"Seeing 2020: Mind The Gap" Keynote Address: Kevin Young

The theme for 2020 Cornerstone Arts Week, “Seeing 2020: Mind The Gap,” challenges us to recognize that gaps exist between artists from marginalized communities and the broader arts industry.

How can we bridge these gaps in being seen/heard/published/produced? In pay? In representation in public venues? In our own college courses? How can artists be seen and heard from all positionalities, and what are the complexities involved in closing the gaps? How must mainstream audiences educate themselves in order to engage with diverse artists in meaningful ways?

We believe these issues will be addressed in a creative fashion during the week of performances, film screenings, concerts, exhibitions, and keynote addresses.

This year’s Cornerstone Arts Week showcases artists and speakers who are minding the gap through collaborations across social boundaries, involvement in social justice and environmental issues, and seminal discussions involving access to platforms and innovation.