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IAH Salons Blend Community and Fellow Perspectives
Cyndy and John O'Hara hosted salons in 2007.
What is your favorite childhood place?
What is the legacy of the Baby Boomer generation?
How do we grow a vibrant urban arts community?
In a society driven by economic thinking, what is the proper “product” of the University?
These are some of the questions IAH Fellows and local community members discussed at salons hosted this past year at the homes of some of our local friends.
The salons embody one of our core missions: promoting conversation between diverse constituencies. Fellows and community members gather in the home of an Institute supporter for a shared meal and evening of conversation around a topic of mutual interest.
Salons embrace one of IAH founder Ruel Tyson’s time-honored practices of combining serious conversation with food and libation. A continuation of the community dinners initiative developed in 2004, salons are designed to connect our Fellows with others both within and outside the University in thoughtful exchanges about issues of moment.
The first salon took place in October 2007 and included two home-cooked meals provided by hosts John and Cyndy O’Hara. In November, Bill and Julia Grumbles hosted dinner at their home, followed by a gathering at Betty Kenan’s home in February 2008. In April, we gathered at the home of Barbra and Andy Rothschild after several of us toured artists’ lofts in the new Golden Bridge development in Durham.
Tyler Curtain, associate professor of English and comparative literature, attended his first salon in fall 2007. Curtain appreciated the opportunity to mingle with folks outside of academia. Salons, Curtain said, allow faculty to talk to people “interested in what universities like Chapel Hill do, but who themselves aren’t academics. That’s invaluable. It’s a real-world experience.”
In addition to planning local salons for the 2008-2009 academic year, our hope is to take IAH salons on the road, bringing together Fellows and friends nationwide to partake in the IAH tradition of “libations and conversation.”
