10/07/2026
TCVPA Dean Martin Camacho has been named president of the International Council for Arts Deans (ICFAD)!
“Martin will be an excellent representative of Texas Tech, and I know he will serve his fellow deans with integrity, respect and thoughtful leadership,” said Ron Hendrick, provost and senior vice president. “I look forward to all that ICfAD will accomplish under his leadership”
As president, Camacho said his priority is to strengthen the organization and expand the support it provides to members. When Camacho joined ICfAD in 2014, he had just been appointed as dean of the Fain College of Fine Arts at Midwestern State University, part of the Texas Tech University System.
“It was the first time I’d joined an organization dedicated to helping deans,” Camacho said. “I realized there were so many people around the country – even around the world – who were extraordinary leaders with great ideas about advancing the arts. My membership with ICfAD became inspirational.”
Over the next decade, Camacho served on the organization’s board, chaired multiple committees, and played an integral role in ICfAD’s international symposiums in Cuba and Mexico, countries where he has several academic connections. Last year, he moved on to the administrative track to become president.
“Martin has already demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to ICfAD and to the community of arts leaders it serves,” said James Frazier, outgoing president and dean of the Florida State University College of Fine Arts. “He is a thoughtful and generous leader who brings intellectual curiosity, a collaborative spirit and a deep commitment to serve in everything he does. I am delighted he will be the organization’s next president.”
The human connection ICfAD fosters has become significant to Camacho. With changes in artificial intelligence, legislative funding decisions and enrollment trends, Camacho says he sees both challenges and opportunities ahead. But more than anything, he sees lasting demand for what the arts provide.
“Human connection will always be needed,” he said. “Our world is becoming more technology-driven, but the need for creativity will not go away. That’s human nature, and the arts are the perfect instrument for that.”
Camacho credits Texas Tech with supporting his leadership journey, and sees his recent appointment as a statement about the university.
“Texas Tech recognizes the value of positioning a representative for the arts in a national organization,” he said. “It sends a signal that the arts are relevant at Texas Tech and are making an impact at the individual, institutional and community levels.”
