Welcome to the Department of Creative Arts
Department of Creative Arts is one among oldest departments of the University of Dar es Salaam. It
was established in 1967, five years after establishment of the University. Since its inception, the
Department is doing all it could to offer knowledge that can enable students employ themselves or be
employed by both private and government sector. Its success and existence until today has connection
with the university management, staff from Department of Creative Arts, Alumni, stakeholders from
the industry and the government. All of whom have played part in ensuring that the Department of
Creative Arts remains to be a trusted source of knowledge where parents can bring their youth for
further studies.
The Department of Creative Arts invites individuals interested in pursuing art related studies to
come and pursue their studies in the department. We invite students and researchers from across the
globe to come and explore our teaching, flexibility and wide range of extra-curricular activities
offered in the department. Our environment and programme are friendly to international students
interested in studying Tanzanian culture. It is due to the fact that our courses have been designed
in a way that exposes international students to Tanzanian culture. Our modes of teaching, the
competence of our staff and graduates have built our prominence and prestigious reputation that we
adore for over 56 years now.
Programmes offered by the Department
Programme name
UnderGraduate
3 Years
UnderGraduate
3 Years
UnderGraduate
3 Years
UnderGraduate
3 Years
About the Department
Department of Creative Arts commenced in 1967 as the Department of Theatre. Its name has transformed
several times following changes that it underwent over time. In 1973, the name transformed from
Department of Theatre to Department of Art, Music and Theatre when it began to offer the music and
fine art courses. In 1996, the department was named the Department of Fine and Performing Arts.
The
name Department of Creative Arts that the department holds until today was introduced in 2015. This
change went side by side with the review of programme. Such a transformation is viewed as a game
changer for it spearheaded the considerable increase of students from 150 to approximately 1,000,000
at present. The two programmes namely BA Film and Television and BA Art and Design have contributed
to such a drastic increase of students in the department.
Activities of The Department
Department tend to run various activities each year. The Department tends to organise Sanaa Blast
Festival. The Festival in large percent is funded by the University of Dar es Salaam and the primary
organisers of the festival are students themselves. The festival is platform for students from the
Department of Creative Arts and students from other colleges and schools of the University of Dar es
Salaam to showcase their talents to the public.
The festival is rated as one of the platform
that
smoothen the students’ entrance in the labour market. Apart from Sanaa Blast Festival, the
department has a tendency to collaborate with artists and stakeholders from the industry to offer
seminars and workshops based on the community needs.
Among other things, the department
tends to
organise capacity building workshops in various areas such as proposal writing, scriptwriting and
entrepreneurial training to the artists.
Facilities available at the department
The Department has 5 classes for lectures, it has a stage for theatrical performances, dance studio, Film studio and music recording studio
Vision
The Department of Creative Arts wishes to distinguish itself as a vibrant, creative and cutting-age centre for teaching, consultancy and research in the arts of Tanzania. Its innovative ways of doing things, its research and service infuse community with energy, motivation and appreciation of culture as resource of development.
Mission
The department aims at being a centre in which artists and students from across the world meet to support one another artistically, expand their artistic knowledge and skills and showcase their dances, music, film and visual arts for the purpose of promoting cohesion and unity among themselves and the world.
