The Clara Hatton Gallery, located in the Visual Arts Building, temporarily closes on June 11, 2008 for use as a staging space to pack Colorado State University's collection of 3000 objects in preparation for their move to and the opening of the new University Art Museum in the University Center for the Arts.
Take a virtual tour of the new museum
The Department of Art is on the cusp of moving our exhibition program to a new level. A new art museum will open in the 2008-2009 academic year that will allow the University to serve as a focal point of excellence in the Northern Colorado region for the research, exhibition, and appreciation of works of art from diverse times, peoples and places.
The current exhibition programs of the Hatton Gallery and the University's permanent collection of artworks will move to the University Center for the Arts, a multi-disciplinary complex shared with the performing arts. The state-of-the-art museum, in keeping with standards of the American Association of Museums, will feature four discreet galleries, designed for the display of the permanent collection, as well as traveling and temporary exhibitions of important art historical and contemporary art. Additional climate controlled storage space will house the remainder of the collection and provide teaching and research facilities for hands-on study of the visual arts. The new museum will be easily accessible to both campus and community members and will give Fort Collins its first collecting art museum.
Since the 1970s the department has been the beneficiary of gifts of works of art from a number of donors. However, in recent years the collection has grown, both in quantity and quality. Furthermore, a number of collectors, impressed by the exhibition and curatorial research activities at Colorado State, have expressed their desire to gift important parts of their collections in the future. The collection is unique for the region, with three focus areas dedicated to African art, Japanese prints, and 20th century works on paper. The collection continues to grow to represent other non-western cultural traditions including Inuit, Australian, Melanesian and Polynesian art. Formed primarily through the donations of Colorado State University faculty and alumni, the collection reflects the long and distinguished history of involvement in international development, outreach, and research that is part of the past and current mission of the university.
While funding for the building is in place, the Department of Art does not have the funds to offset the increased expenses that will accompany the initial move, installation and operation of the facility. Funding opportunities are available for the naming of the museum and for all four discreet galleries. Funding generated from the naming rights will be used to offset increased expenses that will accompany operating the facility. For more information about giving opportunities, contact the Development Office in the College of Liberal Arts at (970) 491-5421.
See the Schedule of Grand Opening Events for Fall 2008 - Spring 2009