Speaker Series: Current/Upcoming

Work and Art, Mandatory Labor and Labor of Love

Throughout history men and women have labored without profit, gain, or thanks to build civilization as we know it. Humans were often forced to work to survive in economic conditions of slavery, serfdom, or as Karl Marx stated, “wage slavery,” in unspeakable conditions to create profits they did not share.

Despite the hours of drudgery that occupy the time and lives of many workers, humans have nevertheless persisted in creating art, music, literature, and works of beauty. Some fortunate few have even been able to find meaningful livelihoods doing what they love to do.

In this series of discussions and debates the Institute for Civic Engagement will explore work and art, mandatory labor, and labor of love. We will also imagine the possibility of a free society in which men and women work to live and create rather than live to work.

January 30
Lance Richbourg, Burlington Artist
(Burlington College, 6 p.m.).

February 6
Sandy Baird, Labor Systems and
the Dream of a Free Society: Slavery, Serfdom, Waged Labor and Freedom(Burlington College, 6 p.m.)

February 16
Tom Verner, Magicians Without Borders
(Burlington College, 2-4 p.m.)

February 20
Film Screening
Tim Robbins’ film “Cradle Will Rock”
A true story of politics and art in the 1930s USA, centered around a leftist musical drama, of lower class workers trying to survive in a growing power-hungry world and the attempts to stop its production.

Screening will be followed by discussion with Executive Producer Allan Nicholls

March 5
Labor Organizing:
Phil Fiermonte and John Franco
(Burlington College, 6 p.m.)”

March 12
Maggie Sherman
Performance Artist (Burlington College, 6 p.m.)

April 2
Ricky Gard Diamond
The Eros Project (Burlington College, 6 p.m.)

April 9
Bill Schubert et al,
Public Funding of Art (Burlington College, 6 p.m.)

Friday, April 18
MYethiOPIA
a solo performance written, directed, and performed by David Schein, is based on his experiences forming and directing the Awassa AIDS Education Circus (now One Love Theater) with a troupe of street kids in a town in southern Ethiopia. (Contois Auditorium BC, 6-8 pm)

April 23
Mark Estrin
The Sustainable BC, 6-8 pm Energy of the Bread and
Puppet Theater (Burlington College, 6 p.m.)