Windgate Foundation Awards UAM $750,000 To Renovate Art Facility
The University of Arkansas at Monticello has received a $750,000 grant from the Windgate Foundation to fund a renovation of existing space for a new university art facility.
The partnership is the result of a grant proposal submitted on behalf of UAM by Dr. Peggy Doss, chancellor of UAM, and a team of UAM Executive Council members.
The grant period runs from May 1, 2024, through May 1, 2025, and supports the transfer of the art facility from the aging Visual and Performing Arts Center to the Red Barn on the Monticello campus, which will be renovated into classroom and studio space for the art program. The Red Barn has been utilized for many university activities over the years, including serving as a campus theater space for play productions and a meeting space for student organizations.
In recent years, graduates of the art program at UAM have been chosen to showcase their work in state and national art exhibitions and have been honored for their outstanding contributions to art education. Multiple alumni have been recognized as Arkansas Art Educators of the Year by the Arkansas Art Educators organization.
Dr. Doss offered thanks to the Windgate Foundation for the most recent grant, stating, “For several decades, the Windgate Foundation has been the unequivocal leading supporter of visual arts programs at institutions of higher education across the state, and we are truly grateful for the foundation’s support for UAM's art program. Dedication to the arts is crucial for providing a comprehensive education to UAM students, as it fosters creativity, critical thinking and cultural appreciation. A strong emphasis on the arts also contributes to the development of well-rounded individuals who are prepared to engage with the world in a meaningful and impactful way. The renovations made possible by this grant will significantly elevate the classroom and studio experiences for our art students and support the recruitment of the next generation of artists, designers and art educators to UAM. We extend our sincere thanks to the Windgate Foundation for its continued support of UAM and look forward to the future of our impactful partnership.”
Dr. Steven Harper, dean of the UAM School of Arts and Humanities, stated, “All of us in the School of Arts and Humanities are incredibly grateful to the Windgate Foundation, Chancellor Doss and the entire leadership team at UAM for making this possible. The foundation previously provided funding to create the Windgate Graphic Design Lab at UAM, and this renovation will be an even greater boon to our art students. This project reaffirms UAM’s commitment to the role that the arts play in developing and nourishing the human spirit, a commitment shared by the Windgate Foundation and manifested in their efforts to strengthen and expand the visual arts.”
With this fourth grant, the Windgate Foundation has awarded a total of over $1.3 million to UAM since the first grant in 2020. That year, the university was awarded a $50,000 grant to fund the construction of a graphic design lab at UAM that allowed the university to develop a minor in art with an emphasis in graphic design. Subsequently, in 2022, UAM received a grant of $205,415, which was allocated for need-based scholarships, nursing instructors and lab equipment. In 2023, a grant of $298,924 was received to support need-based scholarships, Master of Arts in Teaching scholarships and equipment for the UAM Colleges of Technology in Crossett and McGehee.
The Windgate Foundation was established in 1993 and is a private, family foundation based in Little Rock, Arkansas.