Have you registered?

The registration deadline for Becoming Alabama: Who, What, When, Where and Why is January 15!

The two-day public symposium will take place on January 21-22 at the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. It will feature scholars and professionals exploring the role of the press and media from the 1814 massacre at Fort Mims, a galvanizing event in Alabama and U.S. history, through the Gulf Oil Spill.

The symposium is a Becoming Alabama event. Designed to commemorate major Alabama anniversaries of the Creek War/War of 1812, the Civil War and Emancipation and the Civil Rights era, Becoming Alabama is a statewide initiative begun by the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Rick Bragg will join syndicated columnist Rheta Grimsley Johnson in offering perspectives on writing and media representations of the state. Tony Barnhart, Mr. College Football and CBS Sports journalist, will talk about the state’s fascination with sports. Prominent scholars of history and media from Auburn University, as well as other institutions, will also present on topics ranging from how early newspapers supported an emerging literary culture in the state to how a handful of remarkable editors shaped both Alabama’s opinion and its image.

The conference will kick-off with a pre-conference on Alabama archives that hold newspapers and other media resources. Registration for the conference is $25. Registration for meals, which will feature keynote speakers, is separate. Students may register at no cost. For a schedule and a list of presenters, visit our website or call 334-844-4946.

Becoming Alabama: Who, What, When, Where and Why

Join us January 21-22, 2011 at the Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center for a public symposium on the past, present, and future of the press in Alabama.

For more information, view the schedule of events and list of presenters. Registration information may be found here. Questions? Email us or call 334-844-4946.

Lectures Available on iTunesU

Lectures by Ben Cameron and Keith Sawyer are now available on our iTunesU site!

Group Genius: The Creative Power of Collaboration: A Talk by Keith Sawyer
The Arts in Education: A Lecture by Ben Cameron

Let's go fly a kite!

Join us this Friday from noon to 2 pm on Cater Lawn--and fly a kite! We will be celebrating Arts & Humanities Month by making kites. Write a poem or quote, draw a picture, and help celebrate what the arts and humanities do: inspire, elighten, envision, enrich, elevate, challenge, provoke. A light lunch will be provided.

Check out this article from The Corner News for more information!

Creative Conversations at Starbucks

As part of the College of Liberal Arts' Arts & Humanities Month celebration, Tiger Dining presents Creative Conversations at Starbucks. Every Tuesday in October, join us at the Starbucks in the Auburn University Student Center to enjoy performances, readings, and great conversation.

October 5: Music and Theater

Dean's Brass Quintet. Presented by the Department of Music.

October 12: Creative Writing

Readings by Hallie Johnston, Garrard Conley, Allie Bruce, Sarah Jo Turritin, and Peg Daniels. Presented by the Department of English.

October 19: Visual Arts and Music

Presentations by the Association of Visual Arts. Presented by the Department of Art.

Performance by the Department of Music's Woodwind Trio.

October 26: Community Focus

Presentation by Doc Waller, Executive Director and founder, The Layman Group. The Layman Group is a nonprofit multi-disciplinary Arts organization based in Auburn, Alabama. Its mission is to champion the emergence of the arts and creativity as essential ingredients of life.

September Events

September 20: [Arts & Humanities Month] The Synaptic Gap: A play by Professor Christopher Qualls. Biggin Hall 005.

September 21: [Arts & Humanities Month] The Arts in Education: A lecture by Ben Cameron, program director of arts, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Jule Collins Smith Museum Auditorium, 4:00 pm.

September 23: [Composing Communities for the 21st Century] A lecture by Jeffrey Grabill, Michigan State University. Student Center 2227, 3:00 pm.

September 27: [Auburn Connects!] International Film Fest Series: IRON AND SILK (China). Haley Center 3195, 5:00 pm.

Ben Cameron to Speak Tuesday at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art

Ben Cameron, program director of Arts at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and nationally renowned arts advocate, will speak at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art on September 21, at 4 p.m. A reception will follow the talk and the public is invited.

A former theater professional and current arts activist, Cameron will speak to the role of the arts and creativity in education and civic life, with a special focus on how creativity is an essential quality for success in all fields. His talk is a kick off for the Auburn University College of Liberal Arts first celebration of National Arts & Humanities Month throughout the month of October.

“Ben’s talk will help set the tone for our celebration in October,” Dr. Anna Gramberg, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said. “We understand how important the arts are for our students in becoming critical thinkers and creative spirits, and we are pleased to provide opportunities outside the classroom for personal and professional development.”

More than ever before, the arts and the qualities they foster deserve a central place in education and in civic life.

“Like it or not, change is the ever accelerating constant that guides our lives today, and like the famous line in Alice in Wonderland, we must run as fast as we can to stay in the game – and if we want to get anywhere, we must run twice as fast as that,” notes Cameron. “Nimbleness, flexibility, responsiveness, creative opportunism: all will be valued as never before.”

Cameron heads up the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s arts funding program. Established by Duke in her will, it supports her desire to assist “actors, dancers, singers, musicians and other artists of the entertainment world in fulfilling their ambitions and providing opportunities for the public presentation of their arts and talents.” As of 2009, the DDCF has awarded more than $2 million in grants to artists and arts organizations.

Please note that Cameron’s program will be Tuesday, September 21, not Thursday as appeared on a recent mailer. Cameron’s talk is sponsored by the Auburn University College of Liberal Arts Department of Theatre and Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, as well as the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. For more information about the program and CLA’s Arts and Humanities Month celebration, go to www.clacelebrates.org.