How have societies supported the arts in contemporary America, and in other times and nations? How could American society nurture the arts, and how do you propose it should? This theme asks the students to think critically about the nature of art, the conditions that help it flourish, the role art plays in society-at-large, the ways a society collectively values the arts, and whether and/or how that support can translate to government funding.
To support our common conversation, we will read together Sarah Thornton’s entertaining and informative book, Seven Days in the Art World. We’ll take field trips to museums and talk with artists and curators. We’ll research the history of arts funding internationally and nationally and develop analytical essays about what we discover. And we will work every week to communicate our findings and ideas in clear, stylish, persuasive prose.