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Jared Hess is an Academy Award nominated filmmaker from Preston, Idaho. His directorial debut Napoleon Dynamite premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and went on to become a comedy box office hit. His other films include Nacho Libre, Gentlemen Broncos, Don Verdean, Masterminds and the animated feature Thelma the Unicorn. He also produced and co-directed the hit Netflix documentary series Murder Among the Mormons and Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators. In 2024, Jared and his wife Jerusha were nominated for an Academy Award for their animated short film Ninety-Five Senses. He recently directed A Minecraft Movie starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa.



Visiting Artist Program is funded by the Department of Art and Art History at UTA. Over the years, the program has featured a diverse lineup of influential artists, designers, scholars and curators who define the contemporary art and culture discourse. The program provides students direct access to leading experts in their fields and is a vital resource in the department’s curriculum. In addition to public lectures, visiting artists engage with students through studio critiques and conduct workshops in collaboration with the UTA faculty.

Arts & Culture, Talks & Lectures