This has been a big year for the Art Department! Enrollment continues to increase with 2,519 undergraduate students this year compared to 1,808 students back in 2013. Professors Yeohyun Ahn in Graphic Design and Tomiko Jones in Photography joined the faculty along with visiting photography artist Darcy Padilla. We have continued to work at building out new spaces at the Art Lofts, including a new dedicated computer lab, a project space, and a refurbished gallery. We are upgrading and refining others in the humanities building including a brand new Digital Fabrication Lab (FABLAB) and have begun a feasibility study to explore expanding the Art Lofts building to create a new “front door” for the Art Department.
But we need your help! To scale all our programs, we are seeking flexible support. Our annual fund has historically cushioned us from state budget cuts and that will likely be the case in the future. The flexibility of your support also allows us to invest in exciting new opportunities, meet unforeseen challenges, fund critical needs as they arise, and devote the necessary resources to long-term priorities that will ensure the strength of the Department for generations.
Please consider designating your gift to the Art Department Excellence Fund. Leadership gifts have an extraordinary collective power to sustain our excellence and fuel our growth. Gifts can be made at supportuw.org/giveto/artdepartment
Thank you for all that you do for the University and the Art Department. Your ongoing support will help to prepare the next generation of Badger artists, scholars, and leaders.
If you have questions or concerns please reach out to Meg Sensenbrenner, Director of Development at 608.572.3308 or meg.sensenbrenner@supportuw.org.
Best wishes for the holiday season,
Douglas Rosenberg
Chair, UW-Madison Art Department
Helen Burish
Chair, Art Department Board of Visitors