William T. (Billy) Clow GCPA Memorial

Give to Honor the Legacy of William T. (Billy) Clow

"What matters is that our students will have facilities to train and learn in that are worthy of their immense talents. That our spectacular faculty can teach and create in spaces that long for a sense of timeless artistry. The Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts is more than just a building. It is our art. It is our learning. And it is our soul."
—William T. (Billy) Clow, Dean, College of Fine Arts and Communication
Groundbreaking of the Center for Performing Arts at WIU – October 7, 2022

A new era for the arts at Western Illinois University is taking shape with the construction of the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts—a dynamic new home for music, theatre, and dance.

This Center was the vision of William T. “Billy” Clow, who devoted over a decade to making it a reality. A beloved husband, father, dean, mentor, and advocate for the arts, Billy passed away on April 17, 2025. He believed deeply that the arts deserve a space as inspiring as the talent they nurture.

In his final days, Billy shared with close friends and family that he hoped donations made in his memory would support the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts at WIU.

Your gift in Billy’s honor helps bring his vision to life—funding the technology, equipment, and student-focused spaces that will define the future of the arts at Western.