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Lance Harris wants to triple the gallery space at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum on campus.

The museum’s interim director has some devoted art lovers who are ready to help him get that project and others accomplished.

The Hilliard Museum Society was recently incorporated as a private nonprofit organization. A small group of founding members is already in place; it’s composed of museum philanthropists and patrons of the arts.

“The role of the Hilliard Society will be to provide direct support to the museum and to help forward the vision of the museum, whether it’s by creating educational programs, purchasing artwork or hosting fundraisers and preview parties,” Harris said.

The Hilliard Society is named in honor of Paul and Lulu Hilliard, who made a lead gift in 2001 for the museum’s construction.

Three officers will lead the Society. Joel Gooch is its president. He’s a retired attorney who practiced with the firm of Allen & Gooch; he’s also a past president of the �鶹������ý Lafayette Foundation. Jeannie Kreamer, an artist and retired �鶹������ý Lafayette faculty member, is vice president. Jenny Cole, an avid art museum supporter and community volunteer, serves as secretary and treasurer.

Museum objectives include completing the accreditation process with the American Alliance of Museums; expanding cooperative programming with University students and faculty; strengthening programs and educational opportunities for area K-12 students; and building relationships with museum supporters, donors and volunteers.

The �鶹������ý Lafayette Foundation will manage the fundraising group.

Julie Falgout, chief executive officer of the Foundation, said several generous individuals have stepped forward to help establish the Society.

“Members will provide a sustained and essential source of support, and will help ensure that the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum remains a social and cultural center of campus,” she said.

Hilliard Society members will help steer growth and development by serving on committees for:

• membership;
• finance and strategic planning;
• marketing special events/fundraisers;
• education;
• planned giving/endowments; and
• art collection.

“It’s wonderful to have this sort of support because the museum is a valuable gem in the heart of Lafayette. It’s a fabulous reflection of the sort of scholarship that happens on this campus,” Falgout said.

“Some of the really neat things we have planned for the Society include a major social event, probably a concert on the lawn, the wine and food festival, a display of senior projects and a new lecture series.”

University Art Museum has 11,000 square feet of gallery space for its permanent collection of 18th- through 21st-century European, Asian and American art and changing exhibitions of regional, national and international art.

The museum is only one component of a larger complex that includes the museum’s original home, a stately, plantation-style building designed by �鶹������ý architect A. Hays Town.

The two buildings are linked by a plaza of Italian limestone.