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.

The guest speaker for our July program is Sonali Kolhatkar. Kolhatkar is an award-winning journalist and host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a weekly radio and television program syndicated to dozens of radio stations and available on Free Speech TV. She is the racial justice and civil liberties editor at YES! Magazine and Senior Correspondent of the Economy For All project at the Independent Media Institute. Her new book is called Rising Up: The Power of Narrative in Pursuing Racial Justice (City Lights, 2023).