The Power of the Arts | Winston-Salem, NC

A group of Wake Foresters gathered over dinner on May 28, 2019 in Winston-Salem, NC to discuss the Power of the Arts.

Overview and highlights of our Call to Conversation:

• Early influences and access to art ignite the passion and help instill hard work, problem solving skills, and career trajectories.
• We discussed the origins of the presence of art on Wake Forest’s campus.
• Questions we considered:
  • How have arts experiences in our life shaped who we are today and how can we take it forward to make a difference?
  • What is Wake Forest’s role in the community?
• Insights about art:
  • Art can make order out of chaos and bring healing.
  • The Arts are connected to the rest of life: The business world and the arts world are twins. Separation doesn’t exist between arts, business, health, and food disparities.
  • Art is everywhere, yet it is nowhere if you don’t notice it or if it is not a priority
  • Art needs to be more easily accessible.
  • The desire for the arts is innate.
• We need art to thrive as humans:
  • Having artists ‘at the table’ and creating more opportunities to provide artists’ perspectives in problem solving is critical in the city of Arts and Innovation and at Wake Forest.
  • Shaping this framework- how art can be a catalyst for change and a tool to inspire social justice, equity and inclusion?