In the Loop
General News : Oct 12, 2017

Lucinda Lavelli: Commemorating the Arts and Humanities of the Campus and Community

An op-ed piece written in celebration of National Arts & Humanities Month

By Lucinda Lavelli

Each year, American for the Arts coordinates the countrywide celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month.

This year, UF is celebrating multiple milestones, including the Constans Theatre’s 50th anniversary, the School of Music’s 90th, and the Florida Museum’s 100th.

In addition to these historical markers, this month is an opportunity to commemorate the relationship between the campus and community. The School of Theatre + Dance co-produces shows with the Hippodrome Theatre, and the Gainesville Civic Chorus performs with the School of Music. The School of Art + Art History partnership with City of Gainesville’s Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department on the 352Walls project.

We especially appreciate Mayor Lauren Poe and the City Council for recognizing National Arts and Humanities Month, proclaiming the unique role that arts and humanities play in the lives of our families, communities and country, which bring people together across borders, ethnicities, languages and cultures.


Lucinda Lavelli is dean of the University of Florida’s College of the Arts.

Read her op-ed in the Gainesville Sun at www.gainesville.com.