$23,000 Efroymson Family Fund Grant Connects UE Art Students with Working Artists and Career Experience

Evansville, Ind. (05/19/2026) — The University of Evansville (UE) Department of Art has received a $23,000 grant from the Efroymson Family Fund to connect students with working artists, provide hands-on experience in galleries and collections, and support a recent UE art graduate as they continue developing their creative practice.

The grant continues a partnership that began in 2012, when support from the Efroymson Family Fund helped establish the Efroymson Emerging Contemporary Artist Lecture Series at UE. This year's funding includes $9,000 for the lecture series, $10,000 for the Bridge Year Fellowship, $2,000 for a Marketing Internship, and $2,000 for a Permanent Collections Internship.

Through the lecture series, the Department of Art brings practicing contemporary artists to campus for exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and direct engagement with students. These visits allow students to encounter new ideas, ask questions of artists building active careers, and see how creative work develops beyond the classroom.

"The most valuable learning often happens when students can see the work up close," said Todd A. Matteson '95, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Art. "They meet artists actively building careers, help prepare exhibitions, and see the decisions, details, and discipline that shape creative work long before it reaches the gallery wall."

A significant portion of the grant supports the Bridge Year Fellowship, which gives a recent UE art graduate a transitional year to continue developing their creative practice while remaining connected to the Department of Art. The fellow receives support to continue their creative practice, build professional experience, and assist with studio management, classroom support, exhibitions, and departmental projects. The fellowship is designed to help bridge the space between undergraduate study and the next step in an artist's professional or graduate-level path.

The grant also supports two student internships that strengthen the department's day-to-day work while giving students practical experience. The marketing internship allows a student to help promote exhibitions, programs, and department initiatives, while the Permanent Collections Internship provides experience with the care, documentation, and preparation of UE's permanent art collections.

Together, the programs give UE art students a broader understanding of the creative ecosystem they may enter after graduation. They learn that a life in the arts is shaped not only by making work, but also by collaboration, communication, preservation, public engagement, and the behind-the-scenes labor that allows exhibitions and arts organizations to thrive.

"This partnership has had a lasting impact on our department," Matteson said. "Year after year, it helps us bring new voices to campus and give students experiences that build confidence, skill, and a stronger sense of what is possible in the arts. We are deeply grateful for the Efroymson Family Fund's continued trust in our students and our program."

The Efroymson Family Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, was established in 1998 by Dan and Lori Efroymson. The Fund supports organizations and initiatives in areas including arts and culture, historic preservation, the environment, and community-based efforts in Indiana and beyond.

For more information about the University of Evansville Department of Art, visit evansville.edu/art.