As difficult as they have been, I have been continually inspired by the creativity, the resilience, and the boundless determination that students, faculty, and staff across the Betsy and John Casteen Arts Grounds have shown and will continue to show. It is a testament not only to their talent and passion but to the critical role the arts play in all our lives – something of which we have been reminded of constantly over the past year-and-a-half.

In this issue, we are proud to showcase many stories highlighting this fact and shine a deserving spotlight on people and projects that make our university, our community, and our world a better place.  

You’ll learn how a group of young artists transformed the backyard of the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection into a vibrant wandering sculpture trail, and how a collaborative project with a talented local artist quite literally shone a light in the darkness by transforming some of UVA’s most historic buildings into canvases. You’ll hear about how UVA alumnus and Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 star Jason George and his castmates and creative team navigated the complex pandemic waters to bring powerful stories to viewers; and how the great writer and director Moisés Kaufman and his Tectonic Theatre Project colleagues once again shared their mentoring magic with students through a dynamic virtual residency.  

We’ll share how a young UVA undergraduate student turned to poetry during the lockdown and then parlayed that into a book deal, how another student made a last-minute pivot from directing a Shakespeare play to adapting it for the radio; and how a group of architecture and drama students used their imaginations and training to earn top honors in a prestigious national design competition. You’ll also learn how the Studio Art department gave students the in-person gallery exhibition they richly deserved, about more accolades for WTJU 91.1FM, and what the future looks like for political cartoons. 

Thank you as always for your interest in and support of the Arts at UVA. It has never been more appreciated or more important. We hope you enjoy these stories of how art can shine a light in the darkness and bring us out on the other side with a renewed sense of purpose and passion.

Best wishes, 

Jody Kielbasa
Vice Provost for the Arts
Director, Virginia Film Festival
University of Virginia
Contact: uvaartsmagazine@virginia.edu