The arts are dying, but we can save them, said Alicia Schatteman, assistant professor in the Division of Public Administration.

Schattman presented research data pertaining to how the arts are funded in Illinois and the effects of this type of funding. She spoke at 11:50 a.m. Wednesday in Blackhawk West.

The event was open to the public. Students like junior communications major Kristina Pipkin were in attendance in order to fulfill a class assignment. Ben Bingle, outreach coordinator for Nongovernmental Organizations Leadership and Development (NGOLD), spoke on the importance of these presentations.

“I think it gives students good insight into the resource process,” Bingle said. “We’ve had other talks so far from a faculty members in anthropology, two in anthropology, one in public administration, and then our final one will be sociology. So they see research through these different lenses, how it’s approached in all the different disciplines. I think also it gives them, I think more importantly, practical insight into the world of non profit organizations, NGOs, some larger, social, worldly problems.”

Schatteman’s presentation ran about 15 minutes, but the remainder of the time allotted was given for questions and answers in regard to the research. Schatteman said these talks are important not only to students but also to the speakers.

“I think the Q and A are most effective because everybody has their own perspective and experiences,” Schatteman said. “So my experiences are different from everybody that’s in this room. So when you come into these you start to understand different perspectives and questions you might not have thought of. So for future research or you may decide to explore in your paper that you may not have thought of before. So that’s why I like them.”

Pipkin said that she wants people to be aware of the arts to improve funding.

“I’m communications; I don’t really deal with arts much, but having to do this project you kind of see this stuff,” Pipkin said.

The research presented by Schatteman included facts about how art programs continue to operate in times of economic hardship.

“I felt it was interesting how the issue of how people tend to donate what they believe in and not necessary to an organization that’s doing well,” said Micah Huff, freshman music education major.

Brown bag lunch talks are sponsored by NGOLD year round. The last one for the semester will be held on April 7. It will feature Abu Bah, who will be speaking about people-centered liberalism and international state building in West Africa.