Feet to the Fire is a major undertaking on Wesleyan’s campus to
examine critical environmental issues through multiple lenses,
from science to art. This program is dedicated to the
proposition that a multidisciplinary examination that includes
art will provide a more comprehensive and deeper
understanding of these global issues. The Feet to the Fire
Program includes lectures, performances, co-taught
teaching modules, and courses by the faculty, visiting
artists and lecturers, student run fora, community eco-arts
festivals, afterschool programs for children, and the First Year Matters program. Each year, the campus adopts an environmental theme for its First Year Matters program, such as water, global climate change or hunger. During orientation, first-year students engage in multidisciplinary discussions about the theme but also participate in a Common Moment in which the arts are used to catalyze and embody our understanding.
Feet to the Fire was originally launched in 2008 with a leadership grant from Arts Presenters Creative Campus Innovations Program, a component of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Feet to the Fire Project Summary