Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0294 - Examining and Reimagining Contemporary U.S. Arts Ecologies

How does one sustain a life in the arts? While this question looms large for lovers of the arts, a host of other questions lurk just beneath the surface: How is success defined and redefined? Where are the points of entry and who are the gatekeepers? How do performance, making, educational, community-engaged, curatorial, and scholarly practices relate to one another and to the organizational structures that support them? What is the role of place? Drawing inspiration from the interconnectedness inherent in ecological frameworks, this course will function as a think tank of sorts, inviting dialogue around the evolution of existing arts infrastructures and our place in their futures. Through critical discourse, research, and entrepreneurial strategies, and with special emphasis on performing arts, we will imagine holistic and innovative approaches to sustained arts engagement that are responsive to social, cultural and economic realities. This course is geared for upper Division II & III aspiring practitioners, administrators, entrepreneurs, curators, scholars, cultural critics, and advocates of the arts.

Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Field trip fee: $20. In this course, students can generally expect to spend 6 to 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time.