In the midst of a recession, the University’s arts program has not seen many cutbacks, despite the delay in construction of the Bellarmine Museum, which will now open next fall.
The upcoming museum will be located in Bellarmine Hall and will include items on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the University’s collection of Italian Baroque and Renaissance art.
The museum was originally planned to open this fall, but several factors contributed to its delayed opening according to Jill Deupi, the director of the Bellarmine Museum and an assistant professor of art history. After the economy worsened, “the museum team carefully re-evaluated everything from construction costs to programming for the completed museum,” said Deupi.
The Bellarmine Museum is part of an initiative at Fairfield to enhance the teaching of art history and the humanities.
On top of the financial situation, the original director of the museum, Dr. Jesus Escobar, left the University for a position at Northwestern. Despite these difficulties, Fairfield did not waiver from its plans and appointed Deupi as director.
The museum will not only offer visual art, but also seminars and workshops to enhance the visitors’ experience. “This [museum] is something for which there is no substitute,” said Deupi.
“I’m excited to have our own art museum next year. Now we won’t have to take field trips to the city to see famous paintings,’ said Larry Cornelia ’12.
While the total operating budget of the University has been cut by about 10 percent, with the cuts being spread among departments, there has not been any additional money cut from the arts program, according to Robbin Crabtree, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
One reason is the administration’s support for art programs, from University President Fr. Jeffrey von Arx , down. Crabtree said that his support of the arts and the University’s promotion of its programs have given exposure to how vital the arts are.
Crabtree also said that Fairfield has a committee on arts, culture and community engagement to be sure that the Quick Center events and others on campus are accessible to the larger community and promoted well, so that everyone is aware of the high quality arts and cultural programming it offers.
Also, Fairfield recently received a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and must match the grant four to one, making the total endowment $2.5 million.
Sara Hoegen ‘12, an art history major at Fairfield, is among those pleased with the continued support for the arts that Fairfield displays.
“The arts expose students to different ways of seeing, listening and perceiving,” said Hoegen. “Without these skills, I believe students will lack the necessary creativity to place themselves above the ordinary in a competitive job market.”
The core requirements at Fairfield require that students take two semesters of visual and performing arts. Michael Guarnieri ’84, a member of the advisory council to the University’s Board of Trustees, thinks that this requirement contributes to a student’s education.
“The arts are part of what makes a ‘complete’ person,” Guarnieri said. “Good art should make you think, talk,and feel. By doing those things, you add to your educational experience.”
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