PUTNEY — On Nov. 14, artist and social justice performer Carlton Turner will present “Imagining the Re-integration of Art and Humanity” at Next Stage Arts at 15 Kimball Hill in Putney. Turner's event kicks off the Voices of Community conference, a weeklong celebration of local artists and activists. It is also the final Landmark College Academic Speaker Series event in 2016. Turner's presentation will be from 7 to 10 p.m., with a reception following, and is open to the community. Admission is free.
Turner's talk is the keynote address for Voices of Community, which will run from Nov. 13 to 20. Events include a Zydeco dance party, Carpetbag Theater's “Speed Killed My Cousin,” and a play about an African-American combat soldier's experience with PTSD. For information and tickets, visit www.sandglasstheater.org. The keynote is free, but an RSVP via the website is requested.
According to a news release, “Imagining the Re-integration of Art and Humanity” is a call to action “for all of those interested in understanding the answers to the greatest challenges of our time.” The talk will examine the connection between the commodification of art and the separation of art from cultural practice. It will also explore the impact of that disconnection on the development of our collective humanity.