It’s been said that the role of an artist is to keep their eyes open, when everyone else’s are shut. In a world increasingly fractured by poverty, racism, and religion, what is our responsibility as artists to address the problems we see? Does art have the power to bring change? To heal? Must artists be cultural watchdogs or are we only responsible to our creative vision? Enjoy a lively discussion about the role of artists and art in today’s society and, with the Goodman’s production of Rebecca Gillman’s A True History of the Johnstown Flood as a springboard, how we understand and cope with disaster through creativity.

Panelists include: painter David Gista; playwright-performers Rohina Malik and Coya Paz; and psychotherapist Deborah Hellerstein.

This CONTEXT event is sponsored by Goodman Theatre in association with TH!NKART, an International Art Gallery and Policy Salon, and The Public Square, a program of the Illinois Humanities Council.

Recorded Monday, April 19, 2010 at ThinkArt Salon.