Culture and Art in a Populist Age

Monday, October 30th, 2017
9:00 am – 5:30 pm

Dupont Circle Hotel
1500 New Hampshire Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20036

This one-day conference explored the immediate future of the arts within the dynamic and controversial political environment that has emerged in the wake of the 2016 elections. How does the recent strand of populism affect the arts and humanities moving forward? Are the high arts insulated from the vicissitudes of quotidian life? Or does a populist surge speak directly to the arts in a post-Enlightenment era? Conference participants were uniquely suited to address these questions.

Video Highlights

https://vimeo.com/259062176

Panel IV: Consonance and Dissonance in the Music and Art World

Daniel Asia, University of Arizona and Bruce Cole, Ethics and Public Policy Center

https://vimeo.com/255233321

Conference Agenda

 9:00 – 9:15 am
Introduction and Opening Remarks

Ed Whelan, Ethics and Public Policy Center

Dan Asia, The University of Arizona
 

9:15 – 10:30 am

  

Panel I

Heather Mac Donald, The Manhattan Institute

“Vandals at the Opera House: Identity Politics Comes to the Opera Stage”

Respondent: Dan Asia, The University of Arizona
 

10:30 – 10:45 am

  

Break
 

10:45 am – 12:00 pm

  

 Panel II

Eric Gibson, Wall Street Journal

“Headwinds on the Road to a Democratic Culture”

Respondent: Justin Shubow, National Civic Art Society
 

12:00 – 1:00 pm

  

Lunch
1:00 – 2:15 pm
Panel III

Roger Scruton, The University of Buckingham

“Why Taste Matters”

Respondent: Michael Pack, Manifold Productions
 

2:15 – 2:30 pm

  

Break
 

2:30 – 3:45 pm

  

Panel IV

Daniel Asia, University of Arizona

Bruce Cole, Ethics and Public Policy Center

“Consonance and Dissonance in the Music and Art World”

Respondent: Catesby Leigh, Art and Architecture Critic

Andrew Balio, Future Symphony Institute
 

3:45 – 4:00 pm

  

Final Break
 

4:00 – 5:15 pm

  

Panel V

Robert E. Gordon, University of Arizona

Aaron D. Mobley, Berkley City College

“The Value of Art and Music in a Popular Culture”

Respondent: Kelly Jane Torrance, The Weekly Standard
 

5:15 – 5:30 pm

  

Wrap-up