Champion for the Arts: Remembering William "Bill" Byrnes
Published: February 04, 2026 | Author: Kol Gibson | Read Time: 4 minutes
Southern Utah University mourns the passing of William “Bill” Byrnes, a respected educator, administrator, author, and arts leader whose vision and dedication shaped the University’s College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) and the field of arts administration nationwide. Byrnes passed away on January 19, 2026, in Bradenton, Florida.
“Bill Byrnes helped shape SUU into the institution it is today,” said Interim Provost and former CPVA Dean Shauna Mendini. “He was a remarkable man, and I’m honored to have had him as a mentor and friend. His leadership, intellect, and generosity of spirit elevated our academic programs and strengthened our role as a cultural leader in the region. We are profoundly grateful for his service and mourn the loss of a colleague who cared deeply about students, faculty, and the future of the arts.”
During his tenure at SUU from 2004 to 2017, Byrnes served as Dean of the College of Performing and Visual Arts, Professor of Arts Administration, and Associate Provost. As dean from 2004 to 2009, he led a period of significant growth and achievement for the College. Under his leadership, SUU Art and Design (now Filmmaking, Art, and Design) earned accreditation through the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Dance program earned accreditation through the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASAD), the University launched new degree programs, including the Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre, and CPVA expanded its academic and performance offerings.
Byrnes also played a key role in strengthening partnerships between SUU and the Utah Shakespeare Festival, supporting collaborative initiatives that enriched student learning and professional engagement. During his deanship, SUU and the Festival were awarded a Dana Foundation grant to establish the ArtsBridge program, providing arts education training for future educators serving Iron County schools. He further supported the growth of dance at SUU, helping to establish the Ballroom Dance Company within the College of Performing and Visual Arts and expanding curricular offerings in both social and competitive dance.
From 2009 to 2014, Byrnes served as Associate Provost, contributing to academic leadership and university-wide planning. Even after stepping down from administrative roles, he remained deeply committed to SUU, continuing to teach in and advance the Arts Administration program as Professor Emeritus through the end of his life.
“Bill Byrnes was a mentor in the truest sense of the word,” said Rachel Parker, former director of SUU’s Arts Administration program. “He believed deeply in students and faculty and pushed all of us to think bigger, lead with integrity, and serve the arts with purpose. His impact at SUU is woven into the success of countless alumni working in arts organizations across the country and around the world.”
Byrnes devoted his life to the performing arts as a designer, educator, administrator, author, and mentor. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of New Mexico in 1970, where his work at Popejoy Concert Hall sparked a lifelong passion for the arts, and later completed a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Production at UCLA in 1972. He began his career as a lighting designer and production professional before transitioning to higher education.
Over a 45-year academic career, Byrnes held faculty and leadership positions at Oberlin College, Florida State University, and Southern Utah University, shaping arts programs and mentoring generations of students. An internationally respected voice in arts administration, he authored six editions of Management and the Arts, lectured throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, and remained deeply committed to preparing future artists, educators, and arts leaders to meet the evolving challenges of the field.
Byrnes was also a long-serving leader within the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), where he held numerous leadership roles and received multiple honors recognizing his service and lasting contributions to the profession.
Southern Utah University extends its deepest condolences to Bill Byrnes’ family, friends, colleagues, and the many students whose lives were shaped by his teaching, leadership, and example. His legacy endures in the programs he built, the institutions he strengthened, and the countless arts leaders he inspired.
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 41 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, filmmaking, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year which are complemented by the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and Shakespeare Studies at SUU, and is affiliated with the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF). Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.Contact Information
Joshua Stavros
435-865-8656
joshuastavros@suu.edu