The Kennedy Center/Aspen Institute Arts Summit
“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for our victories or defeats in battle or politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.” -President John F. Kennedy
Drawing on the Kennedy Center’s national artistic prominence and the Aspen Institute’s thought leadership, this Summit will identify how the arts should move forward in addressing the issues that we face in our society today.
The Arts Summit will feature conversations, live performances, town hall style debates, and discussions with artists, innovative thinkers, and policy leaders. We will focus on race, education, technology, and free speech, envisioning a road forward for the arts in these areas.
________
“ The life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of the nation, is close to the center of a nation’s purpose, and is a test of the quality of a nation’s civilization.” -President John F. Kennedy
Participants: David Brooks, Johnny Gandelsman, Howard Gardner, Walter Isaacson, Maz Jobrani, Alan Kay, Spike Lee, Kate Levin, Sarah Lewis, Eric Liu, David Rubenstein, Deborah Rutter, Michael Sandel, Split This Rock DC, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Darren Walker, Damian Woetzel, Alfre Woodard, Beau Willimon, Camille Zamora, and Ai Weiwei (via video)
Betsy DeVos, Summit Chair
Summit Co-Directors: Deborah Rutter & Damian Woetzel
Additional Participants to be announced.
We hope you will join us for Arts Summit 2015. Your participation will play an essential role in finding and furthering our purpose: to explore the ways the arts can both progress and make progress, by facing the important issues we contend with as a nation.
Summit Registration (9:00am – 5:00pm, with lunch) is $200. To RSVP, please call 202.416.8394 or email RSVP@Kennedy-Center.org.
The Arts Summit will feature conversations, live performances, town hall style debates, and discussions with artists, innovative thinkers, and policy leaders. We will focus on race, education, technology, and free speech, envisioning a road forward for the arts in these areas.