Purdue University Receives Multi-Year Lilly Endowment Grant to Expand Art Experiences
Purdue University has received a multi-year grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to strengthen the university's capacity to steward and share its visual arts collections, expand student learning opportunities and enhance public engagement. The $500,000 grant will support Purdue Galleries in the College of Liberal Arts and recognizes the essential role the arts play in education, cultural preservation and community engagement.
The grant is one of 12 invitational grants that Lilly Endowment is making to help Indiana art museums strengthen and enhance their ability to contribute to cultural vibrancy in their communities and regions.
"We are grateful for Lilly Endowment's continued partnership and investment in Purdue. As the College of Liberal Arts continues to expand its impact, this support ensures Purdue Galleries remain a vibrant cultural and intellectual resource for our students and the broader community," said Patrick Wolfe, provost and systemwide chief academic officer.
The grant will support critical institutional improvements at Purdue Galleries that enhance collections care, create expanded opportunities for student learning and professional development, and strengthen the university's ability to preserve, interpret and share works of art for generations to come. The initiative will also position Purdue to broaden its impact as a center for arts, culture and community engagement while ensuring students gain meaningful, hands-on museum and curatorial experiences.
The funding represents a significant investment in Purdue's future as a destination for arts education, research and public engagement, and it underscores the importance of a gallery as a place where students, scholars and the public engage with art, ideas and history.
As Purdue's primary visual arts and museum resource, Purdue Galleries connects teaching, research and public engagement through exhibitions, collections, internships and academic programs. "True to our land-grant mission, Purdue is committed to serving the people of Indiana, and that includes making the experience of visual art available to all Hoosiers" said Christopher Yeomans, Justin S. Morrill dean of the College of Liberal Arts. "We are grateful for Lilly Endowment's continued support to enrich education, culture and civic life, and for the recognition of Purdue’s role in the arts community."
Purdue Galleries encompasses three physical galleries on the West Lafayette campus that are open to the public and a permanent collection of more than 4,500 artworks. Throughout the academic year, Purdue Galleries presents more than 20 free exhibitions to an average annual audience of 35,000 visitors. The Purdue Galleries permanent collection is accessible online at purdue.edu/galleries/collections.