Arts & Culture

Alumna Leslye Lyons founded the nonprofit Words Alive to help children and teens find joy in reading.

This fall, WashU will launch The Engaged City. Building on the long-running Divided City initiative, and funded in part by a $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, The Engaged City aims to highlight St. Louis’ cultural resources.

A remembrance of poet and WashU English professor Howard Nemerov has been named to the Notable Essays list in “Best American Essays 2024.” The piece, by Nemerov’s son Alexander, was first published by The Common Reader, the journal of essays and ideas housed at WashU.

The James Baldwin Review, co-founded by WashU’s Justin A. Joyce and Dwight A. McBride, celebrates its 10th anniversary, as well as Baldwin’s centenary. A feature essay by WashU’s William Maxwell explores an unexpected connection between Baldwin and Susan Sontag.

Douglas Flowe, an associate professor of history in Arts & Sciences, is featured in “San Juan Hill: Manhattan’s Lost Neighborhood,” which will premiere Oct. 9 at the New York Film Festival. Flowe also was recently featured in episodes of the History Channel series “Prison Chronicles.”

In October, the Department of Music in Arts & Sciences will present recitals featuring three internationally known pianists: Ingrid Jacoby (Oct. 13), Juho Pohjonen (Oct. 20) and Polina Osetinskaya (Oct. 28). Pohjonen’s performance also will feature cellist Zlatomir Fung and violinist Erin Schrieber in the St. Louis debut of “Other Pines,” a recent work by WashU composer Christopher Stark.

The “Design Agendas” public symposium, presented by WashU’s Kemper Art Museum and Sam Fox School, will explore the past, present and future of St. Louis urban design Oct. 25 and 26.

Internationally acclaimed playwright, screenwriter, installation artist and MacArthur “genius grant” recipient Lynn Nottage will receive the 2025 International Humanities Prize from Washington University in St. Louis.

The William H. Gass Centenary Celebration and exhibit “William H. Gass: Fifty New Acquisitions” will shed new light on one of America’s most inspired — and intimidating — writers. Gass was author of the masterpieces “Omensetter’s Luck” and “Middle C” as well as three essay collections that won the National Book Critics Circle Awards for criticism.