Arts & Ideas

Introduction

Framingham State University is proud to present Arts & Ideas 2020-2021: a year of must-see speakers, performances, exhibitions and films, exploring the theme of THE PUBLIC SELF: CITIZEN AS CHANGE AGENT.

Please note: Due to COVID19, all fall events will be conducted virtually.

In this election year, we are all re-examining our roles as citizens and agents of change in our society and the world. How can we best reflect on our rights and responsibilities, consider the situations of others, and work together toward a common good?

This fall, the series begins with a lecture by Raymond Santana, a member of the "Exonerated 5" and continues with discussion of the unforgettable film “Just Mercy” as part of the Arthur Nolletti Jr. Film Series. Just after the election, the fall series concludes with a screening and discussion of the documentary film “Looming in the Shadows of Łódź,” which presents remarkable memories of the holocaust.

After the election, in spring 2021, the series focuses more on themes of the public self, with a poem reading by Afro-futurist female poet Porsha Olayiwola and a poem translation workshop with Latin Grammy nominee Fernando Valverde, renowned Panamanian poet Javier Alvarado, and professor Nieves Garcia Prados from the University of Virginia. Delving further into themes of diversity, gender, race, and environment, the series also includes an exhibition of arpilleras (hand-sewn quilts from Chile), workshops conducted by Ignacio Cardona, Jeff Sparr, and Hernease Davis, and the solo show (Un)Documents by Jesús Valles. This series also particularly highlights female voices with lectures by writers Teresa Fazio, Quiara Hudes, and Grace Talusan, a play about Christa McAuliffe, and a film discussion of “Woman at War.”

Please enjoy these enlightening events in an extraordinary series!

For a downloadable flyer of the Fall 2020 events, Click Here.

To view the complete 2020-2021 Arts & Ideas schedule, Click Here.

Pictured at top, from left: Teresa Fazio, Grace Talusan, and Raymond Santana.

The Arts & Ideas committee develops events on campus to enhance the intellectual life of the community, with an emphasis on social, political, and cultural issues. Events may include lectures, exhibits, film screenings, performances and more—and all are free and open to the public. Each year, the events are organized around a particular theme that is determined in advance.