The cover of a book with a navy blue background and an image of light-bending shape against a cream colored wall. The title below the picture states "Soundscape Architecture."

Soundscape Architecture Explores Listening as a Social and Political Act

Soundscape Architecture, a new book co-authored by former UVA School of Architecture Dean Karen Van Lengen, explores how architecture and art can enhance listening as a social and political act. “When we listen, we begin the first act of engagement and communication with others,” writes Van Lengen. “Listening is also critical when we consider our local natural habitats, and it can remind us, in a particularly visceral way, of the fragility of our lived environments, increasingly stressed by climate change. We ask, therefore, how the act of intentional listening can prompt us to engage more fully in the world and with the people in it; and how architecture and urban design can encourage this type of engagement.”

https://c-ville.com/soundscape-architecture-explores-listening-as-a-social-and-political-act/

A blonde woman with a white shirt and white angel wings looks quizzically to the side, and ponders with a thin pointing stick tapping on her chin.

'The Death of Dido: An English Masque’ at The Rotunda 1/18

Originating as a form of festive courtly entertainment in 16th-century Europe, masques contain music, dancing, singing, acting, and allegory. The Death of Dido: An English Masque features an Italianate musical score by Johann Pepusch with an English libretto by Barton Booth, employing the same section of Virgil’s Aeneid as Henry Purcell’s famous 1689 opera Dido and Aeneas. Arias and instrumental music from English theatrical works by Purcell and his contemporaries precede the masque, introducing the audience to the characters and setting the scene for the infamous tale to unfold. Advance registration required. Free, 7:30pm. The Rotunda at UVA, 1826 University Ave. earlymusiccville.org

https://c-ville.com/the-death-of-dido-an-english-masque-at-the-rotunda-1-18/

A purple background with various clipart images: a computer with the Canvas application open, a treble clef, a spaceship, theatre masks, music notes, and a film camera.

Intriguing and Imaginative Arts Courses to Take This Spring Semester

As students fret over perfecting their schedules last-minute, some struggle to select a holistic courseload to engage in all that the University has to offer. There are many exciting art-related classes available every semester, in which students often take advantage of the opportunity to broaden their horizons, fulfill graduation requirements and in certain cases boost their GPA. Whatever the case, here is a list of a few, waiting to be added to schedules and hidden in the Student Information System.

https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2026/01/intriguing-and-imaginative-arts-courses-to-take-this-spring-semester?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_featured

A drawing of an old box TV with an image of a stack of various CDs on the center of the screen, with a background of a red curtain behind the TV.

On Repeat: Modern Film Scores to Romanticize the Start of Your Semester

As friends reunite and the Corner sees life again, it is easy to see Grounds, in its picturesque beauty, as the idealistic setting of an early 2000s rom-com film. The ensuing months will bring on a whirlwind of different emotions and prompt corresponding types of music — but to romanticize your semester to its fullest extent, choose a soundtrack with notes from these striking film scores.

https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2026/01/on-repeat-modern-film-scores-to-romanticize-the-start-of-your-semester?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_featured

A close up photo of A.D. Carson on the left with a bookshelf behind him, and the cover of his book "Being Dope" displayed to the right.

A.D. Carson: Being Dope at New Dominion Bookshop

Join us for an evening with A.D. Carson, who will read from his new memoir, Being Dope: Hip Hop and Theory through Mixtape Memoir. An audience Q&A will follow. This in-person event will be free and open to the public. We recommend arriving early for the best seating.

https://ndbookshop.com/events/a-d-carson-being-dope/

A photo of a blonde smiling middle-aged woman on the left, and a painted portrait of a blonde woman with a serious expression on the right.

Artists in Conversation: Courtney Coker + Suzanne Tanner Chitwood

We invite you to join us on Thursday, January 15, 5:30–6:30PM, for a special conversation between exhibiting artist Courtney Coker and fellow artist Suzanne Tanner Chitwood, on the artist’s body of work on view in Possibility in the Dové Gallery from December 5, 2025–January 23, 2026. In this artist talk, Coker will delve into how the shifting state of her family’s 19th-century farmhouse opens a dialogue about midlife, memory, and the quiet revelations found in nature’s reclaiming of place.

https://www.secondstreetgallery.org/second-street-gallery/p/aic-coker

A bright blue room with tables and six visitors engaging in crafting activities. There is a young woman with a name tag helping a younger child.

Fralin Fun Day - February 7th

The Fralin welcomes community members of all ages to celebrate the opening of our spring exhibitions! Join us throughout the day for a variety of free art-making activities and refreshments.

https://uvafralinartmuseum.virginia.edu/events/fralin-fun-day-1

Two men stand closely in front of a black background and stare directly into eachothers' eyes.

‘The Fifth Step’ at The Paramount Theater 1/8

Experience critically acclaimed British performances with National Theatre Live in HD’s presentation of The Fifth Step. Olivier Award-winner Jack Lowden (“Slow Horses,” Dunkirk) and Emmy- and BAFTA-winner Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, “The Responder”) star in the subversively funny play by David Ireland, directed by Finn den Hertog. In a story built around recovery from alcoholism, the lead characters trade stories, bond over black coffee, and build a fragile friendship based on shared experiences before dangerous truths emerge.

https://c-ville.com/the-fifth-step-at-the-paramount-theater-1-8/

Graphic of three books stacked up with play blocks with the phrase "A&E" placed on top of the books. The background is a gray graphic of a cityscape.

January Book Club: Three Dystopian Novels to Ring in the New Year

With the arrival of the new year comes reflection on the past one, and 2025 was a year ripe for reflection. While it is impossible to condense a year into one defining moment or cultural trend, 2025 felt marked by an explosion of advances in artificial intelligence technology. The increased presence of AI technologies in everyday life — from enabling pervasive surveillance and data collection to spreading political misinformation and stoking partisan division — have resulted in people labeling 2025 as “dystopian” online.

https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2026/01/january-book-club-three-dystopian-novels-to-ring-in-the-new-year?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_featured

A man in a bright yellow sweater stands at a podium with a mic and raps to an audience, with a seated orchestra playing behind him.

My Book: ‘Being Dope: Hip Hop & Theory Through Mixtape Memoir’ By Dr. A.D. Carson

By now, the phrase “Hip-Hop changed my life” is a well-worn cliché, but that won’t stop me from saying it. I’m from the small Central Illinois town of Decatur. My hometown is one of the sites where the war on drugs and many of its battles took place. In 2018, Decatur was listed at number seven in USA Today’s “15 worst cities for Black Americans” and ranked third nationally in their 2019 “America’s fastest shrinking cities” poll.

https://hiphopwired.com/2987643/my-book-being-dope-hip-hop-theory-through-mixtape-memoir-by-dr-a-d-carson/

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