VOICE AND TONE
Our tone is confident, yet warm and inviting; intellectual but unpretentious.
We work to keep our writing accessible and avoid technical jargon and “artspeak” that might not have meaning for our audiences. We work to write concisely and to write in an active voice. We work to “show, not tell” in our writing.
STYLE
We mostly follow AP Style in written copy, with a few exceptions specific to the university or the college. (For example, we italicize titles instead of using quotes, per AP Style.) For more information on our written style, please visit our internal written style guide.
OUR NAME
The official name is the College of Fine Arts or, if the association with the university is not clear from the surrounding context, the College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin.
First Mention
The formal name, the College of Fine Arts, should be used as the first or dominant mention of the school in a document, page, or website.
Secondary Mentions
After the formal name has been used, it is permissible to identify the school in secondary mentions as “the college.” Please do not refer to the college as “COFA” in any external-facing communications.
NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION
The College of Fine Arts is the college of creativity at The University of Texas at Austin—a home for artists, performers, designers, scholars, makers and creatives ready to change the world.
With an emphasis on research and the creation of new work, our students work to master their craft every day and have ample opportunities to perform, exhibit and present their work. As a comprehensive visual and performing arts college embedded in an R1 public institution, our college includes the Butler School of Music, the Department of Art and Art History, the Department of Theatre and Dance, the School of Design and Creative Technologies, Texas Performing Arts, the university’s arts presenting organization, and Landmarks, the university’s public art program.
