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Honoring the late Dean William T. “Billy” Clow, whose lasting legacy continues to inspire joy through the arts at Western Illinois University.
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WIU Honors Dean Billy Clow’s Legacy with The Clow Theatre

September 21, 2026

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MACOMB, IL – "A Season of Joy" is a fitting name for the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts inaugural season as it honors a special man who gave so much to the arts at Western Illinois University, the late dean William T. "Billy" Clow.

There are some people whose impact on a place is impossible to measure in years, titles or accomplishments alone.

For those who knew Billy, his impact was felt in the students he encouraged, the colleagues he supported, the artists and audiences he brought together and the countless people who found a sense of belonging through the arts.

Now, his legacy will have a permanent home within the building he worked tirelessly to help bring to life. WIU will honor Clow, the late dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) and a driving force behind the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts, with the naming of the facility's new 200-seat studio theatre as "The Clow Theatre."

The naming comes as the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts, a $119 million state project, opens its doors and begins a new chapter for the University, its students and the surrounding communities. For those closest to Clow, however, the building represents something even more personal: the fulfillment of a vision he believed in until the very end.

"It is difficult to put into words what this means to me and my family. Billy gave so much of himself to create and build the Goldfarb Center, to Western Illinois University and to the students who found their place and their purpose through the arts. To see his name permanently on a space where students, artists and audiences will continue to gather is incredibly meaningful. It is a beautiful reminder that a life devoted to encouraging others, creating community, and making art can leave a lasting legacy," his wife, and WIU Director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts Tammy Killian said.

The Goldfarb Center was a driving force in Clow's life. He was deeply involved in the project, advocating for its construction, working through challenges and remaining personally invested in its design and development. He was still working on aspects of the facility and regularly visiting the construction site until his death in 2025 following a long battle with illness.

"It was a driving force in Billy's life. He was working on aspects of the space the day he passed away. I believe the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts meant so much to Billy because it represents possibility. It is a place built for the future, for students who are just beginning to discover their talents and passion, for artists who are creating a path for those students, and for audiences who come together to share in the experience of live performance," Killian said.

"Billy believed deeply in the power of theatre and in the people who make it. I think he's proud to know that this space will provide opportunities for generations of students and artists to come."

That commitment to students was central to Clow's career. Even while serving in leadership roles, he continued to teach and remained deeply connected to the students and artists around him.

Al Goldfarb, president emeritus of WIU and Clow's former mentor, first knew Clow as a graduate student at Illinois State University, where Clow earned his MFA. Their relationship grew from teacher and student to mentor and colleague and eventually into a close friendship.

"Billy was an outstanding graduate student of mine at Illinois State University, where he received his MFA. He was a wonderful designer and teacher and I admired his artistry and work with students. I was also honored that Billy referred to me as his mentor," Goldfarb said.
Goldfarb said he was proud to watch Clow's career develop, first as a teacher and administrator at other universities and later at WIU.

"At Western, Billy was an extremely successful dean and navigated the university through difficult budgetary times as interim provost. And I was fortunate to have Billy become a close friend, even though we did have some friendly baseball disagreements. He was a Cardinal fan and I am a passionate Yankees fan," Goldfarb said.

That dedication to students remained at the center of Clow's career. Even as he took on administrative leadership roles, he continued to teach and serve as a role model for the students around him.

"Billy was student-centered," Al said. "He continued to teach while administering and was a role model for all of his students."

That makes The Clow Theatre an especially fitting tribute.

The 200-seat studio theatre will provide opportunities for students to perform, design, create and collaborate, continuing the work Clow believed so deeply in. Its first performance is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 8, with a production of William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," directed by Professor Emeritus Bill Kincaid.

For Clow's family, the theatre represents more than a name above a door.

"One of Billy's greatest qualities was his ability to make people feel that they belonged. He understood that theatre was about so much more than what happened on the stage. It was about relationships, collaboration, dedication, laughter, hard work, and creating something together that none of us could create alone," Killian said.

"He had a deep love for people and an enduring belief in the transformative power of the arts. That spirit is exactly what will live within The Clow Theatre."

She hopes future students and performers who enter The Clow Theatre will understand the person behind its name and the belief he had in the potential of others.

"I hope that every student and performer who walks into The Clow Theatre understands that the person whose name is above the door believed in them, even though he may never have had the opportunity to meet them," Killian said. "Billy believed in the value of the arts and in the extraordinary potential of young people."

She added that his legacy will live not simply through the name of the theatre, but through the experiences created inside it.

"His legacy is found in the encouragement we give one another, the risks we take in creating something new, the laughter we share and the community we build together," Killian said. "The Clow Theatre will be a place where people feel welcomed, challenged, inspired and valued. I think Billy would be very proud."

Al shares that sentiment.

"I am saddened that he will not be at the opening of the Center," he said. "But I am so pleased that he will be there in spirit then and into the future through his name being on the Studio Theatre."

For generations of students, performers and audiences yet to come, The Clow Theatre will serve as a reminder of a man who believed in the arts, believed in students and believed in the power of bringing people together.

And while Billy Clow may not be here to see the curtain rise, his vision will continue to take the stage.

The Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts is now open. The first performance in The Clow Theatre will be "Twelfth Night" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8.

For more information about the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts and its inaugural season, visit westernpresents.com.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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