This is the fourth program in the Wende Museum and the Thomas Mann House’s monthly virtual series on art and politics in times of crises. The freedom of art is one of the imperatives of every democracy. But does this freedom make art inconsequential? Does art have a role in addressing social issues, promoting social justice, or in defending democracy when it comes under pressure? In short: does art have a political mandate and what is the role of art in weakened democracies?

The Student Council consists of a team of highly engaged, talented, and diverse high school, undergraduate, and graduate students who invite prominent guest speakers to discuss topics relating to art, culture, politics, and society. In conversation with visual artists, musicians, dancers, writers, theater and filmmakers, cultural critics, curators and others, the students will explore how the arts can make a difference in times of social and political crisis; on what social issues they can give new impulses; how they can help shape local communities; and how the alleged freedom and autonomy of the arts might impede or help the arts in terms of social and political significance.

The program takes place live every fourth Wednesday of the month 4.15pm PST, where you can join the Q&A . More details HERE

ABOUT HEIDI DUCKLER
The guest speaker for our April program is Heidi Duckler, Founder and Artistic Director of Heidi Duckler Dance in Los Angeles, CA, the pioneer of site-specific place-based contemporary practice. Titled the “reigning queen of site-specific performance” by the LA Times, Duckler has been awarded the Distinguished Dance Alumna award from the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance, the Dance/USA and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s Engaging Dance Audiences award, and the National Endowment of the Arts American Masterpiece award. Duckler has created more than 500 dance pieces all over the world and she is currently on faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara in the Film and Media Studies Department.