Royce W. Smith, Dean
College of Arts & Architecture
Montana State University

Dr. Royce W. Smith is Dean and Professor of Art History at Montana State University, Bozeman. He came to Montana from Wichita State University where he served as a professor of contemporary art history and Director of the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries. He earned his Ph.D. in art history from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, in 2005 and held his first professorship at the University of New South Wales College of Fine Arts in Sydney prior to returning to the United States.

Smith’s scholarly interests involve contemporary art festivals and biennials, as well as the ways in which biennials can nurture curatorial change, community involvement in the arts, and meaningful dialogue between arts organizations and political and educational institutions. He has served as founding curator of the Bienal de Asunción in Paraguay, and he has been invited to contribute to the official curatorial teams for the Bienal de la Habana in Cuba and the Bienal de Curitiba in Brazil. He is a fluent speaker of Spanish and serves as a member of Montana State University's International Programs Board.  

With four schools (Architecture, Art, Film & Photography, and Music) under his leadership, Smith has focused on the development of interdisciplinary and integrative scholarship and curricula, the enrichment of partnerships between the university and industry, and the development of civic and international engagement opportunities for all graduates of his College. He is a passionate advocate for land-grant universities and the tenets of educational access and opportunity that are the foundations of their mission.

He is also unafraid to pair green checkered sport jackets with fluorescent orange Chuck Taylor sneakers.