Leslie Buxbaum
Leslie Buxbaum
Associate Professor of Practice in the Arts, Committee on Theater and Performance Studies; Faculty Affiliate, Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality
University of Chicago
Research Project
Arts Labs
Project Team:
2024 – 2025
Soundproof room for acoustical research, Bell Telephone Laboratories. Photo by Keystone/Getty Images.
Key Question
What spaces are most effective at nurturing creative projects that require dialogue among scholars and artists?
Project Summary
Six independent but linked initiatives will shape and support a culture of experimentation and critical analysis around arts research on campus.
Six independent but linked initiatives will shape and support a culture of experimentation and critical analysis around arts research on campus. Our projects include conceptual and practical workshops in opera; the creation of a Movement Theory Lab; a dance-theater adaptation of a classic dramatic text; workshopping a new musical with Court Theater; diversity initiatives in contemporary literary publishing; and renewed operations of the Black Cinema House, bringing UChicago faculty and visiting artists into conversation at the intersection of scholarly inquiry and artistic making. The labs will create space for the development of creative projects while fostering dialogue among scholars and artists (and artist-scholars) about the opportunities and challenges of artistic research.
Research Team
Theaster Gates
Theaster Gates
Professor of Visual Arts and the College; Director of Arts + Public Life
University of Chicago
David Levin
David Levin
Interim Faculty Director, Neubauer Collegium (2025–26); Alice H. and Stanley G. Harris Jr. Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Germanic Studies, Department of Cinema & Media Studies, the Committee on Theater and Performance Studies, and the College
University of Chicago
Tina Post
Tina Post
Associate Professor of English, Creative Writing, and Theater and Performance Studies; Affiliate Faculty, Department of Visual Arts and Art History
University of Chicago
Srikanth "Chicu" Reddy
Julia Rhoads
Julia Rhoads
Director of the Dance Program and Assistant Senior Instructional Professor, Committee on Theater and Performance Studies
University of Chicago
Project Narrative
Carousel with 3 slides shown at a time. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate, or the slide dot buttons at the end to jump to slides.
Neubauer Collegium Extends Support for Arts Labs
Neubauer Collegium Extends Support for Arts Labs
A new phase of the Arts Labs initiative will deepen the research team's experimental arts research on campus.
McSweeney's Presents "The Make Believers"
Reading
McSweeney's Presents "The Make Believers"
This event celebrated a special issue of McSweeney's magazine published on the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
New Directions in Literary Publishing: A Poetry Reading and Editorial Roundtable
Discussion
New Directions in Literary Publishing: A Poetry Reading and Editorial Roundtable
This poetry reading and editorial roundtable featured some of the most exciting new voices in contemporary American poetry.
Black Cinema House: Terence Nance
Film Screening
Black Cinema House: Terence Nance
This event featured a screening of works by Terence Nance followed by a discussion between the artist and BlackStar Projects CEO Maori Karmael Holmes.
A New Philosophy of Opera
Discussion
A New Philosophy of Opera
Opera director Yuval Sharon discussed his new book, A New Philosophy of Opera, with David Levin and Samir Mayekar.
Movement Theory Lab: Discussion with Angélique Willkie
Discussion
Movement Theory Lab: Discussion with Angélique Willkie
Following her performance of Confession Publique, performer and dramaturg Angélique Willkie discussed her artistic practice with Clara Nizard.
Movement Theory Lab: A Conversation with Lara Kramer
Discussion
Movement Theory Lab: A Conversation with Lara Kramer
At this event multidisciplinary artist Lara Kramer led a conversation with members of the Movement Theory Lab about her work.
The Thinking and Making of Experimental Art
Discussion
The Thinking and Making of Experimental Art
This Humanities Day discussion explored the aims and activities of the Arts Labs research project at the Neubauer Collegium.
Carousel with 3 slides shown at a time. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate, or the slide dot buttons at the end to jump to slides.
Neubauer Collegium Extends Support for Arts Labs
Neubauer Collegium Extends Support for Arts Labs
A new phase of the Arts Labs initiative will deepen the research team's experimental arts research on campus.
Carousel with 3 slides shown at a time. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate, or the slide dot buttons at the end to jump to slides.
McSweeney's Presents "The Make Believers"
Reading
McSweeney's Presents "The Make Believers"
This event celebrated a special issue of McSweeney's magazine published on the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
New Directions in Literary Publishing: A Poetry Reading and Editorial Roundtable
Discussion
New Directions in Literary Publishing: A Poetry Reading and Editorial Roundtable
This poetry reading and editorial roundtable featured some of the most exciting new voices in contemporary American poetry.
A New Philosophy of Opera
Discussion
A New Philosophy of Opera
Opera director Yuval Sharon discussed his new book, A New Philosophy of Opera, with David Levin and Samir Mayekar.
Movement Theory Lab: Discussion with Angélique Willkie
Discussion
Movement Theory Lab: Discussion with Angélique Willkie
Following her performance of Confession Publique, performer and dramaturg Angélique Willkie discussed her artistic practice with Clara Nizard.
Movement Theory Lab: A Conversation with Lara Kramer
Discussion
Movement Theory Lab: A Conversation with Lara Kramer
At this event multidisciplinary artist Lara Kramer led a conversation with members of the Movement Theory Lab about her work.
The Thinking and Making of Experimental Art
Discussion
The Thinking and Making of Experimental Art
This Humanities Day discussion explored the aims and activities of the Arts Labs research project at the Neubauer Collegium.
Carousel with 3 slides shown at a time. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate, or the slide dot buttons at the end to jump to slides.
Black Cinema House: Terence Nance
Film Screening
Black Cinema House: Terence Nance
This event featured a screening of works by Terence Nance followed by a discussion between the artist and BlackStar Projects CEO Maori Karmael Holmes.
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