Ann Arbor Times

Eastern Michigan University celebrated the unveiling of the Windgate Arts Complex on Thursday, Sept. 12, with a dedication ceremony attended by university leaders, faculty, students, donors, and community members.

The 23,000-square-foot complex, made possible by a $3.4 million gift from the Windgate Foundation, will house EMU’s 3D Media Arts programs. The facility includes state-of-the-art studios for ceramics, sculpture, furniture design, and digital fabrication.

During the ceremony, Sandra Murchison, director of the School of Art & Design, and other leaders highlighted the collaboration that brought the project to life.

“I am beyond grateful to the Windgate Foundation for their support and partnership,” Murchison said. “Their generosity has made this vision a reality. The Windgate Arts Complex gives students and faculty a space to collaborate, influence each other, and create contemporary works.”

A special highlight was the bench design challenge sponsored by the EMU GameAbove Board. A panel selected furniture design student Leah Popyk’s winning concept. Under Professor John DeHoog, students built 10 benches now featured throughout the complex.

Chao Sun, president of GameAbove, sits on a bench designed by EMU student Leah Popyk. After the ribbon-cutting, guests toured the building, explored its artistic spaces, and attended a reception in the Chris Kaufman Critique Atrium.

The Windgate Arts Complex represents a significant advancement in EMU’s dedication to the arts. It will provide students with state-of-the-art tools for hands-on learning and creative expression. The complex will also host summer workshops for Washtenaw County residents in partnership with the Riverside Arts Center and offer a summer institute for teachers led by EMU Art Education faculty. The facility is set to become a hub for innovation, attracting those passionate about art and design.

About the Windgate Foundation

The Windgate Foundation was established in 1993 by William Loyd “Hutch” Hutcheson Jr. and Mary Ella “Dede” Dietrich Hutcheson. The foundation is dedicated to strengthening advanced contemporary arts as well as visual arts education by providing grants and resources for these programs. They are based in Little Rock, Arkansas, and focus on helping the arts in the U.S., as well as helping communities in Arkansas involved with health and education.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 13,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors are delivered through its Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school.

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