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The destination for arts education in Northern California

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New art building

Are you ready to open the doors to equitable arts education?

By bringing students and faculty — many nationally known scholars and artists — together in an advanced artistic environment, Sacramento State will soon become Northern California's destination for arts education. It’s about providing a safe and modern space for students to develop diverse, intercultural competencies and become critical and creative thinkers engaging communities with their work.

Support Arts Education at Sac State

There are many ways to support arts education at Sac State — contact Director of Development Tami Dawley to learn how you can help.

Get your commemorative brick

Celebrate the opening of Sac State’s new art building by engraving your name in Sac State's history with a brick in front of the new Sac State Sculpture Garden (part of the new building space) or at the building entrance.

We’re seeking 1,000 people from across the community (and alums from around the country!) to make a gift to secure a brick to help support scholarships, the sculpture garden, and equipment needs.

Brick options start with a $100 gift. Engrave your name, honor someone special, or get together with others to commemorate your department or graduating class!

(After clicking "Order your brick," note what you want engraved in the gift instructions section toward the bottom of that page.)

Art Department Chair Rachel Clarke holding brick that reads, "Put your name on arts education"
Order your brick

How your gift helps

With the new building comes tremendous need. The extent to which students can pursue their creative abilities and make an impact is reliant upon the tools we can provide them now.

That is where you come in. Your gifts provide the following:

  • Graduate scholarships for our MFA students — Our Master of Fine Arts program began in 2020 and has already doubled in size. An interdisciplinary program in studio art, it emphasizes the individual artist, holistically preparing them for a professional career. New graduate studios are available in the new building.
  • Undergraduate BFA scholarships — Our Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art began in 2017 and provides the foundation for the MFA program and a successful career. Instructional and independent study spaces in painting, drawing, and sculpture are available in the new building.
  • Equipment and machinery — Equipment needs in the new art building are ongoing. With your support, we can purchase and maintain the equipment and machinery used in the creation of student artwork. In sculpture lab workshops, students learn how to use tools and operate machinery and equipment safely and how to apply those skills.
  • Sculpture garden — An exciting feature of the new building is the sculpture garden, which displays artworks by students and professional artists for exhibitions. This project needs support for curator fees, shipping, materials, and presentation costs.

"[Arts education at Sac State], for me, is a place that makes you feel like a professional: you paint like a professional, you act like a professional, you talk like a professional, you dream like a professional."

Brenda Louie, MA '91 (Art), Faculty in Drawing and Painting (1996-2018)

About the building

Approved by the California State University Chancellor’s Office, HGA Architects designed the 20,377 square-foot facility with input from the Art department. Sacramento-based Otto Construction constructed the building. 

The new art building provides students with an advanced artistic environment featuring:  

  • A 3D technology lab
  • Drawing and painting labs
  • Graduate studios
  • A lobby common area doubles as a gallery
  • Metal shop
  • Outdoor space for ceramics kilns
  • Outdoor sculpture garden
  • Plaster shop
  • Sculpture studio
  • Spray room
  • Storage space
  • Wax room
  • Wood assembly
  • Working courtyard as a gallery space

The building meets LEED Silver standards, providing a healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green building.

Rendering of the southwest exterior of the new art building
Rendering of the western approach to the new art building
Rendering of an aerial view of the new art building

Hear from the Dean and students

Ways to give

Put your name on creative excellence

Several naming opportunities are available for you to leave a lasting and literal mark on art history in Sacramento, allowing us to purchase the necessary equipment for student success.

View naming opportunities

Start a recurring gift

You can support the new art building with a recurring donaton at the frequency and gift amount of your choice. Choose "I would like to make this a perpetual gift" after clicking on the link below.

Set up your recurring gift

Contact us

Reach out to Director of Development Tami Dawley today to support equitable arts education at Sac State.