First Installment of New “Door County Talks” Series Discusses Building Community Through the Arts

On Saturday, January 12, at 10 a.m., Door Community Auditorium (DCA) will present a free lecture by Kelli Strickland entitled “Building Community and Common Ground through the Arts.” This marks the first installment of DCA’s brand-new series Door County Talks. A collaboration between DCA and The Door County Civility Project, Door County Talks is a series of five free Saturday morning lectures presented in DCA’s cozy Fireside Lobby.

In her lecture, arts leader, educator, and actor Kelli Strickland will explore the role that the fine and performing arts can play in building civic pride, bridging differences, and healing community trauma. Real-life examples such as The Art of The Rural, Philadelphia Mural Project, and Cornerstone Theatre will reveal the ways in which the arts can transform communities.

Strickland, who currently serves as the Executive and Artistic Director of the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts, has a record of arts advocacy, community engagement programming, arts education, and partnership building across sectors. She is a member of the CEO program at National Arts Strategies and has completed the Executive Fellowship for Arts Management at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

In 2019, the Door County Talks series is themed around promoting civility, strengthening community, and encouraging empathy. All Door County Talks will include a post-talk question-and-answer session with that day’s speaker and a chance to connect with Door County friends and neighbors. Though the lectures are free to the public, freewill donations are encouraged. Kick Ash Coffee will offer coffee and bakery for purchase.

More information about all these events is available at the DCA box office, located at 3926 Highway 42 in Fish Creek. The box office is open Monday-Friday, 12-5 p.m, and can also be reached on the phone at (920) 868-2728 or online at dcauditorium.org.

The DCA winter season is sponsored by Dahl Law Firm and Ross Estate Planning. Special thanks to Passport Program partners, Friends of Gibraltar, and Gibraltar Schools.