First hour: Discussing when and why art is censored
Second hour: Previewing the 2023 Gateways Music Festival
In March, a small Idaho college banned the work of three artists. The work was, in different ways, about abortion and birth control access. Idaho state law prohibits state funds from being used to perform, promote, or counsel in favor of abortion. PEN America joined other organizations in criticizing this particular art ban. Now the exhibit is on display in Rochester at Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo). We discuss the exhibit, “Unconditional Care: Listening to People’s Health Needs,” and censorship in art. Our guests:
- Bleu Cease, director of RoCo
- Katrina Majkut, artist and curator of “Unconditional Care: Listening to People’s Health Needs”
- Michelle Hartney, artist
Then in our second hour, the Gateways Music Festival is back in Rochester next month, and this year’s event brings new performances and new leadership. President and artistic director Lee Koonce will step down in January, handing the reins to nationally-renown clarinetist and speaker Alex Lang, who joined Gateways as executive director in July. This hour, we discuss the impact of Gateways’ expansion across the country, this year’s chamber music performances, and what to expect for the future of the festival. Our guests:
- Lee Koonce, president and artistic director of the Gateways Music Festival
- Alex Laing, executive director of the Gateways Music Festival
- Monica Ellis, Gateways musician, and bassoonist with Imani Winds
