It is the end of the beginning for Illinois State University’s new fine arts complex.
Key stakeholders, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, gathered Tuesday for a ceremonial groundbreaking on a construction project making long-awaited facilities improvements to the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts.
The work includes complete demolition of Centennial West, which houses the School of Theatre, Dance and Film, and construction of three new facilities: an addition to the Center for Visual Arts, a new commons building and a two-story addition to the Center for Performing Arts. Interior renovations are also planned for existing buildings in the complex.
“This project, though, is more than just buildings,” said Scott Irelan, dean of the college. “It’s a pledge. It’s a declaration to students, staff, faculty, alumni, community members, our namesake [Wonsook Kim], that arts and design at Illinois State University will continue to thrive, to inspire and to transform.”
The new complex’s anticipated 2028 completion will be nearly two decades since the project was approved. Irelan said upgrading the university’s fine arts facilities has been a topic of discussion since the 1970s.
“It’s finally real,” he said in an interview following Tuesday’s groundbreaking. “It’s great to be here and feel the joy and happiness in the space. We’re excited to get started and we’re off to the races.”
In 2020, Pritzker was the third governor to visit ISU and push for the project. During his remarks, Pritzker said ISU’s patience in getting the project over the starting line “has been nothing short of remarkable.”
Pritzker pointed to Illinois as a hub for culture and creativity, producing scores of writers, actors, musicians and visual artists.
“As anyone here will tell you, that doesn’t just happen by accident,” he said. “Elevating that requires our commitment and, importantly, our investment.”
The state allocated more than $87 million for the project from the Rebuild Illinois initiative. A separate state-funded capital renewal project supported restroom and plumbing upgrades inside Centennial East.
“This is a recognition of the vital role that the arts play in our communities, and it’s a promise to continue nurturing and growing it,” Pritzker said.
According to Lisa Hennigh, deputy director of construction for the Illinois Capital Development Board, the fine arts complex transformation is one of 175 capital projects for higher education across the state, totaling $2.78 billion.
University leaders asked for patience and flexibility during construction. Current student Kennedy Carico, a double major in voice and music therapy, will graduate before the work is done.
"I chose to attend ISU because it has one of the most esteemed music therapy programs in the country," she said. "I'll be proud to see these changes coming back as an alum, knowing that the support of this building project will shape future students' success."
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Ani Yazedjian said Tuesday’s ceremony is “one of those rare and special moments when we get to stand in the present and quite literally put a marker in the ground for the future."
“The fine arts are central to our mission as a comprehensive university,” Yazedjian said. “They teach us to see the world differently. They build discipline, empathy and imagination. They demand rigor, persistence and collaboration. And they remind us that education is not only about what we know, but also about what we can express, interpret and contribute.”
The fine arts complex is one of several capital projects in the works. In December, trustees approved funding to move ahead with installing a solar array at the future College of Engineering satellite campus on G.E. Road in Bloomington, and to resume plans to build a new dorm and dining hall on the south edge of campus.
In his remarks, ISU President Aondover Tarhule noted the university’s strong network of fine arts alumni, including Wonsook Kim, whose $12 million gift with her husband, Thomas Clement, came with naming rights. It is the only named college on campus.
“In addition, the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts has more endowed professors than any other college at Illinois State,” he said.
Tarhule said the ceremony, complete with a metaphorical “groundbreaking” wielding gold-plated shovels positioned on the Center for Performing Arts’ newly named Ringer Concert Hall stage, is more than a symbolic gesture.
“It represents our readiness to strengthen our commitment to our students, our readiness to evolve with purpose and our readiness to transform vision into reality,” Tarhule said.
