The arts by their very nature engage the public--as audiences, as clients, and, as participants. The public engagement activities that faculty and students take part in contribute to the common good; draw upon their academic and/or professional expertise; and concretely address real-world concerns or interests. They include performances, exhibitions, consultancies, instruction, and applied research, among other things. They result in changed lives, changed cities, and changed perspectives. These changes occur on both sides of the engagement equation-student learning is deepened and broadened and faculty research and teaching are informed by real-world problems. In the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the public is engaged nearly every day in some way, too many ways to mention here. The examples below are meant to be representative of the ways in which this part of our mission is fulfilled.

Faculty and students from several campus units collaborate with each other and East St. Louis neighborhood groups on highly tangible and visible projects that address the immediate and long-term needs of some of the city's most distressed communities. East St. Louis Action Research Project organizes technical and capacity-building assistance for community-based organizations by harnessing the efforts of students, staff, and faculty. In the spirit of true partnership, community residents identify and prioritize tasks to be worked on, as well as the ends towards which campus efforts must be directed. Individuals from the campus learn from community residents, who have intimate and extensive knowledge of their community; in exchange for access to this knowledge, they work on projects that enhance and build community. ESLARP maintains and sustains this relationship regardless of the individuals, on campus and in the community, who might be involved at any given point.

Krannert Art Museum extends its impact beyond the museum walls through programs such as Art-To-Go, a mobile outreach program, that serves children and senior citizens throughout east-central Illinois. The Giertz Education Center in the Museum offers a free loan collection of instructional materials including videos, slide kits, replicas, prints, CDs, books, art games, and kits to local schools.

The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, with its extensive schedule of performances, continually shapes the cultural life of central Illinois. The Center has also created initiatives targeted to specific sectors of the public to develop new appreciation of the arts and to enrich family dynamics through experiencing the arts. The Creative Intersections program--educational and interactive activities that bring artists and audiences together--offers new ways to explore the arts, from the inside out. Classical, Jazz, and Dance Immersion activities range from pre- and post-performance discussions, to workshops and masterclasses, visits to schools and community groups, specially created activities that offer insight into the technological components and creative work of the artists, and free performances.

The School of Music and Department of Theatre take part in annual programs that bring high school students to campus to perform and experience college-level instruction.

The Building Research Council in the School of Architecture creates publications, multi-media presentations, and other products to document and disseminate state-of-the-art information on housing and buildings to the public, industry, government agencies, and others For over 50 years, the Building Research Council (formerly known as the Small Homes Council) has conducted housing research and provided public service to residents, home owners, builders, contractors, engineers, architects, and others in the housing industry. Today the Building Research Council continues to draw on the expertise of its own staff and a campuswide network of experts to improve the state of our built environment.