On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, we had the opportunity to hear Deborah Rutter, Vice Provost of the Arts at Duke and former president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. speak to us. Her presentation topic was titled–
The durability of art & culture in the age of uncertainty
How Did it Go?
Ms Rutter gave us a master class in arts leadership. She spoke in a measured manner honed over many years. She knew she was discussing an important topic so she didn’t rush it giving us time to have her ideas bounce around in our head as we thought about what she said.
When it came to Q & A, she was again measured in pace and everything she said was important like a beautiful improvisation organized into segments that built on one another. She is a thinking person with a big heart and it came out in every answer. She has balance not unlike what you experience listening to the first movement of the Brahms 4th Symphony.
Main Ideas?
I regret that I didn’t take better notes as I would like to remind everyone what she said in a more precise manner. Here are some of my takeaways:
=> The arts should have something for everyone. You may not like some genre but others do so let them enjoy it and perhaps give it a try as over time people change and you might appreciate something that you thought you would not like.
=> The arts are important, so important that they will likely extend your life. The uplift from an event, dance or music, is an opportunity to socialize and experience something beautiful with others.
=> The arts have a place in a multidisciplinary education. It’s good to have a rocket science who makes music or a computer scientist who introduces dance in his/her educational materials. We might not understand why but our heart tells us it is the right thing to do.
What Mattered to Me?
The talk taught me to better appreciate how to approach arts leadership. If I had such a job, I am afraid that I would get involved in the day-to-day activities and miss the bigger opportunity. Ms Rutter hangs out with the big ideas and the people that discuss them and take actions. I never appreciated that but I do now.
Joseph Gulla, Ph.D. – Technology thought leader who participates in IT projects focused on the intersection of technology and business
Durham-Chapel Hill Torch Club 