>newground
Ribbon cutting
Mrs. Hatton's second grade class was thrilled. The students from Crestdale Elementary School in Richmond, Indiana, saw their artwork featured in the first exhibition mounted in the new Meijer Artway at Indiana University East.
Funded by a $20,000 gift from Meijer, Inc., the Artway creates a clearly defined entrance for the arts—an exhibition portal that leads to the campus's art gallery, which was built in 2005. In the "Literacy through Photography" exhibition, IU East faculty and students collaborated with Hatton's class, encouraging them to look at the world more closely and express themselves through photography and writing.
Joe Brandenburg, executive director of IU East's University Advancement, said the new Meijer Artway is an outstanding example of how corporations and universities can work together to make cultural opportunities available in the community.
"The Meijer Artway is providing a new venue in which we can celebrate and showcase the artistic talents of residents in the East Central Indiana and West Central Ohio regions. We are grateful for the support of Meijer, Inc. whose generous philanthropic spirit enables us to provide this forum of expression for our art community," Brandenburg said.
On June 13, former IU East Chancellor David Fulton and Sandi Wagenknecht, manager of the Richmond Meijer store, jointly cut the ribbon to open the new Meijer Artway, symbolizing the partnership between the university and the corporation that made the project possible. Wagenknecht said the company shared IU East’s dedication to enriching the lives of its students and those living in the region.
"We are honored to be a part of this wonderful partnership with such a great organization as IU East,” Wagenknecht said. “We try our best to contribute to and enhance children, education, and the arts, and the Meijer Artway does all of that and more. We look forward to the future exhibits and creativity of many talented artists in years to come."
