Written by Tucker Smith
Newly appointed Director of the Fine Arts Center (FAC), Rebecca Tucker, joined the Colorado College Art Department in 2003 and has been bolstering CC’s art program since. She was one of the founders of the IDEA space at CC, a program that seeks to integrate the visual arts in campus and community life. Tucker was a part of Cornerstone’s development and the director of the Crown Faculty Center. Now she begins her biggest project yet: overseeing the merge between CC and the FAC.
Tucker has big ideas for the FAC’s future, but is adamant that CC’s assuming of FAC’s management responsibilities is not a takeover. She described this year as “transitional and involving lots of strategic planning.” In addition to her directorial position, Tucker is a member of the museum’s Strategic Planning Committee, which is dedicated to creating a smooth transition for the museum.
Tucker’s top priority is helping the museum grow over the next few years and achieving the committee’s goals. In a broad sense, Tucker described their goals as being able to “see more people in the museum and thinking about diversity and inclusion within the museum.” In service of these ideas, the committee plans to outfit classrooms and a coffee shop in order to create greater lifestyle usage of the museum. Additionally, expanding the museum will broaden its community outreach and increase foot traffic from all walks of life.
Tucker hopes these goals will help the FAC achieve the museum’s mission. “I look forward to creating more interactive elements that exemplify our mission: to serve the community and provide enriching, educational, and enjoyable opportunities,” she said. Tucker’s 14 years as a full-time professor at CC will certainly aid her on this journey.
Tucker will continue to teach alongside her directorial duties and hopes that the merge between CC and the FAC will enhance CC’s curriculum. “Visual arts are a powerful tool to be used across disciplines,” Tucker said. “We hope the museum will be used to a greater extent than it has been in past CC classrooms, to discuss and interact with pertinent issues.”
Tucker envisions the FAC enriching the Colorado Springs community in addition to CC. The FAC has one of the finest collections of Southwestern art, dating back to first contact, which Tucker looks forward to reinstalling. “We have an obligation to our history to show the works and create dialogue about the culture we live in,” she said. Furthermore, the FAC has one of the largest nonprofit groups in the country, which helps these ideas become a reality.
Undoubtedly, the FAC is heading in an exciting direction under Tucker’s guidance. “There are different models of what a museum should be; sometimes it’s a vault or a temple; but more and more museums are operating along the lines of a coffee shop,” said Tucker. “The FAC was originally set up as a three-part institution: a museum, a place for the performing arts, and an art school. We want to fully integrate all three parts into a place where the community is making, thinking, and doing art.” Rebecca Tucker is opening doors and creating more opportunities for students and families to engage in the art community and beyond.