Interlude: Cultural Centers and Strategies of Being: Creativity, Sanctuary, the Public Square, and Contexts for Exchange

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the theater, the symphony hall, the performing arts center, and so on – has been of considerable value throughout history. It should also be noted that in some cultures – those in which what we refer to as “art” or “culture” in the aesthetic sense is more naturally and seamlessly woven throughout the societal/social experience – the very notion of a “cultural center” might well be considered alien or irrelevant, and certainly unnecessary. But in those societies in which cultural centers are found, it’s my view that such institutions have never been of more potentially critical importance – indeed necessity – than they are today. I say this because I believe the development of one’s own personal strategy of being has never been more critical than it is today, and that cultural centers provide entry to one of the most important aspects of human experience one can employ in the development of such a strategy. I will return to this notion later. I use the word “necessity” here with clear intent. Our world moment is overfilled with the tragic and ominously threatening. Is it possible that a single day now passes in which virtually every woman, man, and child of a certain age in our society does not have at least a passing thought on terrorism, environmental degradation, nuclear proliferation, extreme intolerance, abject poverty, or any other of a growing handful of deeply troubling issues? In the light of such circumstances, it would seem abundantly self-evident that deeply life-affirming experience should rank high on our priority list in the quest for well-being – of individuals, families, communities, societies, and our collective humanity. But it also appears that we often fail to view and actively seek out such experience as a vital counterpoint to the array of life-denying phenomena of our time. This is where the notion of “strategies of being” can step in. I borrow this notion from a brilliant art historian and colleague at the University of Illinois, Jonathan Fineberg, who incorporated it into the title of his intriguing survey of contemporary work published as “Art Since 1940: Strategies of Being.” Drawing upon his strong interest in psychology, Fineberg developed and used the concept to explore the unique