Above, watch the playlist of sessions from the 2015 Kennedy Center/Aspen Institute Arts Summit.
The first annual Kennedy Center/Aspen Institute Arts Summit brought together a cross-section of leaders in education, law, technology, music, and entertainment for a series of candid discussions on the role the arts can play in addressing major societal issues.
Watch the playlist of videos above to hear luminaries such as US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, “House of Cards” Creator Beau Willimon, New York Times Columnist David Brooks, and others share their takes on how art intersects life. Here are some highlights to look out for:
- Debate: The Arts and Civic Life: If you were the mayor of a city whose employees were set to lose their pension, would you sell off your museum’s art collection to pay them? Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, Bloomberg Associates Principal Kate Levin, Willimon, and audience members offer their solutions in a debate moderated by Harvard University Professor Michael Sandel
- US Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith: In an enlightening conversation with Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson, Smith notes the parallels between art and technology.
- Free Speech and the Arts: Levin, Brooks, Sotomayor, and the Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis explain the role of morality and free speech in the arts in this lively discussion.
- Slam Poetry: One of many performances of the day, the youth slam poetry group Split this Rock DC tackles subjects of race, identity, and more in a captivating series of slam poetry sessions.
