Artwork adorns the walls of the new Art and Design Addition, which is joined to the SIUE Art and Design Building.
Video of the SIUE Art & Design Building Addition ribbon cutting.More than 100 people turned out Thursday for a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the $9 million addition to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Art and Design Building. SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe, Interim Provost Ann Boyle and College of Arts and Sciences Dean Aldemaro Romero attended and presided over the event.
Artist Gonz Jove returned to his alma mater from Bolivia to display his work and speak to a large gathering of faculty, staff members and students. Pieces by the late Cuban artist Emilio Sanchez also were on display. SIUE houses the largest collection of the work of Sanchez in the world.
SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe speaks during the ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday for the Art and Design Building Addition.
The addition is joined to the existing building, which was constructed in 1991 and has been newly renovated. The new addition brings the studio arts together with art history, art education and art therapy under one roof.
“As future artists, counselors and teachers, we can express our creativity here,” said Lynne Cote, second year Master of Arts student in the area of Art Therapy Counseling. “This is an exciting time to be a part of SIUE.”
A new art gallery, additional office space, graduate student studio space and classrooms are part of the 29,000-square-foot project.
SIUE College of Arts and Sciences Dean Aldemaro Romero speaks during Thursday’s celebration of the opening of the new Art and Design Building Addition.
Furst-Bowe talked about the significance of the Art and Design Building expansion and the renovation projects that have taken place since 2006, projects that will ultimately total more than $300 million.
“When all of the new buildings and the renovation of the Science Building Complex are complete, SIUE will have seven buildings that meet LEED rating standards,” she said. “In sheer numbers, that means that we will be second in the state of Illinois, only to the University of Illinois, and second in the St. Louis region, only to Washington University.
“The Art and Design Building is definitely one of SIUE’s newest Points of Pride. Facilities such as this enhance the growth and achievement of SIUE, saying to the world that the University is investing in the future of our region. SIUE is an important vehicle for the success of Southwestern Illinois.”
Romero talked about how the “safe, modern and inspirational environment” would provide opportunities for faculty and students, as well as a chance for the public to appreciate artwork created by the internal campus community, as well as artists—some internationally renowned.
A $6.9 million renovation to the existing Art and Design Building included the expansion of studios and critique spaces; updates to safety features; the implementation of a new MacIntosh computer lab and more. The renovation involved improvements to 34,000-square-feet of space.