Brian Cole

An innovative, experienced leader in arts and education, Brian Cole is the ninth chancellor of UNCSA. He leads approximately 1,300 students from high school through graduate school, as well as 700 summer and 500 community school students, and more than 600 faculty and staff.

The UNC Board of Governors appointed Cole as chancellor on May 20, 2020. He previously served as interim chancellor at UNCSA since August 2019. He first joined UNCSA as dean of the School of Music in 2016.

Since becoming chancellor, he has led the development and implementation of “UNCSA Forward: Our 2022-27 Strategic Plan.” The five-year plan is guiding UNCSA into the next era as it evolves to meet the demands of a transforming arts and entertainment landscape and helps its student artists ignite cultural change in the industry and society.

His initiatives in support of the strategic plan have included a focus on developing industry partnerships with the institution to elevate educational and professional opportunities for students; UNCSA Media, a mission-driven media publishing arm that features the creative projects of faculty and alumni; a partnership with Posse Arts, to identify and enroll talented students who might be missed through traditional avenues, conceived in collaboration with Broadway’s Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Miranda Family Fund; and a campuswide, comprehensive focus on mental health and wellness.

A thought leader in the arts, Cole recently launched a podcast, “The Arts & Everything,” exploring the intersection of society and the arts with guests from the arts and entertainment industry.

During his tenure, Cole has filled numerous key leadership positions, including provost, vice chancellors, vice provosts and deans, forming a talented team that is leading UNCSA into the next decade.

He has also overseen several major capital projects and is currently leading the long-awaited comprehensive renovation of the university’s beloved performing arts center and learning laboratory, the Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem. The facility, which has been an anchor for the arts in the region, is being transformed into a world-class venue for audiences and students of today and into the future. The $85 million renovation will ensure it remains a vibrant part of the community for decades to come. In addition, Cole has also guided the completion of the Semans Arts and Administration Building; the renovation of Freedman and Catawba theaters in the Alex C. Ewing Performance Place; and the completion of the Artist Village, a new residence hall to replace aging dorms and apartments for undergraduates.

Under Cole’s leadership, the university, in 2021, completed a highly successful comprehensive campaign and has continued to experience record- breaking growth in fundraising year after year.

An accomplished conductor, Cole has led orchestras and operas throughout the United States, Europe, South America and the Caribbean. The 2024 production of “The Nutcracker” at Greensboro’s Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts marked Cole’s fifth time on the podium with the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra.

Prior to joining UNCSA, Cole served four years as the founding dean of academic affairs at Berklee College of Music’s campus in Valencia, Spain. Before that, he served seven years as associate dean of academic affairs at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music.

Cole was a doctoral student in orchestral conducting at the University of Cincinnati. He received his Master of Music in instrumental conducting from the University of Illinois and his Bachelor of Music in bassoon performance from Louisiana State University.