3.00 Credits
This course will use elements of theatre - acting, playwriting, directing, producing, design and technology - to illustrate how the arts connect to the culture and community in which they exist. Historical trends and the role of the arts in society will be a focus. This course is designed to guide students toward a lifelong curiosity about the arts. A lecture course; no performance skills required. Studying and experiencing the arts, including dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts, develops creative and aesthetic abilities. The arts introduce students not only to artists and their creations, but also to history, cultures, values, technique, imagination, creativity, and issues relevant to society. Students will gain an understanding of the creative process and how to analyze and interpret message and meaning in works of art. While the arts can bring us pleasure, they can also serve to enlighten and illuminate critical issues, lead to personal discoveries, and foster innovation in all fields. Students will learn to think critically about the arts, develop an appreciation for artistic creations, and by viewing live performances and exhibitions, become engaged audience members. Arts inquiry courses use and develop the analytic and interpretive modes of inquiry needed to understand and explore both tangible and abstract artistic works and the cultures in which they exist. In arts inquiry courses, students confront a variety of cultural and artistic expressions in order to gain an understanding of the human condition, and ultimately express their relationship to artistic work, meaning, and the creative process. Attendance at arts events will be required during this course and may require a fee.