After years of planning and constructing, the Doudna Fine Arts Center will be rededicated this weekend with a series of events.

Doudna is Eastern’s newest architectural landmark, designed by Antoine Predock. It opened this past semester.

The kick-off to the rededication ceremony will be the Ruth Duckworth Sculpture dedication at 11 a.m. today. Duckworth, a Chicago artist, will reveal Attendant Spirit, a large bronze sculpture on the north side of Doudna.

The reason this ceremony is taking place is to formally return the building back to Eastern.

Michael Watts, assistant dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, said this formally marks the momentous occasion of reopening this landmark building and officially return the building to Eastern from control by the State of Illinois Capital Development Board.

Scheduled to speak at the rededication ceremony at 2 p.m. is Predock, Duckworth and President Bill Perry.

The committee has planned this celebration for more than a year and is excited for the events to begin.

In order to make these events happen, each department was asked to nominate artists or develop programs for the rededication weekend.

Watts said, in addition to artist’s selection and scheduling there has been, all of the required logistical issues of facilities, equipment and the staff to operate were promotional marketing and social activities.

“Plus, the general coordination of all of these activities while working around other activities in the newly reopened fine arts center including some aspects for the building needing to be finished, adjusted, plus learning the new performance spaces and the related equipment such as light and sound,” Watts said.

This is not the first ceremony Doudna has had. There have been other activities to celebrate the reopening such as the first play, the first concert in the recital hall and first symposium in the Lecture Hall.

However, Watts explained the rededication is the formal ceremony and program to mark reopening of Doudna after its $60 million expansion and renovation.

John T. Oertling, chair of the theatre department, said Doudna has been away for six years and this ceremony is an opportunity for Eastern to welcome back the fine art center to campus.

“Some people say the library is the heart of the campus, well to me the art center should be the soul of the campus,” Oertling said. “It’s not just for the three departments, it’s for the campus and the community.”

During this weekend, the theatre department will welcome The Second City group and other outside groups to perform on Saturday.

“My goal is to have groups to have the opportunity to work with my students in workshops and for the community to get involved, and the public performance,” Oertling said.

Oertling believes it is because of Doudna that groups like The Second City can come and work with the students giving them tremendous opportunities.

For Oertling, there has been much anticipation for this weekend and he is glad to work in Doudna.

“This is the end of a long process, but the beginning to a new focus and era in terms of fine arts at Eastern,” Oertling said. “This will bring attention nationally and internationally. and will provide us with tremendous opportunities.”

Another event taking place today is a concert. The music department is hosting a performance from Mavis Staples, at 7:30 tonight.

Students will be in Doudna at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday for open house tours.

Future planning for Doudna in the next year has already begun by the art, music and theatre arts departments.

A new series to come to Doudna is The New and Emerging Artists Series. It is a new program developed with the reopening of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

“It is intended as a way to expand the arts offerings available to the campus and the general community by specifically looking for up-and-coming artists, and for art forms or art approaches that are new as offerings at EIU,” Watts said.

Watts added there is also the intent to engage people from and aspects of other disciplines to show how the arts and creativity are related to all aspects of human activity.

This is a two-year outdoor exhibition for graduate and postgraduate students. Current featured works are done by Matt Searle, Cary Netherton, Luke Greco and Luke Achterberg.

Other programming includes performances from the theatre department.

Four performances will be directed by faculty and two by students.

A make-up artist is also scheduled to visit and have a workshop.

Also, Nov. 4 through the 6, the 2008 Embarras Valley Film Festival will take place in Doudna.

Brittni Garcia can be reached at 581-7942 or at bgarcia@eiu.edu.