The “Porch Project: Tarble Tables” sculpture will serve as the platform for laughter, deliberation and competition during Tarble Table Trivia at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

About five students can surround each table on all five levels of the sculpture.

Each will answer questions about global and U.S. history, pop culture, art and Eastern’s history.

Monica Scott, the Tarble art Center’s education consultant, said she got her inspiration for the trivia questions just by walking around, Googling and recalling facts she grew up knowing.

She said she did not exclude Eastern facts when deciding on the questions.

“You can’t have trivia without including the university, so I want to see what students know about Eastern,” Scott said.

Students needed to have registered by Monday to be in a group of five.

Individuals interested in participating do not have to register beforehand.

“It’s a great way to meet people by being put in a team on the spot,” Scott said.

Scott said every group will have to answer the same question; then, they will have to discuss their answer.

The time for each question ranges from 30 seconds to a minute. Members will need to write down the answer and display it when the time runs out. The amount of points differ based on the question and will be given for every correct response.

Each member of the team that earns the most points will receive their own separate prizes, Scott said.

If the weather is unbearable then the trivia will be moved inside to the Tarble Arts Center’s atrium.

Scott said seeing people enjoy themselves on the porches will break the stigma that students have about being cautious and distant from the Tarble Tables.

The sculpture is supposed to encourage interaction, she said.

“Tarble is trying hard to get students to see the space as a place where people can get involved in,” Scott said. “That’s why we want to have it outside; because the people will activate the space and let people know we have something going on over here.”

According to the Tarble Arts Center homepage, the artist Heather Hart created pentagon porches, inspired by Robin Dunbar’s Number theory that suggests it takes five people to have a constructive conversation.

The sculpture was constructed in the fall and will be on campus until Spring 2018.

Scott said the sculpture is a tribute to porches, a common space where people have spent years sitting, talking and reflecting.

“That’s the reputation art gets, step away from the object, but that’s what is different because it’s something we use in our everyday lives,” Scott said. “Sometimes it’s OK to touch and it’s OK to interact.”

This is the first year Tarble is hosting trivia, but if the activity is received well by the students then the center will consider continuing the program, Scott said.

Kalyn Hayslett can be reached at 581-2812 or kehayslett@eiu.edu.