The University of Georgia is proud to host the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru) 2018 annual conference, from November 1-3. The 2018 theme, Arts Environments: Design, Resilience, and Sustainability, is an invitation to explore the relationship between creativity and diverse cultural locations, by framing discussions about design, resilience, and sustainability in context of interdisciplinary artistic and environmental practice. The theme offers an opportunity to think broadly about the ecology of the arts and their environments, in terms of performance, design, and engineering. A land and sea grant institution inextricable from the town of Athens and the broader ecologies of Georgia and the Southeast, the University of Georgia will provide a rich context for thinking creatively about Arts Environments globally.

A number of Dodd faculty and graduate students will be leading and participating in panel discussions for the conference, including Mark Callahan, Chris Garvin, Tad Gloeckler, Melissa Harshman, Kira Hegeman, Michael Marshall, Julie Spivey, and Demitra Thomloudis. Visit the a2ru website for the full conference schedule. 

a2ru is a partnership of more than 40 institutions committed to transforming research universities in order to ensure the greatest possible institutional support for interdisciplinary research, curricula, programs and creative practice between the arts, sciences and other disciplines. UGA’s membership in a2ru is made possible by the UGA Arts Council, the Office of the Provost, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the Lamar Dodd School of Art, and the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) through the Willson Center for Humanities & Arts.