Arts Leadership symposium welcomes Kronos Quartet, sparks conversation between arts professionals
ARTL is designed for artists, arts administrators and cultural workers who want to further develop the skills necessary to become successful leaders in the arts.
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From April 24 – April 26, USC hosted the first annual Arts Leadership Symposium, presented in conjunction with the university’s revolutionary new graduate program in Arts Leadership (ARTL). Missed the symposium? Then check out the video above for an overview of what was discussed during this exciting event.
The symposium, titled “Arts Leadership for a New Era,” brought together working professionals in the international, national and local Los Angeles arts communities, as well as current graduate students in the ARTL program.
An evening lecture and performance by Kronos Quartet, one of the world’s most innovative performance ensembles, kicked off the event on Thursday, April 24. The group joined ARTL program director Kenneth Foster, former executive director of San Francisco’s acclaimed Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, in a discussion on artistic vision and ideology behind creating new work.
According to Foster, the ensemble perfectly embodies the ethos of the ARTL program, due largely in part to Kronos Quartet’s longstanding commitment to create new standards for contemporary chamber music performance.
“Kronos Quartet has, since the beginning, been an innovative leader in the arts,” said Foster. “They’ve always examined their particular art form and how it functions in the contemporary world. Kronos continues to break new ground, more than any other ensemble I can think of.”
On Friday, April 25, attendees participated in a daylong symposium on the challenges facing arts in the 21st century. Featured speakers included: Janet Cowperthwaite, managing director, Kronos Quartet; David Harrington, artistic director, Kronos Quartet; Mark Allen, founder and director, The Machine Project Los Angeles; and Chris Rountree, founder and director, Wild Up.
The symposium concluded on Saturday, April 26 with ARTL Live! — a program designed for individuals interested in applying to the ARTL graduate degree program.
ARTL is designed for artists, arts administrators and cultural workers who want to further develop the skills necessary to become successful leaders in the arts. Applications for the one-year Graduate Certificate program are due June 1. For more information on how to apply, please visit the ARTL program homepage.
