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What are the critical issues and challenges facing our state, our nation, and our world that Berkeley is particularly suited to address? How can the world of arts, design, and culture engage with these issues creatively? A+D is seeking innovative course proposals that explore UC Berkeley’s Signature Initiatives by “thinking through the arts and design at Berkeley."

Call for Proposals

We are seeking new or revised courses that engage with one or more of the Signature Initiatives through the multiple perspectives of arts and design. Proposed courses must highlight various modes of artistic engagement and creative exploration, organized around a general introduction to an interdisciplinary Research Theme.

Background

L&S 25 Thinking Through the Arts and Design at Berkeley, currently in its 5th semester is a 3-unit Creative Gateways course with an integrated public lecture series. The 100-student class meets twice a week (from noon to 2pm) at BAMPFA’s Osher Theater: the Tuesday meeting is a classic lecture and the Thursday meeting (A+D Thursdays) is a public lecture of guest speakers curated by the instructor. We encourage faculty instructors to invite fellow faculty members expert in the Theme as well as selected visitors. The course, which fills the Arts + Literature breadth requirement, exposes students to creative forms across the visual arts, performance, literature, film, and design; and introduces students to major museums on campus, presenters, and academic departments, as well as to select Bay Area arts organizations and regional partners. 

We seek to join L&S 25 to UC Berkeley’s Signature Initiatives, an endeavor that has isolated major challenges facing society that require cross-disciplinary expertise. The research themes within the Signature Initiatives are: (1) Inclusive Intelligence; (2) Environmental Change, Sustainability, and Justice; (3) Democracy, Values, Governance, and Freedom of Expression; (4) Inequality and Opportunity; and, (5) Charting a New Course to Health and Wellbeing. The flexibility of the L&S 25 course format, paired with a variety of arts and design perspectives and a public lecture series, offers a unique way of engaging students and community with the Signature Initiatives. 

Grant Details

Together with our collaborators, A+D will fund one course per semester, including the costs of course buy-out for one faculty member, two graduate student instructors, and a discretionary grant to support guest speakers and arts experiences for students (e.g. tickets for performances, exhibits, and field trips)

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted through the online Google form by Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Results will be announced directly to applicants and department chairs by Friday, February 1, 2019. For questions and additional information, please write to Les Gorske at lesgorske@berkeley.edu. Applications who are unfamiliar with the format of L&S 25 are encouraged to talk through details with A+D staff prior to submitting a proposal.