Green Hall’s Collaborative Space Converted To Art Gallery After Art Collection Donation

The School of Communication & the Arts is moving the university’s art gallery into the middle of the SCA, an area formerly known to students as the collaborative space. The gallery was previously housed a few hallways away in Green Hall.

The renovation is the result of a gift from Barbara Engstrom’s estate. The new museum will have a gallery that will showcase pieces from Liberty’s permanent collection. 

This gallery will be named in Engstrom’s honor and include her donation of her own art and several other pieces that she had collected from her travels. According to a Liberty News article, Engstrom left a “detailed layout and specifications for the museum.”   

Dean Scott Hayes of the SCA said that the Engstroms had heard of Liberty’s art gallery. As Christians, they wanted any donation from their estate to be at a place that glorified Christ and made him known. No museum would abide by their wishes – until they contacted Liberty.

Their donation greatly increases the amount of work that will be on display in the museum, as well as the size of the museum itself. “The Engstroms love Liberty and our students. They knew this generous funding that they could give from their estate could basically triple the size of the old art gallery,” Hayes said. 

The amount of space available for student work will also increase. “We’ll now have four times what the size of our original gallery was,” Hayes said. “Two separate spaces, each of them doubles the space of what we’ve ever had before. We have twice as much ability to be able to show (student work) off, greatly adding value to our students.” 

The change in the arrangement of the collaborative space, which many students used as a place to study, hang out and eat together, may have come as a surprise to students. 

Under Engstrom’s estate, the art was not legally Liberty’s until she passed. Therefore, announcing the renovation early was not the best move, Hayes said, because circumstances and situations can always change.

The large, open area was always intended for future SCA growth.  When two departments that make up part of SCA moved to Green Hall from DeMoss in 2016 and 2017, the plans for the move followed the principle of a one-to-one ratio, Hayes said, meaning that all spaces had to be kept the same size as they were when they were in DeMoss and the other areas. After all had been considered, the school was left with a large, unused area in the middle. The University decided to add tables and chairs to make the space into a place where students could study or work, but they knew that plan would not last forever as the school grew. 

“It was always designed to be a space that would eventually be used as the school grew,” Hayes said. “I think this is the perfect space to honor the Engstroms and utilize the space well for our students.” 

The SCA is planning to host events, such as hospitality events at College for a Weekend, in the future gallery. Students will still be able to access the space when the gallery is open. 

Some students greeted the change with uncertainty and confusion as one of their most popular spaces was taken. Senior Abby Nolan, a graphic design major, is unsure of her feelings. 

“I’m not sure how I feel about it,” Nolan said. “I guess, I’m grateful it’s not being turned into something that doesn’t even relate to the arts, but also they’re taking away our only open space. It wasn’t the prettiest space, but it was nice to have some breathing room.” 

Construction started the last week of February. The furniture that was in the previous space has been relocated through SCA, and Hayes is pleased to see the utilization. “I see our furniture being used much more regularly now that students can find places to study and collaborate throughout our school. It’s wonderful to walk the halls and see SCA students working in and outside of their dedicated classrooms.” 

The museum will most likely be finished in the summer, Hayes said, if all goes according to plan. Once finished, the museum will be wrapped in floor to ceiling window panels and feature movable partial walls that will divide the space into different segments.

smith is the feature editor. Follow her on Twitter