Hands-On Learning
At SIUE, our students have access to the extensive collection of cultural objects housed in the University Museum and installed around campus. This allows for the firsthand study of original works of art, as does SIUE's location in the St. Louis metropolitan area. St. Louis is home to many museums and cultural institutions, including the Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM), Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM), Laumeier Sculpture Park, Cahokia Mounds and many others. SIUE students also participate in AIGA student events and have earned internships at the St. Louis Science Center and Missouri Botanical Gardens.
Students in the art and design program at SIUE have the opportunity for their work to be on display in the SIUE Art and Design West Gallery, which is a newly constructed, 3,600-square-foot exhibition space. The Gallery hosts approximately 10 exhibitions each year, featuring national artists, as well as SIUE students and faculty members. Our students have also been regularly represented in exhibitions at the student gallery at the Edwardsville Art Center.
Our students have the opportunity to participate in the annual Sculpture on Campus event, which gives 12 students the opportunity to design and install large-scale outdoor sculptures throughout campus. Students whose designs are chosen receive a stipend and the professional benefits of proposing, designing and installing major sculptural works that are on view for a full year. Each year, guest jurors award student prizes at the Sculpture on Campus reception after the campus-wide Sculpture Walk.
To enhance the academic program at SIUE, the Department of Art and Design has robust Exhibition and Visiting Artist Programs. These programs provide an opportunity for both art majors and non-majors to become acquainted with well-known artists and artwork brought to the University, as well as allowing for exhibition opportunities for students and faculty.
