Spotlight on the Arts

Speaking of the good life, the UGA campus and Athens, GA are blessed with many of the qualities by which we define that concept - walkability, a great library, an eclectic mix of people, and an arts scene that is deep and wide. If we were a sports franchise, I would say our bench players would be starting for most other teams around the league - at any level. Because of the people who have been coming to the University as faculty and students for decades, the arts are a major identifier of our campus and community. The breadth of theatre offerings here has both a distinguished pedigree and ongoing vibrancy. The volume of visual artists, a pursuit for which no locale is truly hospitable, produces a level of work on par with any major city. Dance and movement are thriving. And... Canopy? Does that practice even exist anywhere else? Oh, yes, and that music scene.

And that's another thing - even writing about this subject you leave out most of it: Georgia Museum of Art, UGA Performing Arts Center, The Georgia Review. Now UGA will tie together all of these efforts in order to shine a light on all of them. A Spotlight:

"The arts are an integral part of the fabric of UGA, a powerful thread that helps us define ourselves and our community," said Jere Morehead, UGA senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. "As the place where so many artists, writers, actors and musicians first find their voice, UGA offers a richness of opportunity for members of the university community and audiences from throughout the area to participate in the arts."

Well said, sir. The festival is a welcome effort to highlight ongoing opportunities for the entire community - from UGA students to the population in the surrounding counties - to engage with the arts in whatever ways they wish. Opportunities abound. The University commitment to the arts has probably never been more vigorous - from highly visible investments in physical infrastructure to bringing in the very best guest artists and faculty. We must be equally explicit in our attempts to build audiences for the arts - this is the other part of the committment and UGA is fully engaged. Look for this logo in ongoing promotions for the Arts Festival as well long-term projects to expand campus engagement and opportunities with the arts.