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a far better world starts today

University Arts and Collections embodies the bold spirit of how MSU was founded—driven to make a difference and fueled by people like you. 

 

 

The Arts Inspire Us to Dream Big. Our Uncommon Will Makes Those Dreams Possible.

 

From its founding, Michigan State University has had a transformational impact on higher education in the United States. Dubbed “an experiment” by the university’s first president, MSU was a leader in democratizing education and advancing knowledge through an uncommon will to make a difference. And from the very beginning, arts and collections were an integral part of this story. To put it simply, we have always been bold and we have always been for everyone. 

 

Each and every day since, arts and collections at MSU have contributed to this way of thinking about what more a university can be. The MSU Museum has always been a fixture on this campus, established the year classes first began at the “Agricultural College of the State of Michigan.” A botanical garden was quick to follow when the first species were planted by William J. Beal in 1873 for the purpose of hands-on learning. In 1982, a world-class performing arts center for campus was a dream realized by the visionary former MSU President Dr. Clifton R. Wharton Jr. and his wife, Dolores Wharton, who recognized that any university worthy of being called great needed a rich foundation in the arts. And in 2012, a new art museum opened its doors with exhibitions that defy expectations and architecture that defies gravity thanks to the generosity of MSU alumnus Eli Broad, his wife Edythe, and the grassroots fundraising efforts of so many others. 

 

University Arts and Collections today brings these four anchor institutions together to advance the kind of learning and discovery that characterizes a world-leading, proudly public research university. These critical spaces on our campus foster thriving, resilient communities.

 

850+

Visitors come from over 850 Michigan zip codes each year to visit University Arts and Collections spaces.

 

Discover Our Campaign for a Far Better World

With an ambitious combined campaign goal of $115 million, we need your help to get us there. Learn more about how support for University Arts and Collections can help activate the talent of every Spartan—regardless of major, shape the Michigan's next chapter by investing our children, unite the brightest minds through innovative ideas, and build the future we imagine for our university and for our state together.

Empowering MSU Students to Design Their Futures

University Arts and Collections support the whole student—in and out of the classroom. By providing experiences that promote their professional growth and individual wellbeing, we are equipping students with the creative skills necessary to succeed. And by ensuring these experiences are accessible for all students, regardless of major and background, we’re closing critical opportunity gaps for Spartans here at MSU and in the next chapters of their lives. 

 

Impact today 

Around 400 students each year, representing nearly 100 majors, work in paid internships in the Beal Botanical Garden, MSU Broad Art Museum, MSU Museum and Wharton Center. In these internships, students develop future-ready skills by collaborating to design innovative programs and technologies, connecting with diverse audiences and networks, and stretching their creativity. And because students’ social and emotional wellbeing is equally important, our units are fostering a sense of belonging for Spartans through accessible, relevant programming.

 

Together, Spartans Will:
  • Expand paid student internships by growing the capacity of our units and further removing barriers to these opportunities 
  • Activate campus with mindfulness and wellbeing activities to ensure all Spartans experience the positive health impacts of engaging with nature and the arts

 

 

 

Investing in the Next Generation Through the Arts

Arts integration improves students’ subject learning and empathy, curiosity, and creative problem solving. But even as these skills become critical for the jobs of the future, funding for arts education is declining. Through partnerships with 117 school districts across Michigan, MSU grows talent, drives discovery, and creates flourishing communities.

 

Impact today 

Over 40,000 K-12 students each year engage in arts intensive programs through our units. Our next generation programs also build capacity for Michigan educators of all subjects and grade levels by teaching them to integrate the arts into state curriculum, impacting every class that an educator will work with throughout their career. And by participating in these programs, teachers build networks with one another that uplift the state of education across Michigan.

 

Together, Spartans Will:
  • Grow arts integration programs so that more of Michigan’s educators can build their capacity for high-quality teaching in core subjects 
  • Expand arts access programs, removing financial and logistical barriers to high-quality arts-related activities 
  • Sustain youth career and professional development programs, ensuring Michigan’s K-12 students can grow their talents and career networks

Driving Innovation, Research, and Creative Production

University arts and collections drive innovation, research, and creative production across disciplines. Nested in a world leading research institution, we connect with MSU areas of excellence to generate new knowledge and broaden impact. We fearlessly experiment with new practices that drive meaningful movement in our fields.

 
Impact today 

Thanks to our uncommon will to make our world a far better place, we have piloted bold interdisciplinary projects that change the ways that researchers and creatives understand their work, blurring boundaries between fields and generating new questions. These projects include new artist-in-residence programs, groundbreaking artist commissions, and novel creative research and technology integrations that are uniquely Spartan.

 

Together, Spartans Will:
  • Grow programs at the intersection of arts and sciences for artists, researchers, and students 
  • Help incubate creative solutions to the most pressing challenges in our fields 
  • Ensure that MSU is a recognized destination for premiere performances and exhibitions

 

Expanding Vital Infrastructure

University arts and collections are vital infrastructure to our campus and anchor institutions for our region. Our spaces are gateways to campus and spaces of “firsts” for those living in the region—first museum and botanical garden visits, first live performances, and more. Together, we foster a lasting connection with the university and set the standard for what campus visitors expect from their experiences going forward.

 
Impact today 

We co-create with the communities we serve, resulting in programming that is relevant, inclusive, and unique to this university. We are accessible intellectual and cultural centers for MSU, providing exceptional experiences that are a source of pride in our region. We’re not only supporting a thriving campus—we're helping to create a stronger, more vibrant Michigan.

 

Together, Spartans Will:
  • Ensure the historic heart of campus is embraced as an interconnected corridor of arts and culture
  • Take advantage of unrealized possibilities with existing university arts and collections infrastructure 
  • Grow and adapt our spaces to better serve our campus and community today, and generations of future Spartans