AUBURN, Ala — The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University announces the 2025 Auburn Forum for Southern Art and Culture, set for Saturday, Feb. 8 from 1 to 5 p.m. CT. Launched in 2024, the Forum is dedicated to institutionalizing object-based learning and museum-enhanced pedagogy through the artistic and scholarly investigation of the American South. In addition to the free, in-person gathering at the museum, the program will livestream on YouTube via @thejulemuseum.

Located in Alabama, Auburn University resides in a region rich in all forms of creative expression—visual arts, music, food, literature and fashion. Additionally, the university’s growing art collection, including the Imprinting the South Collection, features numerous artists from and influenced by the South, providing ample opportunities for The Jule to collaborate with faculty, other museum professionals and peer institutions.

The 2024 Auburn Forum

“Museums play a pivotal role in advancing research within a university setting. By fostering an environment where artistic and scholarly investigations intersect, we contribute to a richer, more nuanced understanding of our cultural and historical landscapes. The Auburn Forum exemplifies The Jule’s commitment to contributing to creative scholarship in higher education and enriching experiences for students and scholars alike,” said Cindi Malinick, museum executive director.

The organizing theme for 2025 is “Teaching Making,” inviting scholars and practitioners to deepen understanding of connections between art, instruction and place through a series of presentations, conversations and audience exchanges.

Presenters include Randi Evans, PhD, manager of public practice and community partnerships, The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn University; Michelle Millar Fisher, The Ronald C. and Anita L. Wornick Curator of Contemporary Decorative Arts, Museum of Fine Arts Boston; Andrew Freear, director, Rural Studio, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, Auburn University; Maura E. Lucking, PhD, assistant professor, School of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; and, Kyes Stevens, founder and director, Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project, Auburn University.

Students tour the galleries.

“This semester, we are focusing on the work of creative scholarship, and how making objects—across the histories of studio art, craft, design and architecture—is a form of research. The American South is a place rich with the histories of craft schools and creative pedagogy. We hope that our gathering this year can help to celebrate and continue to explore these histories in new ways,” said Chris Molinski, Janet L. Nolan Director of Curatorial and Educational Affairs for The Jule and Forum organizer.

The program is open to students, faculty and the public, with free admission. For more information about the Forum and to register for the event, please visit jcsm.auburn.edu or contact jcsm@auburn.edu.