Pelton, Orchard at ProArts forum

Emerson President Lee Pelton and ArtsEmerson Executive Director Rob Orchard are participating in a forum Friday, November 22, that will examine the role of Boston-area colleges and universities in shaping of the arts.

The event is organized by the ProArts Consortium, an association of six neighboring colleges dedicated to the arts, including Emerson and Berklee College of Music, where the forum is being held.

The forum will explore how the work of these institutions fits into the larger arts ecology of the city of Boston as a whole. Issues to be explored include: public education in the arts; arts education in Boston as a magnet for young aspiring artists from across the country and the globe; the city of Boston as a home for innovative graduates of its arts institutions; and arts colleges and universities as the creators of content that inspires and entertains the general public.

The evening will feature a moderated panel discussion followed by breakout sessions led by the presidents of major arts colleges in Boston, including Pelton. Orchard will serve as a discussion panelist.

Other educational leaders in attendance include Dawn Barrett, president of MassArt; San San Wong, senior program officer for the Barr Foundation; Anne Clark, headmaster for Boston Arts Academy; and Marion Forrester, artist and educator for the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.

Farrah Stockman, columnist for the Boston Globe, will moderate the panel discussion.

Live music will be provided by Los Rumberos de Boston.