“It’s really important that undergraduates see the museum as a place not just for learning, but for leisure, their well-being,” said museum director Jon Seydl. “One of the top reasons people go to art museums is because they need to chill out, they need to unplug, they need to relax and relieve some stress. We do a really good job of reaching out to students in connection with coursework, but the student experience at Illinois is more than that. So, while we think of KAM as a lab, we’re also a sanctuary.”
The museum kicks off the new school year with KAM Fest on Aug. 30. Falling at the end of the U. of I. welcome week, the event will draw new and returning students, said Anne Sautman, the museum’s director of education. KAM Fest is free and open to the public.
“We want students to start out seeing (the museum) as a place to have fun and see art, and to have it on their radar for the rest of the year,” Sautman said.
Students will be able to see new art exhibitions, hear live music from local bands, eat free tacos from Maize and get a free t-shirt or tote bag at a screen-printing station run by students in the Noble Print Club. KAM Fest also will include the first Student Art Pop-Up exhibition, a one-night showcase of artwork by U. of I. students.
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Starting this year, students also will have more internship and volunteer opportunities at KAM. The museum has formalized its curatorial internship program, opening up the opportunity to work with curators on research and exhibitions, Seydl said. Students and curators will collaborate on in-depth projects that relate to their interests and the museum’s work, and students will get course credit through their academic departments.
Read the full article: University of Illinois News Bureau
