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Message from the Dean
Dear CTSA community, Sustainability takes many forms. Fundamentally, it’s a matter of stewardship and intentional commitment to the future. At Claire Trevor School of the Arts, our scope and practice of sustainability is ever-evolving. In an era where discussions around sustaining human-made art alongside artificial intelligence continue to grow, CTSA artists and practitioners challenge conventions — pushing artmaking beyond its boundaries while remaining deeply connected to material, history, process and — most importantly — the human people making art. Our community is committed to wellness, creating with minimal waste and examining both pressing concerns and future possibilities through art.
In this issue, we share stories about Professor Emerita Antoinette LaFarge and Associate Dean of Innovation Jesse Colin Jackson reframing art, ecology and sustainability in the Beall Center for Art + Technology’s latest exhibition, Engaging the Margins. Department of Drama scenic faculty Efren Delgadillo Jr. and Yee Eun Nam share how they incorporate sustainable practices in live theater productions. Department of Dance M.F.A. alumna Sakina Ibrahim unveils the power of community building through her nonprofit, Dance Arts Academy, and service leadership in response to the Los Angeles wildfires. Dean’s Arts Board member and Department of Art alumnus Derek Sabori reflects on his journey as a steward for both the environment and the arts. Finally, you will meet two Ph.D. students in the Department of Music whose work is grounded in nature’s sounds and histories — offering sustainable perspectives through composition and performance.
The connections between sustainability and the arts remind us that creativity is a resource that replenishes, inspires and drives change. Our artists, scholars and practitioners demonstrate how the arts can reimagine possibilities, nurture resilience and deepen our relationship with the world. Their work reminds us that the choices we make in creative expression can leave a lasting impact, ensuring the vitality of the arts and the planet together for generations to come.
We embrace the opportunity to deepen our collective engagement with the arts and sustainability. Thank you for being part of an initiative that invites us to reimagine what is possible when creativity and responsibility connect.
