Rebuilding and Reimagining: Elizabeth Wislar on Innovating the Arts Curriculum

The Smartist Podcast

Theatrical designer, educator, and activist Elizabeth Wislar joins Smartistry Founder Melissa Peck to discuss the powerful and innovative new curriculum she developed for her undergraduate theatre class at James Madison University. Wislar, a registered member of the Northern Cherokee Nation, shares the personal career lessons from The Arts Business that she wanted to “pay forward”, as well as her unique approach to confronting the key challenges facing today's arts students. She highlights how Accessibility and Universal Design unexpectedly became a major part of the year's syllabus, and shares ideas and resources to help listeners be more intentional about incorporating DEI principles in their artistic work. Later, Elizabeth discusses the “Rebuilding and Reimagining” module from her course, in which special guests from Broadway (Karen Olivo and Eden Espinosa) visited and inspired her students.

For more information about Elizabeth Wislar, visit: https://www.jmu.edu/theatredance/people/all-people/wislar-elizabeth.shtml

Watch this episode now on Youtube: https://youtu.be/ykbo-No-jRM

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