Our Mission

The Office of Creative Propulsion in JMU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts is focused on integrative arts—bridging gaps across disciplines and between the university and the community.  

Our core mission is to support collaboration in the arts: across disciplinary barriers, between students and faculty, between university and industry, and beyond. We help coordinate the Integrative Arts Faculty Cohort in developing cross-disciplinary research and coursework and support all faculty and students in CVPA in their inter- and trans-disciplinary projects. 

We are also committed to engaging the wider community through programming such as ArtsMobile, which brings the arts directly into community spaces, and the Centering the Arts Podcast, which highlights the innovative work happening across CVPA. Our goal is to create opportunities for collaboration, inspire new connections, and ensure the arts have a meaningful impact both within and beyond the university.  

Building Community.  

We aim to strengthen collaboration across the university and between the university and the community by creating opportunities for collision and highlighting the role of the arts in community wellbeing, education, and economic growth.  

Offering Support.  

We support inter- and transdisciplinary art practices, making space for creative projects and accessible events that engage diverse audiences.  

Advocating for the Arts.  

We advocate for the value of the arts in a multitude of contexts, from espousing the importance of arts-based research to the impact that the arts have on community development.  

Facilitating New Work.  

We participate in arts-based research sharing, collaborative course development, and cross-disciplinary initiatives, helping faculty, students, and artists pursue meaningful collaboration across disciplinary bounds. 

COMMUNITY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS 
VIRGINIA COMMISSION FOR THE ARTS
ARTS COUNCIL OF THE VALLEY 
SHENANDOAH VALLEY ARTS CENTER 
CREATIVE MORNINGS SHENANDOAH VALLEY