Arts & Ideas

Introduction

Theme: Sustaining Life & Sustaining Joy

Arts & Ideas is proud to present our 2022-2023 series—a year of must-see speakers, exhibitions, and films—exploring the theme of Sustaining Life & Sustaining Joy.

Under the pandemic and during these unprecedented times, we are continuously experiencing burnout, anxiety, tension, and angst. How can we move beyond our worries and find ways to heal ourselves? Let’s sustain our lives and bring back our joy by listening to others, learning to help each other, and exploring healing processes.

This year’s series includes a variety of events designed to develop emotional wellness and sustain joy and support for yourself and others, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students and communities. First is a lecture and workshop by Lyssa Palu-ay on supporting BIPOC and first-generation students through critical race theory. In October, four meetings with Adam Sutton help us find ways to sustain our lives, the annual Pride Across Generations banquet will take place on National Coming Out Day, and Jill McDonough, a queer writer, will be featured during the Alan Feldman Week of Poetry.

During the spring semester, there will be a performance of the play Young Nerds of Color, based on more than 60 interviews with scientists from underrepresented backgrounds, followed by a conversation with the producers and cast members. A workshop with Daryl Christopher will help us to sustain our joy through the creative process, and James Edward Mills will teach us to make outdoor spaces that welcome all people by screening and discussing his documentary film An American Ascent. Whitney Scharer will feature in the 2023 Miriam Levine Reading with her debut novel, The Age of Light. The exhibition Record Keeper, featuring Adero Willard, Megumi Naitoh, Paul Brigg, and Elshafei Dafalla, will demonstrate the fascinating metamorphosis of clay. The series will end with screenings and discussions of the movies Belfast and Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, focusing on the importance of community and self-healing through experiences of longing and belonging.

Please join the series, and let’s have a healing time together.

To view the Arts & Ideas pamphlet, click here.

Top Image from left: Jill McDonough, a scene from Young Nerds of Color, and Lyssa Palu-ay.

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Please note that events this year are planned to be offered in-person but may be moved online based on the COVID-19 situation. To view the university’s latest COVID-19 safety policies, click here.

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.