The City Speaks, a festival of humanities is a series of compelling and thought-provoking talks connecting the arts and humanities to big ideas in our world today. All programs take place at the Dubuque Museum of Art.

2019 Themes:

• Tiny Revolution: An idea that starts out as a conversation that grows and contributes to the betterment of the world.
• Disruption: An idea or innovation that creates a new way of thinking, displacing established approaches or existing conventions.
• Redemption: A powerful and uplifting theme that acknowledged the human potential for renewal after having failed or been broken.
• “Shout”acracy”: A form of civil disobedience in which the loudest voice affects the greatest impact.
• Collective Joy: Group events which involve music, synchronized movement, costumes, and a feeling of loss of self.

2019 Speakers and Talks:

Sunday, September 22
1 PM – 2 PM

• Magdalena Gomez, Performance poet, playwright, and actor

Gomez’ talk will address the subject of bullying in our culture, as viewed through the lens of poetry and art.

Magdalena Gomez is the co-founder and artistic director of Teatro V!da, the first Latinx theater in Springfield, Massachusetts. Gomez is also the founder of the Ferocious Women’s Group and author of Shameless Woman. 

Hosted in collaboration with the Dubuque International Day of Peace

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Wednesday, September 25
12 PM – 1 PM

• Alana Gregory, Carnegie-Stout Library, Dubuque
  

Gregory will speak about self-awareness and self-preservation, using opportunities to challenge beliefs and systems that do not align with one’s civil rights.

• Michaela Freiburger, Chairwoman of the Dubuque County Food Policy Council

A self-described “local foodie”, Freiburger will speak about connections between the arts, culture and food and her work to make policy change and build community in this area.

7 PM

• Fake News: The Problem of Nationalism and Globalism in Art
  Alan Garfield, Professor, Digital Art and Design, Director, Bisignano Art Gallery, University of Dubuque

Garfield’s talk is titled Fake News: The Problem of Nationalism and Globalism in Art. In this short slide lecture, Garfield will look at concepts like “nation”, “homeland”, “unity”, and “identity” in works from the Italian Renaissance to Abstract Expressionism.

• Floods, Mosquitoes, and MP3’s
  Patrick Muller, Kirkwood Community College

Muller’s talk, Floods, Mosquitoes, and MP3’s will present three short vignettes on Arts and Humanities’ value as perspective and resource wells.

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Saturday, September 28
1 PM

• Tea and Conversation with artist Anna Metcalfe
  Anna Metcalfe, Artist Development Coordinator, Springboard for the Arts, St. Paul, Minnesota

Ceramic artist Anna Metcalfe invites participants to attend a “tea conversation” and to share their stories and experiences with water. These conversations are part of a multi-year project called “Upstream”, through which the artist seeks to bring together neighbors and strangers within a watershed and to collect their stories through the simple and universally-understood action of drinking tea.

“Upstream” will be exhibited at the Dubuque Museum of Art in spring 2020, as part of a group exhibition about water.

Metcalfe states, “My work strives to reframe our relationship to land and agriculture, and to create meaningful ways to connect with natural resources. I am primarily interested in how art can be a vehicle for social change.”

Sunday, September 29
1 PM – 2 PM

•  Theatre to Start a Conversation-a tiny revolution
  Lenore Howard, Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Fly-By-Night Productions

Howard’s talk will address the value of art (mainly focusing on theatre) that creates conversation, dialogue, beyond the initial art encounter and that can lead to new perspectives and understanding of the human experience and of our world.