Art in a Democracy: A Community Conversation

Discussions at the event will highlight projects associated with the art school, such as a current exhibit in DAAP’s Reed Gallery — Cultural Exchange: Who is American Today? — along with projects across the university that utilize the arts to promote community engagement; all geared toward advancing social justice, promoting civic engagement and sustaining democracy.  

“The symposium will serve as a community forum to illuminate ways how the arts can provide experiences with community engagement, foster community belonging, promote civic dialogue, and further skills that are necessary in a democratic society," says the event organizer and exhibit curator, Flavia Bastos. 

Bastos is a distinguished research professor in visual arts education at DAAP. Her book,"Promoting Civic Engagement Through Art EducationA Call to Action for Creative Educators," which is launching this week, is available for pre-order. 

The symposium and exhibit are being held in conjunction with the FotoFocus biennial celebration. FotoFocus is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit organization created to celebrate and champion photography as the medium of our time through programming that ignites a dialogue between contemporary lens-based art and the history of photography.

The Dorothy W. & C. Lawson Reed, Jr. Gallery is located on the fifth floor of the DAAP Aronoff complex at 2624 Clifton Ave. and is the largest of the DAAP Galleries. Located at the heart of the DAAP complex, the Reed Gallery provides a vibrant setting for DAAP students and the regional arts community in which to engage in meaningful discussions about the current state of visual culture. 

Feature photo at top by UC student and DAAP intern Le An.