The Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) recently gave the Wharton Center $2.5 million for the new Institute of Arts & Creativity.
The new MSUFCU Institute for Arts & Creativity at the Wharton Center will offer educational courses and coordinate existing education programs, including the Act One School and Family Series; Jazz Kats—Jazz for Kids; and the Young Playwrights 
Festival. The programs integrate the performing arts into K-12 curriculum of more than 30,000 children each year.
“The concept of the new institute is more than a four-wall classroom,” said Mike Brand, the Wharton Center’s executive director. “In addition to our stages and public spaces, classrooms throughout campus and around the state will be utilized for institute programs. State-of-the-art technology will also allow us to broadcast our programs into classrooms throughout the state.”
The institute will be housed in a portion of the Wharton Center’s $18.5 million expansion. The 24,000-square-foot expansion will include an expanded lobby and box office, additional restrooms, two multi-purpose spaces for the Institute for Arts & Creativity and consolidated offices.
The Wharton Center is in the middle of an $11 million capital campaign. So far, organizers have raised $6.5 million. The expansion should be complete by May 2009.
Source: Bob Hoffman, Wharton Center
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
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