Art in a Democracy: A Community Conversation
DAAP hosts symposium to engage in conversation about art in democracy
Event Information (passed)
The University of Cincinnati School of Art will host a free, public symposium — Art in a Democracy: A Community Conversation — on Thursday, Oct. 24, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), 2600 Clifton Ave., room 3430.
Discussions at the event will highlight projects associated with the art school, such as a current exhibit in DAAP’s Reed Gallery — Cultural Exchange: Who is American Today? — along with projects across the university that utilize the arts to promote community engagement; all geared toward advancing social justice, promoting civic engagement and sustaining democracy.
Photo exhibit in DAAP's Reed Gallery. Photo/Le An
“The symposium will serve as a community forum to illuminate ways how the arts can provide experiences with community engagement, foster community belonging, promote civic dialogue, and further skills that are necessary in a democratic society," says the event organizer and exhibit curator, Flavia Bastos.
Bastos is a distinguished research professor in visual arts education at DAAP. Her book,"Promoting Civic Engagement Through Art EducationA Call to Action for Creative Educators," which is launching this week, is available for pre-order.
The symposium and exhibit are being held in conjunction with the FotoFocus biennial celebration. FotoFocus is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit organization created to celebrate and champion photography as the medium of our time through programming that ignites a dialogue between contemporary lens-based art and the history of photography.
The Dorothy W. & C. Lawson Reed, Jr. Gallery is located on the fifth floor of the DAAP Aronoff complex at 2624 Clifton Ave. and is the largest of the DAAP Galleries. Located at the heart of the DAAP complex, the Reed Gallery provides a vibrant setting for DAAP students and the regional arts community in which to engage in meaningful discussions about the current state of visual culture.
Feature photo at top by UC student and DAAP intern Le An.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
New approach could treat cancer by rearranging tumor cell structures
November 10, 2025
The University of Cincinnati’s Jiajie Diao, PhD, and colleagues have published new research showing a proof of concept that rearranging the location of lipid droplets within cells can increase the effectiveness of cell starvation, making it a potential cancer treatment. The research was published as the November cover story in the journal Trends in Biotechnology.
Silicon Valley is closely watching UC’s NEXT Innovation Scholars
November 7, 2025
The University of Cincinnati’s NEXT Innovation Scholars program has built a network of elite Silicon Valley talent that’s seeking out undergraduate Bearcats and sharing insights with them.
Two University of Cincinnati colleges benefit from $4 million gift
November 7, 2025
University of Cincinnati alumni Mohammad H. Qayoumi, MS ’79, MS ’80, MBA ’84, PhD ’83 and Najia Karim, BS ’82, MEd ’83, RD, have made a $4 million gift supporting two of the university’s colleges. A donation from the couple establishes a fund and an endowed chair at the College of Engineering and Applied Science, as well as an endowed chair at the College of Allied Health Sciences.