our continuing commitment to a long and cherished tradition of arts education.

Over a century ago, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration recognized the importance of the arts when they opened their doors to avid young music students from throughout the region. Today, Viterbo University offers highly respected training programs in each of the fine arts and serves as the cultural center for arts programming for La Crosse and the surrounding area.

Inspired by a dedicated faculty of talented professionals and prepared through close personal attention, School of Fine Arts graduates have excelled as teachers, visual artists, and performers on local, regional, and national levels. They have also left Viterbo with a keen awareness of the role they can play in changing the world by revealing truth and beauty through the universal language of artistic expression.

Building upon tradition as it vigorously explores new horizons, the School of Fine Arts provides a dynamic, nurturing environment in which young artists can develop and refine their creative talents while building character and a deep commitment to serving others. Relevance, passion, opportunity and hope guide our mission to prepare young artists for enlightened participation in a diverse and challenging world.

We invite you to take a close look at our programs and at Viterbo University. Small enough to generate a strong sense of community yet large enough to be highly competitive, we feel confident that your investment in us will be matched by the Viterbo experience and our commitment to you and your future.

Ken Risch
Dean of the School of Fine Arts
kwrisch@viterbo.edu