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Whether it is #BlackLivesMatter and #OscarsSoWhite today, or whether it was All in the Family and Ms. Magazine in the past, America’s identity crises have always insinuated themselves into every aspect of our daily lives. And as politics grows more fractured and divisive, these difficult conversations have often found a more reasonable and humane airing in popular entertai...
Debating immigration is a perennial favorite in presidential elections, perhaps never more so than in 2016, when border walls and banning Muslims push the boundaries of what proposals are considered acceptable to American voters. The artists on this panel vary in their mediums and perspectives, but they all contend with the immigrant experience. Guided by Eric Liu, we have...
When the ranks of a cultural institution or a creative field tend toward high levels of homogeneity in terms of race, class, and/or gender, what are the challenges and opportunities faced by the people who are placed in gatekeeper positions within those institutions or fields who don’t fit that homogenous mold?
In a world undeniably shaped by near-constant conflict, connectedness, and globalization, what role will culture and creativity play in making the future? How does the sharing of stories, poems, and songs change how we see our allies and, perhaps more importantly, our enemies? Foreign Policy’s David Rothkopf is joined by composer Mohammed Fairouz and opera singer and Ameri...
Why is there resistance to the idea that public funds should be used for art? What does it mean for the stewardship of cultural and educational organizations and the support of individual artists? And how does the relationship between non-profit and commercial culture impact how we value the creative sector?
2017 Harman Eisner Artist in Residence Jeff Koons and entertainment industry titan and former Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO Michael Eisner, join in a conversation about creating wonder. From household appliances to iconic large-scale inflatables, Koons has pioneered transforming familiar subjects into captivating works of art, and democratizing access through major...
Any city would be lucky to have an artist in its corner like 2016 Harman-Eisner Artist-in-Residence Theaster Gates, whose work embraces activism, cultural preservation, and community development. Since he began work on his now famed Dorchester Projects in 2009, Gates’s transformation of a once-neglected South Side neighborhood into a thriving cultural hub has yielded an en...
Playwright Anna Deavere Smith and opera director Yuval Sharon explore how this extraordinary moment in our history will both influence their work as artists and compel all of us to reinterpret art from the past. While social change has emboldened artistic expression throughout history, evident in ancient Greek plays and centuries-old Shakespearian dramas, artistic expressi...
Two Jacksonians — and lifelong friends with very different perspectives — discuss their hopes for the future of their city. Join acclaimed author Kiese Laymon and the youngest mayor in Jackson’s history, Chokwe Lumumba, as they discuss their personal relationships to the city, its deeply rooted inequities, its rich cultural heritage, and the importance of civic and artisti...
How can we normalize inconceivable futures? At any given moment, there are multiple, parallel futures fighting for dominance – emerging from science fiction, political parties, corporate visions, counter cultures, and more. But in all cases, they need design to compete and thrive. Across the last decade COLLINS has worked with many of the world's leading organizations, inc...
How do we create a culture that brings out the best in our personal and professional lives? Rituals are powerful tools for building a culture that better aligns your values and priorities with your everyday practices. Our work shows how rituals help people bridge transitions, get to flow, deal with conflict, and increase bonding. In this session, we’ll share some of the...
Raised by uncompromising survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover survived extreme adversity, from never being allowed to go to school, to suffering serious physical injuries (and a dad that prohibited doctors or hospitals), to being at the mercy of a volatile and often abusive older brother. How did she not only make it through this childhood, but ultimately...
In this creative session, global citizen-artist Yo-Yo Ma shares ideas with Eric Liu of Citizen University and the Aspen Institute for how to reimagine our lives and responsibilities in American democracy. Drawing on Ma’s new audio experience “Beginner’s Mind,” which traces his evolution as a musician and a human, this conversation will explore what it means to be a good an...
As the impacts of climate change become more evident on natural habitats, widespread focus on protecting these places is more critical than ever. With Hollywood finally flexing its cultural muscle to bring the climate crisis to worldwide audiences, we talk to the creatives working in both the real and imagined future worlds, with a shared mission of connecting people with...
Art historian Sarah Lewis (Harvard University) and architect Michael Murphy (MASS Design Group) discuss the art and architecture of social justice in America. How do our artistic works create the fabric of national memory both cherished and shameful? How do our structures provide the framework of collective conscience? How does culture help us learn from history and inform...
We're often taught that our surroundings are incidental to our well-being, but an emerging body of research shows that the physical world can be a powerful tool for cultivating happier, healthier lives. Studies show that workers in colorful offices are more alert, friendly, and confident than those in drab ones, that windows can speed healing, and children progress faster...
We are often told great art speaks for itself. In practice, though, helping visual art find an audience usually requires a skillful narrative. How should we understand this use of storytelling, and who does it best? Does surging interest in contemporary art present special opportunities and responsibilities for developing appreciative audiences? What are key strategies and...
Born out of gospel, R&B, and jazz in late 1950s America, soul has permeated music culture so thoroughly that its influence can be heard everywhere from modern country music to rock and hip-hop. So what is it about soul, and how did it become a soundtrack to some of our nation’s most defining moments? The New Yorker’s Adam Gopnik and Grammy Award-winning artists share —...
Herbert Bayer, a Bauhaus-trained artist and designer, settled in Aspen in 1946. Invited by Aspen Institute founder Walter Paepcke, Bayer’s legacy, spanning 30 years in Aspen, is palpable across the campus here: architecture to landscape, painting to sculpture, tapestry to wall-scape. A prolific artist and designer, often referred to as a polymath given the breadth of his a...
Two authors of acclaimed but thoroughly different memoirs of growing up in rural American communities dive into their experiences growing up in the heartland, what they think urban Americans get wrong about our rural people and places, and how they are using their platforms to address some of the most complex challenges that rural communities face today.