The Office of Public Lectures presents: The Art of Refuge, Resistance and Regeneration with Peter Sellars

October 24, 2025 6:30 pm

Town Hall Seattle

Pay What You WillRecordedOpen CART Captioning

Headshot of Peter Sellars Peter Sellars

The arts offer a protected and empowered public space for civic imagination, collective courage, exhilaration, and moral renewal. Their insight, compassion, and creativity provide vital tools for addressing the complexities of divided times. In institutions as varied as hospitals, prisons, schools, courts, businesses, international diplomacy—and within the fabric of our own families—the arts bring shared ideals and imaginative problem-solving to the forefront. 

Human and humane, the arts open space for rethinking through visceral, participatory, and immersive experiences grounded in sound, movement, light, and revelation. They foster mutual trust and deeper understanding through emotional and sensory engagement. 

Registration opens September 10, 2025.

Peter Sellars will share real-world examples drawn from a lifetime of cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary artistic collaborations around the globe—demonstrating how art responds to crisis and catalyzes social transformation in an era of profound stakes. 

About the speaker

Peter Sellars

American Theatre Director

MacArthur Fellow Peter Sellars is a distinguished professor in UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance, where he has taught since 1988. Known for his bold explorations of complex moral issues—including race, war, poverty, and the global refugee crisis—he has shaped transformative courses such as Art as Moral Action and Art as Social Action. 

Sellars has earned international acclaim for his groundbreaking interpretations of artistic masterpieces and his visionary collaborations with a diverse range of creative artists over three decades. His work consistently pushes boundaries, using the arts as a vehicle for social and cultural dialogue. 

Event Accessibility

The University is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodations, contact the UW Disability Services Office at least 10 days in advance at 206-543-6450 (voice), 206-543-6452 (TTY), 206-685-7264 (fax), or dso@uw.edu.