$25 Million Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation Opens at A-State

JONESBORO – The new Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation is officially opening at Arkansas State University. The facility provides state-of-the-art spaces for studio art and design. The new $25 million hall brings together students from Art + Design, Engineering and Computer Science to collaborate on creative, interdisciplinary projects.

Art + Design Department Chair Katherine Baker said the building allows students from different fields to work together and transform ideas into real-world projects.

“From its conception, the Windgate Hall was imagined as a space where seemingly disparate disciplines could come together to produce something new. A key for Art + Design is creativity, and we see this skill as similarly integral to what happens in Engineering and Computer Science,” Dr. Baker said.

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Sept. 11

The Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, at the building on the A-State campus.

The celebration will also serve as the centerpiece of the Art + Design Alumni Reunion, Sept. 11 – 12. Department alumni are invited back to campus for a weekend of reconnecting with classmates, faculty and friends while experiencing the department’s newest home.

Reunion activities include the ribbon cutting, building tours, workshops and panel discussions, all before the Red Wolves’ first home football game of the season. All reunion activities are free, but advance registration is requested.

The hall was made possible by the continued generous support of the Windgate Foundation, which funded it with a $25 million gift, including $20 million for construction and $5 million for building maintenance.

The Windgate Foundation is the university’s largest single benefactor in its 115-year history, with endowments exceeding more than $40 million.

The building features open, flexible studio spaces and collaborative learning environments equipped with new technology and equipment.

New Technology will be Transformational

“One of the highlights of the building for our campus is the project studio. It is a light-filled lab where students can not only work beside one another, but also utilize new technology for collaboration,” said Baker.

“With this building, the practice of art and graphic design will also be transformed. Due to the generosity of the Windgate Foundation, we now have cutting-edge equipment and exceptional facilities that will provide our students with endless opportunities to cultivate new skill sets and expand their practice,” she added.

Dr. YeonSang Hwang, interim dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS), said the learning will extend beyond skills and knowledge.

“Students will find themselves housed in a well-prepared space surrounded by enthusiastic faculty and staff who are ready to help. We expect the project studio to become an alluring spot for prospective students, showcasing how the complete cycle of design works before their own eyes through a carefully crafted set of equipment, such as VR and 3D printers, in dedicated areas,” he said.

Gallery will be home to Exhibitions

A gallery space near the entrance will not only allow students’ art to shine through regular exhibitions, but also provide a space for visiting artists to bring their work to the region.

Faculty, students and staff can also take advantage of outdoor spaces designed to encourage creativity and exploration.

“The building also boasts an outdoor green space. This includes a new terrace with views of campus and multiple flower beds featuring species that can create natural dyes. It will help inspire a new appreciation for the Natural State,” Rachel Baillot, assistant professor of photography, said.

Dr. Calvin White Jr., interim chancellor, said the building will provide students with hands-on experiences that prepare them for careers in creative industries.

“Windgate Hall reinforces our commitment to providing students with learning experiences that prepare them to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world. By bringing together art, design, engineering and computer science in one collaborative environment, we are creating new opportunities for creativity, research and innovation,” said White.

New Mix of Interdisciplinary Courses

This fall, students will find a mix of interdisciplinary courses taught in the building’s new lecture hall.

“Students who are in their first-year courses will be in the space during their first semester. They will start with small class projects in their introductory freshman courses, while also being engaged through various courses in their curriculum, and continuing that learning in their upper-level studies, including capstone projects,” said Hwang.

The building will serve as the campus’s nonstop creative hub, as CECS faculty members who helped lead the initiative will continue exploring new ways to use the building’s facilities.

“This initial faculty cohort will continue to work on the extended use of the facilities in even more creative ways through their courses and with student groups. We are hoping to bring more equipment to the facilities in the future, such as robotics instruments, and more,” said Hwang.

Julia Wintner, director of the Bradbury Art Museum (BAM), adds that she is eager to work alongside faculty to continue programming between the two and expand the university’s art facilities.

“As the university art museum, BAM serves as a bridge between the classroom and the community, and this remarkable new facility will create unprecedented opportunities for collaboration among artists, engineers and computer scientists, among others,” she said.

New Opportunities for Engaging the Public

Caitlan Smith, instructor of art history, said Art + Design has a pattern of creating opportunities to engage the public through events, exhibitions and workshops. She is excited to continue and expand upon those activities.

“This includes events like Halloween Art Bash, which is one of our biggest community events, and the Delta Print Symposium, an annual event that brings together artists from across the Mid-South,” Smith said. “One of the goals of the department is to become the epicenter for the art community in our region, and the new building will be a leap forward.”

The new Windgate Hall is closely aligned with the Art + Design’s Windgate Center for Three-Dimensional Arts, which opened in 2021 and is located just steps away from the new building. It gives students access to open spaces, allowing for woodworking and ceramics among other art disciplines.

“The continued generosity of the Windgate Foundation has transformed what is possible for A-State. We are grateful for their enduring partnership and their commitment to expanding educational opportunities across our state,” White added.