ABOUT THE TARBLE ARTS CENTER
The Tarble Arts Center is a major cultural arts resource serving east-central Illinois. Its founding purpose is "to take the arts to the people."
Programs
The Tarble presents a year-round schedule of:
- Changing visual arts exhibitions
- Education and outreach programs, with many designed especially for area schools
- Lectures and demonstrations by visiting artists and speakers
- Chamber music concerts and other performing arts
- Special events including poetry or fiction readings by visiting writers
Most programs, including tours and enrichments for public schools, are presented at no charge to encourage participation in and exposure to the arts. The Tarble also offers technical assistance to area and co-sponsors events with community arts organizations and other groups.
The Tarble maintains a one-thousand piece permanent collection, including a 500 piece collection of late 20th century Illinois folk arts and related archival information. Intended as a teaching collection, holdings are concentrated on art from Illinois and the region. Also included are select examples of art from other cultures and historical periods in various media. (See Collections and Archives.)
Mission Statement
The Tarble Arts Center will enter the twenty-first century as an institution recognized for its unique service to the university and the region in encouraging an understanding of, appreciation for and participation in the arts through the presentation of varied, high quality, innovative visual arts programming and publication,s and maintenance of the permanent collection.
It will contribute significantly to Eastern Illinois University’s ability to deliver cultural and educational opportunities to its region, with emphasis on the educational aspects in all presentations, whenever possible entered into cooperatively with entities on and off-campus.
Its permanent collection will preserve visual arts that are representative of the region and beyond to serve as a teaching resource for future generations to study and enjoy. In fulfilling its founding purpose to “take the arts to the people” the Tarble Arts Center will encourage and celebrate creativity, our shared thoughts and emotions as human beings, and the rich diversity of the human experience as manifest through the visual arts and other art forms, as well as demonstrate the importance of the arts in fostering critical inquiry, creative problem-solving, and visual literacy.
A division of the College of Arts & Humanities, Eastern Illinois University, the Tarble serves the people of the region by providing arts activities and related programs. The Tarble is the only facility on Eastern's campus built entirely through donated funds, with the primary gift of one million dollars donated by the late Newton E. Tarble.
Staff
DIRECTOR
Michael Watts
mwatts@eiu.edu
FUNCTIONS COORDINATOR
Shane Rodems
CURATOR OF EDUCATION
Kit Morice
OFFICE Administrator
Sally Bock
General Contact Information
MAILING ADDRESS
Tarble Arts Center
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Ave.
Charleston IL 61920-3099
TELEPHONE
217-581-ARTS (2787)
FAX
217-581-7138