Doctoral Colloquium Series

The colloquium series is a critical aspect of doctoral education. It allows students to begin discussing their research ideas with a broader audience and field questions about their work. 

Student Presentations

Friday, April 25 

Broadway or Bust: Decentralizing Theatre and Embedding it Back Into Communities 

Kristin Danko 

Over the past 40 years, nonprofit theatre has strayed from its original purpose: to rebel against commercial theater putting artistic excellence over profit. With this as the foundation of my research and a focus on small nonprofit theatres, a few questions come to mind: In what ways can theatre decentralize and be embedded into their local communities? What are the barriers for local nonprofit theaters to produce original works? How can the ensemble-based model contribute to more local sustainable theatre? This presentation will highlight the early stages of this research topic, questions, theoretical framework, and potential methodologies. 

Radical Stewardship: Appalachian Art as Cultural Capital for the Social Reform Movement

Morgan Wallace Gilbert

This presentation looks at the weaving and coverlet production at Berea College and the ecosystem developed in Appalachia by its influence during the social reform movement in Appalachia (1890-1920). Berea College and associated settlement schools used the production and promotion of weaving and coverlets to foster cultural stewardship and establish Appalachian craft as valuable cultural and symbolic capital during the craft revival and social reform era.

Many Paths to Knowledge: Exploring Quantitative and Qualitative Research Approaches

March 28, 2025

From Data to Discovery: How Statistics and the UK PADS Hub Can Elevate Your Research!

Did you know that the College of Fine Arts has an active research partnership with the Predictive Analytics and Data Science (PADS) Hub at the University of Kentucky? Come learn how this partnership is elevating collaborative research at all levels of CFA, how you can take advantage of this partnership in your own research, what the optimal timepoints are for statistical consultation, and what steps you can take before your initial consultation to maximize efficiency.

Creative Lives: Student Perspectives

What is the connection between creativity in the life course, the collegiate curriculum, and student development? How do students define creativity, the arts, and their own aesthetics relative to their past experiences, current field of study/major, and future plans? This presentation shares the results of a narrative study exploring college students’ creative life stories. What kinds of aesthetic literacy and experiences do they find important? How do they relate their creative lives to their college curriculum? The research design included modified biographic narrative interviews with 25 undergraduates. The research took place at the University of Kentucky which has an unusual general education requirement for Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity required of ALL undergraduates.

Understanding IRB: Seeking Approval or Exemptions for Your Study

February 28, 2025

This session is designed to provide you with basic information about the IRB submission and approval process including common terminology, the types of projects that require IRB review and approval, the different IRB review types, what to expect during the submission process, common mistakes, helpful tips, and how you can seek assistance and/or guidance before submitting your application.

 Towards New Solidarities: Exploring Democracy as Creative Practice

January 24, 2025

Dr. Andrew Zitcer (Drexel University) and Dr. Tom Borrup (University of Minnesota/University of Kentucky) discuss co-editing Democracy as Creative Practice, a collection of critical reflections by 36 artists from 7 countries exploring their work at the intersection of arts and the promotion of democracy. Drs. Zitcer and Borrup will discuss how the book was conceived and shaped, how it has been received in the field, and ramifications for future research on cultural policy, arts and democracy.

Oral Histories of Arts Administration

November 22, 2024

Women’s Oral Histories of Arts Administration

presented by Dr. Jaleesa Wells and 3rd year PhD student Kate Holland

The Women’s Oral Histories of Arts Administration project addresses a significant gap in the field and highlights the voices of women who contributed to the development of arts administration as a field of study, and the women who continue to pioneer and lead the field through professional practice, research, and education. Importantly, we define the term ‘women’ inclusively and in solidarity with the significant, but often ignored, contributions of women of color, marginalized women, minoritized women, transgender women, and gender non-conforming people who have or are currently leading and innovating the field of arts administration.

Research Methods: Oral History Q&A
presented by Jennifer Bartlett

Oral history research involves collecting and preserving firsthand accounts of past events, experiences, and perspectives through recorded interviews. It emphasizes personal narratives and lived experience, often focusing on individuals or groups whose voices are underrepresented in the traditional historical record. Oral history methodology is similar to ethnographic research but emphasizes preserving individual memories of the past rather than cultural and social systems. This method provides a humanized perspective on history, complementing and expanding the scope of written and archival sources.

Prior Doctoral Colloquium Sessions

2023-24

Doctoral Colloquium Series Videos

2022-23

2022-23 Doctoral Colloquium Series Schedule

Spring 2022

Spring 2022 Colloquium Series Schedule