Tarble Arts Center

What is the program’s mission statement or statement of purpose? Why does the program exist?

The mission of the Tarble Arts Center is to engender appreciation for and involvement in the arts, especially the visual arts, as a major arts resource for the people of east-central Illinois and Eastern Illinois University through the presentation of temporary exhibitions and community-based educational and outreach activities. A division of the College of Arts & Humanities at Eastern Illinois University, the Tarble Arts Center has a mandate to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the university’s permanent collection of art, and to support the educational mission of the university.

How does the program mission align with the university mission?

In the Tarble Arts Center's efforts to support the educational mission of the university, the Tarble has established a history of campus partnerships, striving to serve as an educational resource and catalyst for both students and faculty. From the EIU Mission Statement, the Tarble's commitment to "methods and results of free and rigorous inquiry in the arts" and "diversity and inclusion" is demonstrated by the great variety of quality exhibitions presented by the Tarble, and by the wide of array of issues and concepts manifest in the exhibitions, supported and expanded by the visiting artists and speakers programs, film showings, gallery talks and tours, and other related programming.  Similarly, "excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, and service" is reflected in the Tarble's exhibitions and events, including exhibitions and programs based on original faculty research and creative activity, and service to both the university community, the greater east-central Illinois community, and to visitors from beyond -- both onsite and online.  All of these activities serve to help enable "students [to] refine their abilities to reason and to communicate clearly so as to become responsible citizens and leaders."

Whom does the program serve?

The Tarble’s primary service area is essentially a 50-mile radius around Charleston, taking in Coles and its six contiguous counties, plus the town of Effingham, as well as the EIU campus community. From its inception the Tarble was always intended to serve the greater east-central Illinois community as well as the EIU campus community. The original charge to “take the arts to the people” remains an underlying philosophy, with exhibitions and programs selected and created to serve various constituents in the defined service area. In the past five years a greater emphasis on service to the east-central Illinois community was set for EIU as a whole by President Perry, as was the charge for increased service-learning for EIU students. The ideal Tarble engagement program is one presented by EIU students for the benefit of off-campus constituents; the Tarble has been doing this since 1989 when it first launched its 5th Grade Enrichment program presented to area school children by EIU Art Education majors. To help sustain the Enrichment program, in 2010 the Tarble initiated a funding assistance program for participating schools to help offset transportation costs for schools in the face of shrinking budgets for field trips. At the other end of the age spectrum, in the past two years the Tarble has partnered with EIU’s recently created Academy of Lifetime Learning as a means to design and present programming to specifically serve the growing number of retirees, an area that will become increasingly important as this segment of the population grows.  In between are the many students and faculty, and members of the larger community, who are served through the ongoing changing exhibition program, the myriad of programs presented, various partnerships and co-sponsorships, use of the Tarble facility, and served by the Tarble staff in applying their expertise to activity on campus and off through a wide variety of committees, councils, campaigns, and cooperative ventures.

What are the services provided? How do these services align with the university mission and program mission?

The Tarble presents a year-round schedule of public programming serving both the on-campus and off-campus community: changing visual arts exhibitions and installations; lectures and presentations by visiting artists and scholars, and by EIU faculty; gallery talks and exhibition tours; and various special events, including music recitals and performances, social activities, and co-sponsored performances by the Charleston Community Theatre. Admission is free of charge to the exhibitions and most programs to provide accessibility and encourage participation. The Tarble also presents an array of community engagement programs, many which serve area school-age children and their teachers, and others that are designed to serve the growing retiree population.

Many programs and tours are presented for and with EIU students and faculty, especially in cooperation with the Art Department and the Historical Administration program. The changing exhibition program is designed to present a wide array of artists, styles, approaches, and media to provide exposure and foster understanding and appreciation. In addition to recurrent exhibitions sited in subsequent sections are exhibitions drawn from the Permanent Collection, guest-curated by members of the university faculty, loaned from private collectors, and traveling exhibitions. The exhibitions cover a wide range of issues, such as perspectives of and from other countries and cultures, gender identity, and empowerment of indigenous peoples, all selected to round out a given year’s exhibition offerings.

The Tarble also maintains a collection of about 1,300 artworks. The Permanent Collection has concentrations in: c. mid-20th century Illinois folk arts from southeastern Illinois, complemented by an archives of photos, audio and video recordings; contemporary American art on paper, centering on Midwestern artists; American Scene/Regionalist works on paper (Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, and others); paintings by EIU alumnus Paul T. Sargent (Charleston, 1880-1946), and Robert M. Root (Shelbyville, 1863-1937); and outdoor sculpture by area Illinois artists. The Tarble Educational Collection includes select examples of art in other media and from other cultures and time periods with concentrations in 20th century Mexican folk arts and early 20th century Southwestern Native American art.

As will be further described in this report, all aspects of the Tarble Arts Center programs directly or indirectly support the university’s mission of: accessible undergraduate and graduate education; methods and results of free and rigorous inquiry in the arts, humanities, sciences, and professions; and excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, and service. The Tarble program: is committed to diversity and inclusion; fosters opportunities for student-faculty scholarship and applied learning experiences; and provides resources to help students refine their abilities to reason and to communicate clearly so as to become responsible citizens and leaders.

Describe the program’s origins (e.g. year established, purpose, expectations).

The Tarble Arts Center is a division of the Eastern Illinois University College of Arts & Humanities. The Tarble opened in 1982 with a large, flexible gallery space, the smaller Brainard Gallery, a classroom, and support facilities. The original facility was made possible by a gift of one million dollars donated by the late Newton E. Tarble plus an additional half-million dollars donated by EIU alumni, annuitants, and other patrons of the arts.  The original 1978 master plan drawn up by the architectural firm E. Verner Johnson & Associates established the goals for the Tarble Arts Center as: (1) to unite the community and university in common cultural goals, (2) enrich the individual and corporate life of the community, (3) define and preserve the particular heritage and character of the region, (4) create an environment for and awareness of the arts for the schools, (5)enliven, inform and elevate the tastes of the community, (6) create an atmosphere conducive to creativity.  The professional staff was the director and the exhibition & education curator, assisted by a secretary, 3 graduate assistants, student assistants, and volunteers.  An early goal was for the Tarble to become accredited by the American Association of Museums in an effort to achieve a recognized standard of professionalism within the museum community.

How has the unit changed or adapted over time?

As signified by accreditation by the American Association of Museums (AAM) in 2000, the operations of the Tarble have become increasingly professional since its founding in 1982. To meet established museum best practices and Tarble program goals, these changes include:  upgrades to the physical plant, revisions in collections policies and practices, changes in the professional and support staff, changes in volunteer support, and revisions in programming and administrative practices.  Specific programming changes have brought about greater integration of Tarble programs with EIU academic programs, and an expanded service to area school students and teachers.  Re-accreditation by the AAM is currently under review.

Recent changes include establishing a travel assistance grant program for area schools to maintain school participation levels in the Enrichment program, which is conducted in partnership with the Art Department, in light of shrinking school field-trip budgets. Cooperation with the EIU Historical Administration (HA) MA program has recently expanded from co-sponsoring exhibitions to include disaster preparedness and archival registration, with plans underway to add electronic collections registration and on-line access, collections records digitization, virtual exhibitions design, and the creation of a comprehensive collections/archives plan. These symbiotic relationships with Art Education and Historical Administration have greatly expanded the Tarble’s program and service capabilities, while also serving the educational needs of the students.   And a scholarship program was established to provide greater accessibility to the non-credit classes and workshops

Interdisciplinarity continues to be an emphasis for the Tarble’s program. Partnering with the EIU Center for the Humanities (established in 2010) has helped to the Tarble to be of greater service to academic disciplines beyond the visual arts, and to connect the arts with the humanities, the sciences, and professional services.

The building was upgraded with the 2004 East Wing addition. The addition added the Atrium, eGallery, support spaces, and a new, updated HVAC system to serve the entire facility.

Financial support for Tarble programs has also greatly changed in the last decade. External resources now support virtually all Tarble programs, plus all student support staff salaries (except one summer position), all collections treatment and acquisition, most equipment purchases, and some capital improvements. This support comes from: dedicated EIU Foundation endowments, membership contributions, area businesses/corporations financial and in-kind support, and grants from governmental agencies and private foundations. Most significant are gifts from the Tarble Family Foundation: $2 million was given in 2005 for the Tarble Arts Center Endowment in the EIU Foundation, and $3 million received in 2012 to establish an endowment dedicated to funding a major art and artists exhibitions programs which started in FY2014.  And construction of the $2 million East Wing addition was made possible by a gift from Mrs. Newton (“Pat”) Tarble. The Tarble remains the only facility on the EIU campus entirely built through private funding. All of these gifts and external support have elevated, and will continue to elevate, the level and quality of service the Tarble Arts Center affords the people of EIU, east-central Illinois, and visitors to the area.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program’s history and relevance to university mission.

Provide data, if available, on the numbers of students, faculty, staff, or others served by the program during the past four years. If no data are available, please estimate the numbers served annually.

Populations Served by the Tarble Arts Center
General Attendance (visits/participating):
FY11:  Onsite – 20,191 (counted); Offsite – 464 (counted) +  19,415 (estimated) = 19,879; 40,070 total
FY12:  Onsite – 21,566 (counted); Offsite – 364 (counted)  + 23,605 (estimated) = 23,969; 45,262 total
FY13:  Onsite – 15,687 (counted); Offsite – 321 (counted) + 11,850 (estimated) = 12,171; 27,858 total

Documented EIU Class Visits Attendance:
FY11: 822
FY12: 1,462
FY13:  1,517

EIU Students at Artist Lectures (estimated at 80% of attendance):
FY11: 731
FY12: 310
FY13: 468

Number of Area School-Age Children Served:
FY11: Onsight/1,496 + Offsite/464 = 1,960
FY12: Onsight/1,996 + Offsite/364 = 2,360
FY13: Onsight/1,759 + Offsite/321 = 2,080

Number of Area Schools Served:
FY11: 40
FY12: 45
FY13:  45

Number of EIU Students Providing Outreach to Area School-Age Children:
FY11: 34
FY12: 21
FY13: 22

In the last three years the Tarble has partnered with: Art Dept., Art Education, History Dept., Historical Administration, English Dept., Music Dept., Women's Studies/WHAM, Film Studies, Latino Heritage Celebration, Asian Heritage Month, Development Office, Camps & Conferences, Academy of Lifelong Learning, Alumni Services, Student Life, Center for the Humanities, Arts & Humanities/Celebration & Embarras Valley Film Festival, Booth Library/Library Services, WEIU, Study Abroad, plus with individual faculty members in Art, Music, English, Philosophy, Biological Sciences, Political Science, Sociology/Anthropology, Foreign Languages, and Geology/Geography.

In the last three years the Tarble has provided services for:  BOT, President's Office, Development Office, Civil Rights, Historical Administration, Art Dept., Journalism Dept., Theatre Arts Dept., Early Childhood Development, Continuing Education, Music Dept., ECEML Education Dept., and Eastern Illinois Writing Project.

Does the program offer any co-curricular opportunities for students (e.g., internships, RSO support, service-learning activities)? Please describe.

The Tarble Arts Center offers a variety of co-curricular opportunities for students.  The greatly enhanced Tarble Arts Center Endowment has made it possible for the Tarble to annually hire 3-4 undergraduate student assistants, 1 graduate assistant from Studio Art and 1 from Historical Administration (originally GA funding was provided by the Graduate School, but such funding was withdrawn about 10 years ago), a summer intern (usually in Historical Administration), 2-4 undergraduates hired to teach non-credit children's classes and workshops, plus student assistants.  Whenever possible the Tarble's student assistants are assigned tasks that align with their area of study and career goals - Art Education students teach children's classes, students with a concentration in graphic design design promotional materials, HA students assist with collections registration, etc.  Interns are accepted, both for course credit and as volunteers, and are also given work assignments that align with academic study and career goals.

Annual exhibitions aligned with university programs include: the Undergraduate All-Student Show, Graduate Art Exhibition (a requirement for the MA Studio Art degree), and Art Faculty exhibition, New & Emerging Artists Series exhibitions, and an Art alumni exhibition, all co-sponsored with the Art Department; and the Tarble Humanities Exhibition presented with the Center for the Humanities. Usually biennially an exhibition is presented with the Historical Administration program as a capstone program for the participating MA candidates. Exhibitions and other programs are also often tied to various campus programs and celebrations, such as: Women’s History & Awareness, Latino Heritage Month, Homecoming, Family Weekend, etc.

Does the program contribute to the delivery of academic programs (e.g., providing professional expertise, serving as adjunct faculty)? Please describe.

In addition to the collaborations mentioned above, the Tarble professional staff members routinely serve on graduate committees for MA Studio Art candidates and as co-project coordinators/facilitators for Historical Administration.  The Education Curator is heavily involved with the Art Education program, working directly with faculty on program planning,  student assessment, and conference presentations through the Tarble's Enrichment programs; the Enrichment programs provide EIU Art Education majors with important and required pre-student teaching hands-on "contact hours."  The professional staff serve as intern supervisors, and have served as guest lecturers for courses in Art Education, art history, Theatre Arts (ArtsOmnibus), Journalism, Historical Administration, and Education.  The Tarble director serves as an adjunct faculty member, teaching a graduate course in the Studio Art MA program, and the Curator of Education has taught undergraduate drawing courses for the Art Department.

New for AY14 is a pilot program whereby Tarble exhibitions serve as a resource for the visual literacy component for some sections of English 1001.  The goal is for Tarble exhibitions to be used as the visual literacy component for all English 1001 and 1002 sections based on the AY14 pilot program.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the internal demand for the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., curriculum changes made by another program) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Is the program accredited or approved by a recognized external agency or otherwise certified to meet established professional standards? Provide an executive summary of and link to the program’s most recent accreditation or certification report, if available.

The Tarble Arts Center was accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM), and re-accreditation is currently under review.  (No recent report or summary from the AAM is yet available.)

Is the program required to meet any regulatory or legal requirements? Is the program subject to any special auditing requirements?

The Tarble Arts Center has been approved to offer Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDUs) by the Regional Office of Education for public school teachers and must keep the required documentation for CPDUs issued.

What are the most important outreach or public service activities supported by the program?

The Tarble’s primary service area is considered to be within an approximately 50-mile radius of Charleston, taking in Coles and the six contiguous counties plus the town of Effingham, as well as the EIU campus community.  The Tarble's significant outreach/service programs are: (1) 5th Grade Enrichment program, (2) Junior/Senior High School Art Enrichment, (3) Artist in the Schools Residency program, and (4) annual Children's Art Exhibition.  All of these programs are open to east-central Illinois schools. The Enrichment programs are presented in conjunction with the EIU Art Education program, and financial assistance program is available to assist with schools' travel costs.  The artist residency requires payment of a token fee ($150) by participating schools.  From the Children's Art Exhibition (usually 300+ artworks from 40+ schools) a traveling exhibit is selected representing each participating school; titled "Cultivating Creativity: Consolidated Communications Traveling Children's Art Exhibit," the exhibit is circulated back to 12 of the communities represented in the exhibit. 

Adult outreach includes circulating traveling exhibits to area libraries derived from exhibitions created in collaboration with EIU's Historical Administration program, co-sponsorship of and the site for the Charleston Community Theatre's annual productions, and co-sponsorship and the site for the Coles County Arts Council's annual Prelude until the event outgrew the Tarble's Atrium in 2013. The Tarble also annually offers exhibition tours or programs and serves as a meeting place for civic groups, and is the co-sponsor and site for the Coles County historical preservation awards program.  The Tarble's entire exhibition and events program is a form of public outreach, but some programs are more specifically strategic outreach in that they are targeted to or offered in partnership with specific constituent groups.

How do the local community and the region benefit from the program?

In the last three years that Tarble Arts Center has presented programs in partnership with the Charleston Community Theatre, Coles County Arts Council, Coles County Historical Society, Society for the Preservation of Historic Coles County, I Sing the Body Electric/Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, and HOPE.  Members of the Tarble staff have served (sometimes as officers) on community boards and committees which have an affinity to the Tarble: Coles County Arts Council, Charleston Tourism Office, Charleston Historic Preservation Commission, RSVP Advisory Board, Historic Preservation Advisory Council of the Coles County Regional Planning and Development Commission, and the Association for the Preservation of Historic Coles County. Also related to the museum, staff members have served as volunteer consultants and judges, including for the: Lifespan Senior Center, Mattoon Arts Council community arts center project, Charleston Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum, Coles County Historic Preservation Advisory Council, Charleston Historic Preservation Ordinance, and various school programs, and have advocated for arts education with the Charleston school board and administration.

Integrated into the community engagement programs are annual exhibitions by the Arts-In-Education resident artist, exhibitions curated specifically for the 5th Grade Enrichment program, plus the Children’s Art Exhibition (300+ pieces covering approximately 40 area schools), and the Cultivating Creativity traveling exhibit. Area artists' work make up the Biennial Drawing/Watercolor: Illinois open competitive exhibition.

The Cultivating Creativity traveling exhibition program was specifically developed to help demonstrate and promote the importance of including art as a part of a well-rounded school curriculum among schools and districts in east-central Illinois.  The exhibition showcases some of the best artwork by area school students taught by certified art teachers, provides information demonstrating the value of arts education in achieving non-art academic successes, and provides a financial donation to assist each participating schools' art instruction program.

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the external demand for the program.

Beyond those aspects that are more quantifiable, almost all Tarble Arts Center programs invite some degree of critical and intellectual inquiry, self-reflection, empathy, emotional stimulation, visual awareness, heightened creativity, and, often, an expanded world-view.  This applies to all constituent groups, on-campus or -off.

What are the two or three more important measureable outcomes tracked to assess program quality? Does the program conduct an outcomes assessment, and if so, what has been the impact?

The three most important measurable outcomes tracked are: (1) enrollment in the school outreach programs, (2) overall attendance figures, and (3) tracking the sustained interaction with EIU constituent groups, including but also beyond Art and Historical Administration.

The impact of these assessments has been: (1) for the outreach programs, to increase the number of available bookings to accommodate more school students in the program, and to institute a travel assistance program to maintain participation by smaller school districts and/or at greater distances from Charleston; (2) to improve attendance by reassessing adult engagement strategies to develop new ways to inform and attract larger audiences to exhibitions and events; and (3) for EIU constituents, the need to develop a recurrent program or programs which reach a greater number of EIU students and faculty, which has led to a pilot project of the Tarble serving as a resource for the Visual Literacy component of the English Department's 1001 writing course.

What are the two or three most effective best practices that the program has implemented? What benefits have been gained from implementing these best practices?

The primary Tarble Arts Center best practice in service to external constituents has been the creation, implementation, and expansion of the Enrichment program; this program was relatively unique when instituted 25 years ago, and continues to be accepted for presentation at state and national Art Education conferences.  It continues to serve as the primary pre-student teaching training vehicle for EIU Art Education students, and as the first visit to an art museum and face-to-face interaction with original art and for the vast majority of school students who participate in the 5th Grade Enrichment.

Another best practice program is the growing symbiotic relationship between the Tarble, with its programs and resources, and EIU's Art and Historical Administration programs.  Cooperative activity with the Art Department affords undergraduate and graduate students with a professional-level exhibition experience, exposure to a wide variety of art and artists, and a growing use of the Tarble's collection as a source for first-hand study of art objects. Presenting the Enrichment program with the Art Education has greatly expanded the number of area schools the Tarble can serve.  Cooperative activity with the Historical Administration (HA) graduate students affords hands-on opportunities in a wide variety of areas at an accredited museum, while providing the Tarble the means to address on-going collections and archives needs, and expanding its outreach through the exhibitions and traveling exhibits produced. In turn, the historic basis of the HA-generated exhibitions has often attracted and served constituents new to the Tarble.   It is expected that this symbiotic relationship will increase with the expansion of online activities and resources with both the Art Department's art history program and with the Historical Administration program.  These activities align with the current "Open Access Collections" best practices trend developing among academic museums and galleries nation-wide.

What external recognitions (e.g., awards, accommodations, professional certifications, references in trade publications) have the program and its staff received in the past three years?

Curator of Education Kit Morice was recently named the Illinois Art Education Association's museum educator of the year and an EIU Women of Distinction.  Director Michael Watts received a Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois Museum Association and was invited by the Illinois Arts Council Agency to serve on the Partners in Excellence grant review panel which evaluates grant applications from major Illinois arts organizations (e.g., Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Symphony, Steppenwolf Theatre, etc.).  Assistant Director Michael Schuetz is a Group Chair of the Integrated Pest Management Workgroup, a national organization serving museums and archives.

Is the program active with any regional, national, or international professional organizations?

The Tarble Arts Center maintains active memberships in the American Alliance (Association) of Museums, the Association of Midwest Museums, the Illinois Association of Museums, the National Art Education Association, the Illinois Art Education Association, and the Integrated Pest Management Workgroup. 

Note any presentations, publications, or offices held in the last three years.

Kit Morice has served as a member of the Illinois Art Education Association, and has presented at IAEA and National Art Education Association conferences with members of the EIU Art Education faculty.

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the quality of program outcomes.

Note any special benefits (e.g., personnel support, equipment, permanent improvements) that the program has received in the past three years from its grants and other sponsored programs.

New is the Tarble Arts Center Major Art and Artists Exhibition Endowment, recently created within the EIU Foundation and made possible by a $2 million gift from the Tarble Family Foundation, and the Lumpkin Family Foundation provided partial support of a Tarble summer internship as a special joint project.  Ongoing support includes: grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency to support the Arts-in-Education artist in the schools residency program; corporate underwriting from Consolidated Communications to support the Cultivating Creativity: Consolidated Communications Traveling Children's Art Exhibit program, and from First-Mid Illinois Bank Shares to support the Enrichment programs.

How does the program benefit from donor gifts (e.g., scholarships, endowed chairs)? Does donor support provide a significant percentage of the program’s overall funding?

Tarble Arts Center exhibitions, programs, and collecitons are made possible almost exclusively through external funding in the form of proceeds from dedicated endowments in the EIU Foundation, Tarble Arts Center membership contributions, corporate underwriting, grants, and in-kind gifts.  External funding also makes possible the support of two graduate assistantships, multiple student assistants, temporary extra staffing, the summer internship, equipment purchases (especially computers), permanent collection conservation treatment and acquisitions, improvement and repair of the Tarble Arts Center facility, professional staff travel, website support, member and donor cultivation and relations activities, and publications and promotions.  (Funding appropriated by the university is spent on overhead/administrative costs such as office supplies, telephone costs, copier, institutional memberships, inspections, etc.).  Numerous donations of art support the Tarble Arts Center permanent and educational art collections.

List two or three key relationships that the program maintains with external constituencies (e.g., community colleges, other universities, government bodies). How do these relationships advance the university mission or otherwise benefit the university?

Specifically educational and community-based Tarble Arts Center engagement programs include: (1) school Enrichments – tours combined with participatory art workshops for area 5th grade classes, and middle and senior high school art students, presented in partnership with the EIU Art Education program; (2) an Arts-In-Education visiting artist-residency at four area schools plus a mixed-age community core group that meets at the Tarble; (3) non-credit art classes and workshops for people of all ages – preschool through retirees; (4) guided tours of the exhibitions for schools, civic organizations and other groups; and (5) exhibitions toured to libraries and other public spaces in east-central Illinois.  All of these engagement activities advance the university's mission of education and service to the people of east-central Illinois, especially to school-age children and their teachers.  The Enrichment and classes/workshops programs also offer service-learning opportunities for EIU students.   Area teachers are specifically served through classes and workshops that provide Continuing Professional Development Units credit, and through the annual Arts in Education (AIE) artist in the schools residency program.  Through the AIE program, teachers learn new visual arts skills and approaches from the resident artist along with their students and through special workshops just for the teachers.  Tours and Enrichments are presented to the schools at no charge to encourage participation and to provide exposure to the arts for their students and teachers. A nominal fee is required for participation in the AIE artist-residency. A school assistance grant program is available to help offset Enrichment transportation and related costs, and a scholarship program is available for the non-credit classes and workshops to afford greater access. 

The growing retiree population is specifically served through the Tarble's volunteer docent program, whereby the participating retirees learn about the art in current Tarble exhibitions and then use that knowledge to present tours to school groups and civic groups, and through programs developed by the Tarble staff to specifically serve members of Continuing Education's Academy of Lifelong Learning.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the resources generated by the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., revenue pass-throughs) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

In the section 221A02-Tarble Arts Center - Gift Shop/FY11 above, the figure of $10,075 must mistakenly include the value of the consignment inventory for that fiscal year.The new Major Art and Artists Exhibition account, mentioned above, is not listed in the section on accounts because the program started in FY14.  This new account, funded by a dedicated endowment in the EIU Foundation, makes possible the annual exhibition of art by major artists and from major art movements.  This program serves to elevate both the quality and name-recognition aspect of the Tarble's changing exhibition program.

Provide an executive summary of and link to any metrics or benchmarks that the program tracks to measure productivity.

Benchmarks tracked to measure productivity include: (1) school participation in the Enrichment programs, (2) overall attendance, and (3) EIU units' making use of the Tarble through tours, co-sponsored and related programs.

What initiatives has the program implemented to enhance staff productivity (e.g., access to training, workflow improvements)? Briefly describe the costs and benefits of these initiatives.

The Tarble senior staff meets weekly to discuss, among other topics, workflow and student staffing issues.  In the past few years a very directed effort has been made to find ways to shift to student assistants tasks that both provide a meaningful service learning experience for the student assistant and frees up time for the senior staff member.  This primarily involves: teaching non-credit classes and workshops, especially to school-age children; leading tours and gallery talks for groups of all ages; doing graphic design work for promotional materials; routine records keeping for the collection and archives; and doing event set-up and supervision.  In the case of university-wide changes or updates in computer-based systems and in university procedures, often one senior staff member is trained on the system or process changes and then assists the other senior staff members as needed.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the productivity of the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., accreditation requirements, curricular changes, program restructuring) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

The Tarble's Office Administrator, Sally Bock, received one of the new EIU Superior Performance Awards which indicates her level of professionalism, dedication, and efficiency.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the costs associated with the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., expenditures made centrally or externally, expenditures made on behalf of other units) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

As noted in the section on Resources Generated, virtually all direct program costs -- for exhibitions and events, their promotion -- plus costs for collections, student staff/graduate assistants/interns, most equipment, and some facility modifications and repairs are paid for with non-appropriated funding.  The non-credit classes and workshops program is presented on a break-even basis, with participation fees covering the instructor and supplies costs.  And modest program funding is realized as proceeds from Gift Shop sales.

Although direct program and student staffing costs are made possible by external support, substantial university resources support the Tarble Arts Center.  Appropriated funding provides for the professional staff's salaries, the employment of a summer student assistant, and overhead/administrative/office expenditures. 

It should be noted that the Tarble Arts Center receives substantial support from other units of the university outside of the Tarble’s specific budget/financial purview, most significantly from the area of Business Affairs, including Facilities Planning & Management (utilities, janitorial and maintenance services and supplies, grounds), Budget & Planning, Purchasing, Accounting, and Human Resources. Other such university-provided services from various administrative areas include computer technical support and services, graphic design and promotional assistance, and fundraising and development.

The Tarble also benefits significantly from services donated by EIU faculty as guest curators, lecturers, and panelists (in some cases such activity may count toward various tenure requirements). Non-university donated/in-kind support for the Tarble is provided primarily through volunteers' donated time. Foremost are the volunteer gallery attendants (serving 10am-4pm Tuesdays-Fridays year-round). Volunteer hours are also provided by the docents, Advisory Board members, Art Education students, undergraduate interns (both for and without course credit), and some hours of the summer intern. Other non-cash contributions come in the form of some donated materials and services (reception catering, program supplies), and artworks donated for the collections.  And the Tarble benefits from program co-sponsorships with the EIU Art Department, EIU Center for the Humanities, and many other university units and campus organizations, area schools, and community organization, as mentioned above.

In 221A02-Tarble Arts Center - Gift Shop above, FY11 figures include sales and payment activity for the Art Department's Holiday Art Sale.  That activity is now run through an Org administered by the Art Department.

How does the program seek to distinguish itself from similar programs at other institutions?

The Tarble Arts Center is a fairly unique facility and program for a public university of EIU's size and rural location.  This achievement is largely thanks to the generous and sustained support from the Tarble family and the Tarble Family Foundation over the last 30+ years, but due also to internal and other external support as cited above.  Based on a recent online search, the Tarble Arts Center is one of only two accredited museums or galleries at universities within the listing of EIU's peer institutions provided by the EIU Provost's Office.  Based on anecdotal information, within the state of Illinois and excluding the University of Illinois system, the quality and variety of the exhibition and visiting artist program, and outreach/engagement programs presented by the Tarble compare favorably with Illinois State University. The Tarble's focus on collections that "define and preserve the particular heritage and character of the region" is without peer among known state and regional higher education art museums and galleries: the Tarble is unique among Illinois higher education institutions in its support of and engagement with indigenous 20th century folk arts;and the Tarble has the largest public collection of artworks by significant 20th century Illinois artists from the east-central Illinois area -- Paul T. Sargent (Charleston, 1880-1946, EI class of 1906), Robert M. Root (Shelbyville, 1863-1937), and Charles Turzak (Nokomis & Chicago, 1899-1986).

Note any unique and/or essential contributions that the program makes to the university.

As the campus art museum, the Tarble Arts Center's programs are unique within EIU. The Tarble Arts Center's changing exhibition program is designed to present a wide array of artists, styles, approaches, and media to provide exposure, education and appreciation. A number of recurrent exhibitions are aligned with university programs and community engagement activities. Those tied to university programs include: the annual Undergraduate All-Student Show, Graduate Art Exhibition, and Art Faculty exhibition, New & Emerging Artists Series exhibitions, and an Art alumnus exhibition, all co-sponsored with the Art Department; the Tarble Humanities Exhibition presented with the Center for the Humanities; and usually biennially an exhibition presented in conjunction with the Historical Administration program. Exhibitions are also often tied to various campus celebrations such as African American History and Awareness Month or Latino Heritage Month, and special programs such as the Centennial of Old Main. Exhibitions that are integrated into the Tarble’s community engagement programs include annual solo exhibitions by the Arts-In-Education resident artist, exhibitions specifically curated to serve the 5th Grade Enrichment program (often art from a different country or culture), and the Children’s Art Exhibition showcasing art from approximately 40 area schools. Also presented are the Biennial Drawing/Watercolor: Illinois competitive exhibition, plus summer exhibitions and others drawn from the Tarble's permanent and educational collections, exhibitions guest-curated by members of the university faculty, loans from private collectors, and traveling exhibitions covering a wide range of topics including women artists, children’s book illustrations, and indigenous peoples, selected to round out a given year’s exhibition offerings.

Provide any program-specific metrics that help to document program contributions or program quality. Examples of some commonly used program-specific metrics may be found here.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program impact on the university mission.

Provide a link to or listing of the program’s goals and/or strategic plan.

Tarble Arts Center Institutional Plan Strategic Overview, FY13-FY17

Vision Statement

The Tarble Arts Center enters its fourth decade with a renewed sense of service and engagement, seeking to create a more dynamic and enlivened presence. Specifically the Tarble staff will work with others within and without the university to enhance and expand the Tarble’s activities in the areas of engagement, education and outreach, and promotion.

Goal #1:

Expand engagement with EIU students and faculty to enhance the function of the Tarble as an educational resource on-campus and off.

Targets:

A. Serve as a teaching lab/learning resource for all EIU students
B. Serve as an educational resource for EIU students and faculty and for area teachers

Goal #2:

Engage with a wider cross-section of people in east-central Illinois through targeted programming and promotion.

Targets:

1. Develop programs that specifically encourage area-wide participation
2. Develop programs in collaboration with area arts and civic organizations

Goal #3:

To make the Tarble Arts Center and its programs better known at EIU and in the area.

Targets:

1. Utilize existing school outreach educational programs to also promote the Tarble
2. Better utilize existing promotions, contacts and resources
3. Expand on-line programs and social media as promotional tools
4. Add paid advertising to promotional activities
5. Present high-profile exhibitions and programs.

Goal #4:

Upgrade the Tarble Arts Center’s physical presence to make it more accessible, identifiable and visually appealing.

Targets:

1. Enhance the Tarble’s the exterior appearance
2. Enhance the Tarble’s interior entryways
3. Make the Tarble easier to find and enter from the “campus” side of the building

Collection Priorities – Develop Collections Conservation/ Treatment Program:

 1. Create and adopt a formal schedule for the continued treatment of the paintings by Paul T. Sargent and Robert M. Root
2. Conduct a conservation survey of folk art music documentation (audio and video tape, 35mm slides and photographs) and establish a conservation treatment and digitization program
3. Conduct a conservation survey of the folk art in collection – textiles (quilts, needlework, etc.) and wood (carvings, dioramas, etc.) – to develop a conservation treatment program.

What role will the program have in the implementation of the university’s strategic plan (provide link to strategic plan)?

EIU Strategic Plan Goals to which to the Tarble can align/contribute:

Academic Excellence
Eastern Illinois University will provide its students, whether residential, off-campus or online, with rigorous, relevant curricula and personal attention in a collaborative, supportive educational environment. Academic programs will be increasingly integrative and interdisciplinary, developed by an accomplished faculty who use their research and creative activities to inform their teaching and engage students.

Tarble: Continue efforts to provide and expand integrative and interdisciplinary programs for EIU students through directed partnerships with EIU faculty and departments/units (see Tarble Strategic Plan Goal #1).

Global Competition and Changing Demographics
Eastern will be home to an increasingly diverse community of students, faculty and staff who are globally aware and globally connected. Eastern will equip its graduates with the skills, knowledge and abilities they need to be productive and successful in an interdependent world.

(G) Enhance efforts promoting campus understanding of student diversity.:
• Continue comprehensive campus dialogues on the many facets of diversity (e.g., race and ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and gender identification, veteran status, students with disabilities, non-traditional students, international students), with a special focus on expanding engaged campus-wide participation in these dialogues.

(G) Strengthen the university’s commitment to diversity and its global impact.
• Expand our use of best practices in diversity programming (e.g., speaker series, visiting distinguished community and business leaders, professional enrichment programs).

Tarble: Continue presenting exhibitions and programs that present diversity in all forms and encourage campus-wide dialogue (see Tarble Strategic Plan Goal #1).

Emerging Technologies
The university will continually explore emerging technologies based on the needs of its students, faculty and academic programs. The university will strive to support its academic and administrative functions with reliable, seamless information technology services.

(G) Make targeted investments in our technology infrastructure.
• Assess the trends in demand for learning technologies and the university’s ability to
respond to the growing demand for ubiquitous learning (any time, anywhere, any
device).

Tarble:  Continue to investigate and adopt new technologies that provide for ubiquitous learning following emerging and best-practices in academic museums, working with CATS, ITS, and other partners in terms of capability and compatibility (see Tarble Strategic Plan Goal #1).

Campus and Community Life
Eastern will be a regional economic development partner and cultural center that recognizes its responsibility to the area’s economic development and enriches the community with academic, artistic and athletic events. Students and the community will benefit from a vibrant campus life with a strong tradition of volunteerism and community service, and faculty will guide students to reflect on how their co-curricular activities connect to their classroom learning.

(G) Enhance participation and community collaboration in campus activities, service and engagement through an effective and streamlined planning process.
• Form a core leadership group to gather information, review current offerings, and
coordinate event scheduling.
• Promote increased sharing and coordination of resources between the campus and
community.
• Develop a marketing plan to enhance and increase participation in campus events and service activities.

Tarble:   Engage with a wider cross-section of people in east-central Illinois through targeted programming and promotion (see Tarble Strategic Plan Goal #2); make the Tarble Arts Center and its programs better known at EIU and in the area (see Tarble Strategic Plan Goal #3); upgrade the Tarble Arts Center’s physical presence to make it more accessible, identifiable and visually appealing (see Tarble Strategic Plan Goal #4).

Financial Sustainability
University resources will be allocated based on strategic priorities established within a structure of shared governance. Stable enrollments, sound business practices and increased philanthropy from alumni and other friends of the university will help ensure financial sustainability.

(G) Increase gifts and endowments, and strategically target the effective use of these funds.
• Begin the stewardship phase of the campaign, and initiate new specialty campaigns to fund strategic initiatives.

Tarble: Continue the successful partnership with EIU Development staff in donor identification, development, and stewardship to encourage support; engage with a wider cross-section of people in east-central Illinois through targeted programming and promotion (Tarble Strategic Plan Goal #2).

Marketing and Communication
The campus and surrounding communities will take pride in the university’s many accomplishments and in the successes of our students, faculty, staff and alumni. Prospective students will increasingly identify Eastern as their first choice.

(G) Effectively communicate who we are.

(G) Develop a structure to enhance communication about marketing and branding.
• Create a marketing action team

(G) Increase communication with alumni, donors, and external audiences

Tarble:  Make the Tarble Arts Center and its programs better known at EIU and in the area (see Tarble Strategic Plan Goal #3);  engage with a wider cross-section of people in east-central Illinois through targeted programming and promotion (Tarble Strategic Plan Goal #2).

In the next two or three years, what best practices, improvements in operations, or other opportunities to advance the university’s mission are likely to be implemented?

As an improvement in operations/best practices, to help achieve the Tarble's strategic goals and advance the university's mission, the Tarble staff is looking at two new opportunities: (1) develop the newly instituted Major Art and Artists Exhibition Program; and, (2) look for more ways in which the Tarble can serve the campus as a learning laboratory (research is currently underway to study the feasibility to expand the Tarble's current meeting room to create a larger and more flexible/accessible community classroom, and transform the existing classroom into an open-access collections learning laboratory through a donation of the funding required).

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand future opportunities for the program.