ISU Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts prepares for $52 million project

Illinois State University alum Wonsook Kim (left) donated $12 million to support ISU’s College of Fine Arts and School of Art. (Photo courtesy: Blake Haas/WJBC)

By Heart of Illinois ABC

NORMAL – Administrators of the Wonsook College of Fine Arts at Illinois State University have been planning for a huge renovation project for years and now they have $52.3 million to get it done.

Last month Governor J.B. Pritzker released the state funds for the university to begin working on structural, electrical and flooding issues.

“[Right now] we are updating our plans, talking with our students and seeing what they really want in their learning and teaching spaces today as opposed to what they were originally planned 10 years ago,” Wonsook College of Fine Arts Dean Jean Miller said.

Miller said the project is not just about updating the look of their buildings as they plan to create spaces for the students enrolled in their 12,000 majors to become the artists they are studying to become.

“A lot of the students have projects that are rather SPONTANEOUS because they are working through their process in their process in their art and it doesn’t matter which kind of fine arts,” she said.

“It could be theater, it could be visual arts but they need to have the kind of spaces where they’re interacting with the space and they’re changing the space.”

As of right now, the plan is to create dance studios, facilities for the college’s growing video game design program and their glass blowing major, among other things.

Current students are ready to see their college get a facelift even if they will not be on campus by the time that everything is done.

The $12 million will support initiatives including updates to technology, facilities, supplies and student scholarships. (Photo courtesy: Blake Haas/WJBC)

“In the world today the, unfortunately, arts aren’t appreciated as much but it’s been changing and I’m really excited to see that change and respect,” Graphic Design Senior Hannah Piemonte said.

“We live in such a changing world that we need to keep updating those changes and adapting to them knowing that students are going to have these resources that are going to help them succeed in this changing world is really exciting for me.”

The project–that is funded by the Rebuild Illinois gas tax–will be broken down into two phases with the first expected to last just over a year and a half and the second about 12 months.

ISU has yet to say when they plan to begin construction.

Heart of Illinois ABC can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…