Jason Koski/University Photography

Milton Curry, director of Cornell Council for the Arts, (CCA), with Pamela Lafayette, CCA's program coordinator, in the council's office on Thurston Avenue. Copyright © Cornell University

An Institute for the Arts at Cornell University? That's what is in the works, according to Milton Curry, director of the Cornell Council for the Arts (CCA).

Meanwhile, the CCA continues to advance its mission of advocating for collaborative and experimental art through grants and awards to students, faculty and staff.

And that mission is growing. In fall 2005, the CCA launched CornellPublic, a series of initiatives in public art and creative works that take the program on the road. On Feb. 28, fine art designer Josh Owen, B.A. '93, B.F.A. '94, will present a master class for 10 Cornell undergraduates currently designing works for exhibit at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City in May. Owen also will give a lecture, "Between Art and Design," Feb. 28 at 4:30 p.m. in the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art. The talk is free and open to the public.

"This is the first time in the history of Cornell that we will take undergrads to participate in that kind of international event," said Curry, an associate professor of architecture. "And it's great to have Josh leading a master class -- not only is he a designer of witty and highly functional works -- he was one of CCA's emerging artists when he was a student here."

The project is part of "Objects in Space," a new course taught by Roberto Bertoia, associate professor of art, and Andrea Simitch, associate professor of architecture, with Curry assisting.

In September 2006, CCA CornellPublic will sponsor guest artist-in-residence Patrick Dougherty, who will work with undergraduates on a public art installation in Ithaca's Collegetown. In November 2005, Dougherty lectured to a standing-room-only audience in the Herbert F. Johnson Museum and led a master class with students who will help with the upcoming installation.

The council is composed of 12 university departments and units affiliated with the arts at Cornell, with Curry and Pamela Lafayette, CCA program coordinator, on the frontlines.

One of the council's primary tasks is to offer award programs, such as the Alumni Artist Awards, whose recipients include Lorrie Moore, B.F.A. '82, Richard Artschwager, B.S. '48, and Peter Eisenman, B.Arch. '55.

CCA also offers undergraduate artist awards to students of exceptional talent and the Edward M. Murray Committee on the Arts Scholarship. In addition, the council holds a juried show of works by innovative new artists who have received CCA grants while at Cornell.

Curry and Lafayette see the role of the arts at Cornell as distinct from the humanities and one that will require its own venue -- hence the arts institute. "Our vision certainly fits in with what [Cornell] President [-designate David] Skorton has said in regard to the arts and humanities as being at the core of the university," said Curry. "What we'd like to do is bring Cornell up to the level of peer institutions that are making the fine arts central to their mission. We want the arts to be a major part of the future of this university and not a marginal element."

Toward that end Curry envisions an "off-campus exhibition and performance venue -- an institute -- where we can foster a high level of engagement -- really create a draw for major artists to come to this area, a place where the spirit of the culture is embedded in the public and is not strictly an academic enterprise."

Curry's ambitions for the CCA are actually the continuation of a long-held vision. In 1990, a Task Force on Support for Cultural Activities at Cornell presented a two-year study that included a request for a "Center for the Arts." The request was repeated again in 1997 and 1998 by chairs and directors of arts departments and programs. Despite continued discussion, the goal of a center or institute for the arts remained elusive. However, the CCA's mission expanded to include themed grants, director's forums and increased faculty grants.

"What we need are attractors -- a real exhibition space with an exhibition schedule that puts us on par with large cities," said Curry. "We're only four hours from New York City and Toronto -- we can bring major players to this place. We just need the support to make that happen."