My reflections from this term of taking AAD 550 Art in Society are myriad. I definitely loved class discussions and the conversational process of connecting art, folklore, society, and popular culture. I think my lens has improved, but am sure that developing and strengthening my AAD lens will be an ongoing process as I move through graduate school. This course also reaffirmed my concern that everything is a construct, but in lieu of an existential crisis I discovered that there is a freedom that comes with it. I am free to think outside the box because I know that the box is a construct, so to speak. I think this broadening of how I can think about things will aid me in future classes and research. Everything is a construct, but we do need ways to talk about things. There is, I think, intrinsic value in that. My concept of transmedia has increased and will be helpful as I think about how different media can contribute to one thing or image. Henry Jenkins continues to be relevant! I found this class important insofar as learning how to frame and reframe concepts and ideas. The discussions were a valuable learning tool, as well. Can I please take Art in Society again?

Five Learning Outcome Objectives for AAD 550: Art in Society

1. Develop my AAD “lens.” This means that I will be working on looking at projects, readings, and conversations through a “lens” of theory and practice that reflects an arts management approach.
2. Keep a keen interest in all the ways art, folklore, society, and popular culture feed off one another and intersect in daily life and happenings.
3. Explore and research ways to promote the idea that “art is for everyone,” and learn how to make the arts more inclusive. How do I work to break down that wall between “high art” and “folk art” (among other categorizations of “art”) when the categories are artificially constructed? I feel that doing this, even in some small way, would increase accessibility to the arts.
4. Increase my use of media and transmedia storytelling to enhance a folkloristic approach to advocacy through the arts.
5. Become better versed in how to evaluate community response to the arts and arts programming.