Arts and Public Life Initiative
Brandon Johnson
Published: October 5, 2011
I am excited to announce the launch of the University of Chicago’s Arts and Public Life Initiative, with Theaster Gates as the inaugural director. In their written announcement, Larry Norman, Deputy Provost for the Arts, and Mary J. Harvey, Associate Provost for Program Development, write the following:
A major component of the Initiative will be the creation of the Washington Park Arts Incubator. We invite you to read the official announcement: http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2011/09/29/arts-and-public-life-initiative-deepen-university039s-engagement-local-arts-commu.
This initiative is a vital component of our plans to expand the role of the arts on campus by strengthening our relationship with cultural and civic partners in the city and especially on Chicago's south side.
The Arts and Public Life Initiative will complement the arts-based community engagement already happening on campus. Existing programs at Court Theatre, the Smart Museum of Art, the Oriental Institute, and Theater and Performance Studies, among others, offer superb models and opportunities for continued partnership in community outreach and arts education.
As Director of Arts and Public Life, Theaster will work to achieve the initiative’s primary goals: advancing artistic ambition through a program of artist residencies, amplifying cultural assets by promoting interactions between artists and cultural institutions on the South Side and the University’s faculty and students, and inspiring creativity in youth through apprenticeship programs and enhanced K-12 arts education efforts. The Washington Park Arts Incubator will play a central role in the success of the endeavor.
Theaster, who is also an accomplished practicing artist, brings a wealth of experience and insight to the project. He will work closely with University colleagues, our Aldermen, and other community partners to ensure a high level of artistic, scholarly, and community engagement happens in Washington Park, on campus, and elsewhere in the city. In addition, Theaster will continue as Resident Artist and Lecturer at the University.
I wanted to share this good news with you as the Washington Park Consortium looks forward to more positive news on this front.
In Service,
Brandon Johnson
Executive Director
Posted in All news