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A Comprehensive History of the Goth Subculture

Lucid Laudenbach

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November 19, 2025

A Comprehensive History of the Goth Subculture

The goth subculture has largely become an enigma to the common person. Nowadays, it’s widely misattributed to numerous things: primarily, emo, punk, or “baddie” culture. It has been blamed for numerous school shootings, such as Columbine, and goths have been the victims of violence in the past; in the case of Sophia Lancaster and Robert Maltby, the pair were attacked and murdered in 2007 by a group of teenagers for identifying with the goth subculture.

Let’s get one thing straight: goths aren’t evil. Goths aren’t satanic. Not all goths engage in self-harm, smoking, or drug use. Likely, all of the stereotypes you’ve been taught about goths are wrong; in actuality, the goth subculture has a long and rich history, full of moody music and people with fishnets and wild hair. In honor of the spooky season passing by, let me—a baby bat, or newer goth for clarification—lead you into a deep dive through the comprehensive history of the goth subculture, going all the way back to where it started up until now.

Intro to Gothic Horror (1700s-1900s)

The gothic horror genre is the first traceable aspect of goth culture. It is categorized by incredibly gloomy and dark elements, ranging from despair and decay to witchcraft. Many gothic horror novels play with the supernatural and death.

While the first novel that was widely considered to be “gothic horror” was written in 1764, the genre can be traced back even further; many early gothic writers were inspired by elements of William Shakespeare’s work, with many of his most notable tragedies—such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet—containing ghosts, supernatural occurrences, witchcraft, and revenge. John Milton’s Paradise Lost, written in 1667, also proved to be an early baseline for Gothic writers, particularly taking note of Milton’s depiction of the anti-hero Satan. This character would serve as a model for many Gothic villains and Byronic heroes. Poetry also proved to be a line of inspiration, beginning with Alexander Pope’s 1717 poem Eloisa to Abelard, containing a tale of star-crossed lovers with religious terror and melancholic imagery. This poem’s influence can be observed through Horace Walpole’s work, along with many other 18th-century Gothic literature artists. The Graveyard Poets—pre-Romantic poets categorized by their depictions of mortality—also laid the early foundations of common gothic imagery, crafting the depictions of skulls, graveyards, and bones that became staples of the gothic genre.

Many early Gothic works were set in castles or other medieval settings. In the 1700s, England in particular had an obsession with reclaiming a shared past; works set in medieval times became more prominent and widely accepted, even before the first widely regarded Gothic novel. Even as the gothic horror genre expanded outside the confines of Europe, medieval settings still remained commonplace, later being observed in works by Edgar Allan Poe and other American authors.

The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole is largely regarded as the first Gothic horror novel, and included the subtitle of A Gothic Story in later editions. It was generally unpopular upon its release; many felt that a modern author should not be writing about the supernatural in a “rational” age. In spite of this, the story inspired many imitations, such as Clara Reeve’s The Old English Baron (1778) and Sophia Lee’s The Recess (1783-85). The gothic novel’s popularity was at its height in the 1790s, synonymous with Ann Radcliffe’s strides into the genre. Her 1794 novel The Mystery of Udolpho was a bestseller, critical in setting off the craze.

As gothic literature began to grow in popularity, it gave birth to a new formation of the genre: the Female Gothic. The subgenre was guided by writers such as Radcliffe and Mary Shelley, and provided an outlet for the sexual and societal desires of women to be stated. Many common narratives of the female Gothic were an absent mother and fleeing from a villainous father, alongside the emergence of the ghost story, which permitted women to write about something other than the common marriage narrative. Other authors, such as Mary Robinson, opted to abolish the damsel-in-distress and instead feature sexually assertive heroines, transgressing traditional gender conventions of the female Gothic.

Another form of Gothic was the Gothic bluebooks and chapbooks, which were shorter and cheaper versions of Gothic literature. Many of these pieces were plagiarized from preexisting Gothic novels, with Matthew Lewis’s The Monk becoming a particularly strong target. This saturation of Gothic literature was met with much criticism and made the Gothic genre a subject of many satirical pieces and parodies. This satire was most prominent from the 1790s to the 1820s, eventually outnumbering actual Gothic pieces in 1800. Jane Austen, most known for her work Pride and Prejudice, also dipped her toes into satirical Gothic literature with her 1818 novel Northanger Abbey.

The second generation of Gothic horror was spurred on by the works of Lord Byron and provided the foundation for the Byronic hero. Lord Byron was a particularly prominent figure in Gothic history, having hosted a ghost-story competition on the banks of Lake Geneva in 1816. From this competition, two notable pieces of Gothic literature spawned: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) and John William Polidori’s short story “The Vampyre” (1819). Both pieces were incredibly influential, with “The Vampyre” creating a vampire craze and Frankenstein starting the science fiction genre alongside Jane C. Loudon’s The Mummy! (1827).

During the second generation, Gothic began to spread to other countries. Countries such as Germany, Spain, and Russia began honing Gothic novels, with many drawing on societal folklore and religion. Consequently, it began to fizzle out as the dominant genre in England as the Victorian era began, being replaced by the newly formed historical fiction. Gothic short stories remained popular, however, in the form of chapbooks called penny dreadfuls. One of the most influential penny dreadfuls is Varney the Vampire, released anonymously in 1847, which introduced the trope of vampires possessing sharp teeth/fangs.

The most influential Gothic writer of the Victorian era was Edgar Allan Poe, an American who reinterpreted many Gothic tropes. Widely, he is considered the master of the American Gothic, and many of his stories and poems have gone on to influence many other Gothic writers. He is known for works such as his poems “The Raven”, “Annabel Lee”, and “The Bells”, alongside his short stories The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Black Cat.

Many novels were also known to draw from Gothic ideals, such as Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847), which included a Byronic hero and supernatural occurrences. Famous author Charles Dickens was also heavily influenced by the Gothic genre, having read many Gothic novels in his childhood. Many of his pieces, including Oliver Twist (1837-1838) and Great Expectations (1860-1861), include gloomier elements common with Gothic literature, such as a dark atmosphere and engendering melancholic feelings. Gothic also created religious connections, with many Irish Catholic and Anglo-Irish writers beginning to write within the genre.

The 1880s saw the revival of Gothic under the subgenre Urban Gothic, fictionalizing the fin de siecle (end of century) fear of ethical degeneration and questioning particular social structures at the time. Popular works underneath this subgenre include Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1888), Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), and Richard Marsh’s The Beetle (1897). Irish writers also produced arguably some of the most influential Gothic pieces of all time, with Sheridan Le Fanu’s In a Glass Darkly (1872) introducing the vampiress Carmilla and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) creating the most famous Gothic villain, Count Dracula.

At the turn of the twentieth century, Gothic literature became intertwined with the rise of Modernism. James Joyce’s 1922 novel Ulysses transforms the living into ghosts, pointing to the historical Irish context in a way that keeps the haunting elements of traditional Gothic novels while simultaneously revoking the supernatural elements present in nineteenth-century Gothic fiction. Pulp magazines reprinted classic Gothic literature by authors such as Poe, while simultaneously printing new authors incorporating both new and old Gothic elements. The most significant author was H.P. Lovecraft, who developed the Cthulhu Mythos, something that would influence Gothic writers and contemporary horror. The turn of the century would also cause the development of other Gothic subgenres, such as the Southern Gothic and the Romantic Gothic. Contemporary Gothic would also later be developed by writers such as Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Anne Rice, and remains the most popular form of Gothic literature in the modern day.

Gothic horror continued to be popular throughout the 1900s, spawning many movie remakes of classic Gothic novels—such as the 1931 Dracula movie, starring Bela Lugosi—and many writers imitating the classic Gothic style. Soon, however, Gothic horror would give rise to a new form of Gothic, this time spawning in the world of popular culture and music.

Proto-Goth and Post-Punk (1900s-1980s)

Proto-goth, or literally “original goth”, is considered the precursor to what would later become Gothic rock. Psychedelic rock, rock and roll, and proto-metal are among the genres encompassed in the proto-goth title, with some rather unorthodox influences being named when discussing proto-goth influences.

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins is one of the first instances of proto-goth. A pioneer of “shock rock,” Hawkins frequently employed gothic elements in his performances, including rising out of coffins and brandishing a walking stick decorated with a skull. His most famous song, “I Put A Spell On You,” is a blues-style horror ballad, complete with grunting and moaning alongside chilling instrumentals. True to his name, Hawkins also employed screaming in many of his tracks, proving himself as a precursor to the metal genre as well.

In the same vein lies Alice Cooper, considered the “Godfather of Shock Rock” by many due to his theatrical performances combining horror movie elements with live music. His performances were also deeply rooted in a darker hilarity, being cited by journalist Simon Reynolds as an influence due to his “theatrics and black humor”.

When citing gothic influences, most opt to point to the Velvet Underground & Nico. Their darker, experimental sounds alongside the cold tones of Nico’s vocals set them apart from many other ’60s and 70s bands, with Nico’s 1969 album, “The Marble Index”, occasionally being considered the first goth album. Nico is widely debated as the “first-ever goth girl,” and her voice is praised for its melancholic, icy tone, marking her and the Velvet Underground as staples for the gothic genre. Even following Nico’s departure from the band, the Velvet Underground continued perpetuating gothic sounds, setting them in stone as one of the most influential rock bands in history alongside their gothic label.

By far, however, one of the most prominent examples of proto-goth is the Doors. A psychedelic rock band from the 60s, the Doors stood out due to their moody sounds and poetic lyrics, courtesy of lead singer Jim Morrison. The Doors were the first band to ever be labeled with the gothic rock genre, even as far back as 1967, following the band’s debut. Indirectly, the gothic rock pipeline can be traced back to them, casting aside the fact that they were the first ones to be considered the genre in the first place. In October of 1967, at the University of Michigan, the Doors performed a rather disastrous set, resulting in much of the Homecoming crowd being angry. Their sound was terrible due to a haphazardly put-together sound system, and Jim Morrison was angrily and drunkenly shouting back at the crowd. This show was attended by a young James Newell Osterberg Jr., who was captivated by the performance and felt he had no excuse not to engender the same feelings with his own band. He went on to develop the stage name Iggy Pop and formed the Stooges, considered to be the first ever punk band.

Punk rock quickly rose throughout the 1970s as a predominant response to the failure of the hippie movement of the 60s. Punk music was characterized by its angry sounds and political lyrics, while punk culture was characterized by anarchy, mohawks, and spikes. It was widely considered to be a much heavier response to the failures of the hippie movement. In the midst of the 70s, however, brought a harsher viewpoint of the punk genre, with many punks believing that punk rock had become a sterile genre, giving in to corporate interests while failing to follow through with the same ideals that formed punk to begin with.

In the wake of this shift in 1977 came the post-punk genre, which was used to describe bands that departed from the harsher sounds of traditional punk rock and experimented with non-goth influences and sounds. Many post-punk bands experimented with funk, jazz, and electronic music, seeking a wider medium for their work. The first post-punk band is considered to be Siouxsie and the Banshees, being claimed to be the first group to make the transition from punk to post-punk by music journalist David Stubbs. Public Image Ltd is another widely recognized pioneer of the post-punk genre, having been formed by former Sex Pistols lead singer John Lydon, who disbanded Sex Pistols due to feeling that punk music had become too commercialized and predictable. The band Wire’s shift in musical direction also marked a crucial starting point for post-punk, alongside the formation of bands such as Magazine, Cabaret Voltaire, and Gang of Four. Later post-punk bands would include the Cure, the Damned, Joy Division, and the Raincoats.

By the late 70s, post-punk was still a thriving genre and would continue to be such until suffering a decline in the 1990s. From post-punk came several new musical genres, including avant-garde funk, new wave, and gothic rock. The gothic scene had its foundation laid during the post-punk craze, with many post-punk bands later being considered the mothers and fathers of gothic rock. However, gothic rock truly did not get its start until the band Bauhaus released their debut single, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”, in 1979, thus birthing the gothic subculture.

Bauhaus and the Birth of Goth (1980s)

The emergence of gothic nightclubs, such as the F Club in the late 70s and 80s, set the stage for the gothic rock genre to formulate. While many post-punk bands had begun receiving the gothic rock label, the birth of goth is understood to lie with Bauhaus. They released the single “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” in 1979, stating it was a “tongue-in-cheek” song. It was widely taken seriously, however, and from then on, many post-punk bands began incorporating gothic elements into their music. Siouxsie and the Banshees’s fourth album, Juju, lyrically and sonically included a darker aesthetic, a fact attributed by bassist Steven Severin to the influence of rock band the Cramps. The Cure followed suit, releasing a trio of albums—Seventeen Seconds (1980), Faith (1981), and Pornography (1982)—that solidified them into the genre. Quickly, the Cure became the most successful gothic rock band, both in terms of commercial success and influence. Their style became known as “withdrawn”, conflicting with many of their contemporaries at the time. Nick Cave’s band, the Birthday Party, became known for drawing on violent Old Testament imagery, with their song “Release the Bats” in 1981 becoming particularly influential for the early goth scene.

Goth further continued to expand in 1981 as bands became more attuned to gothic music. UK Decay frontman Steve Abbott used the term “punk gothique” to describe his band’s music, a term that would later be used in a Sounds article to speculate on the future comings of the genre. Writer Cathi Unsworth considers Abbott to be the first to attribute the gothic label to music and culture. In spite of bands’ positive reception towards the label, the general public was still rather hostile towards the subculture until 1982, when the nightclub the Batcave opened. The Batcave became an important part of gothic culture, with many emerging gothic rock bands—such as Specimen—performing there regularly. Also in 1982 came the publication of Propaganda Magazine, a catch-all gothic-centric magazine that pushed the genre further into the international mainstream. The term “positive punk” was formulated in 1983 to describe the scene, being attributed to bands like Bauhaus, UK Decay, Alien Sex Fiend, and other staple gothic rock bands at the time. Myriad Goth also emerged this year.

A shift in gothic culture became evident with the formation of the Sisters of Mercy, a gothic rock band from Leeds. According to journalist Jennifer Park, “The original blueprint for gothic rock had mutated significantly. Doom and gloom was no longer confined to its characteristic atmospherics, but as the Sisters demonstrated, it could really rock.” The band created a harder sound for gothic rock, inspiring many more mutations of the gothic genre, including a more ethereal version presented in bands such as Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins. Later stages emerged in the late 80s and 90s, with many bands emerging from dissolved gothic rock bands (such as Bauhaus and the Sisters of Mercy).

The United States also received its fair share of gothic rock culture. Californian bands such as 45 Grave and Christian Death emerged with a new subculture called deathrock, which was a more punk-rock-inspired take on gothic rock, utilizing glam rock and horror movie visuals. Many American punk bands were credited with being influential to the genre and considered pioneers of other goth-adjacent genres such as “gothabilly” and “horror punk”.

For the remainder of the 1980s, gothic rock and deathrock seemed to mellow out, turning more underground for a brief moment. By the time the 1990s came around, however, the gothic rock genre saw its “third wave”, effectively reviving and transforming the genre.

A Gothic Evolution (1990s-present)

The 1990s brought on a different and unique version of gothic music, courtesy of crossovers from the industrial music, electronic, and metal scenes. Gothic rock became rather repetitive and techno, and it largely took over the original gothic rock scene, with many first-generation gothic rock songs and deathrock songs getting taken off of club setlists. This resulted in the goth movement largely turning underground, breaking into even more subgenres, including cyber goth, shock rock, and gothic metal.

Gothic metal was widely praised for blending gothic elements with heavier metal sounds. The most prominent artist of the genre was Marilyn Manson, being considered a “goth-shock icon” and pioneering much of gothic metal. Other pioneers include Type O Negative, My Dying Bride, and Anathema, all from varying parts of the world. The gothic metal band Theatre of Tragedy, in particular, pioneered the “beauty and the beast” vocal style, combining feminine vocals with hard, masculine vocals. Symphonic metal was formed from gothic metal as well, developed by artists such as Nightwish and Within Temptation.

Despite the gothic genre’s turn into the underground, it was far from inactive; gothic elements were still widely observed in popular music, being included in music by bands such as the Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails. The gothic rock and deathrock club night Release the Bats in Halloween 1998 furthered the resurgence; it became the longest-running club night in Long Beach and was Southern California’s most frequented goth night. Its success led to many more deathrock club nights being created, and this—alongside the rise of music piracy giving people access to older deathrock bands—led to the first revival of deathrock. New deathrock bands began to formulate, and many merged elements of deathrock with no wave and synthpunk. Many groups also began to utilize the style popularized by the Batcave, giving rise to the aesthetic that goth is most commonly associated with today.

The gothic subculture was put into question following the 1999 Columbine shooting. Media reports portrayed the two gunmen as members of a gothic cult, furthering suspicions of the gothic subculture. Unfortunately, school shootings would become a common association with goth; following the 2006 Dawson College shooting, the shooter was known to have been interested in the gothic subculture, thus furthering a connection between the two. Much of this has led to stereotyping and rumors that all goths are “satanic” or “evil” in some way, portraying all of them as violent, despite most goths believing firmly in nonviolence. This has resulted in prejudice, bullying, and violence being perpetuated against goths.

In the 2000s, gothic metal reemerged in Europe, becoming mainstream. Bands such as HIM, the 69 Eyes, and Lullacry had breakout success, releasing chart-topping albums or singles. United States gothic metal bands had less luck; only a few had commercial success, including Type O Negative and Evanescence. Meanwhile, deathrock continued to spread, taking advantage of the fairly new internet space. Many websites, such as MySpace and LiveJournal, were prominent during this time for deathrock and gothic rock bands. Deathrock also implemented broader sounds, including psychobilly and futurepop.

The 2010s and 2020s have largely brought a new appreciation for the gothic subculture as a new generation ushers in. New gothic cultures have been formulated, including that of mall goth and emo goth. While many of the “classic” gothic rock bands have broken up, many still remain, including the Cure. A newer wave of gothic rock music has also become prominent, seen in bands such as Lebanon Hanover, The Kentucky Vampires, and Nox Novacula. The classic goth bands are still largely appreciated, now considered “trad goth” by most. The goth scene also inhabits much more of a diverse presence compared to its nearly all-white starting point; bands such as She Wants Revenge, The Ire, and Light Asylum contain people of color, with some entirely consisting of people of color. More locally, Scary Black is a solo gothic musician from Louisville, KY, said to be “redefining goth”, according to afrogoth.com. The AfroGothic culture is an incredibly unique one, and Gothic cannot be Gothic without the presence of AfroGothic. Leila Taylor’s book Darkly: Black History and America’s Gothic Soul is an excellent book that explores AfroGothic history in a way I cannot.

The State of Goth

So, where does this leave goth today?

While the gothic subculture is still alive and well, a bit of toxicity has crept in through the cracks. Goths on TikTok, in particular, state that the gothic subculture has become a rather hostile environment towards baby bats (newer goths, as a reminder), with many people gatekeeping goth bands and being disrespectful towards those who have not familiarized themselves with the subculture yet. The existence of things such as “clean goth” has attempted to make a mockery of the gothic subculture, while debates around mall goth exist as to whether or not it’s a valid form of goth. Goths are still widely mocked and misrepresented, though violence against them has subsided in recent years, thankfully.

Whether or not you “look” goth doesn’t matter; it’s the music and politics that count. As long as you listen to gothic rock music and believe in leftist ideology, you are free to call yourself goth. Even if you dress in a more cutesy style, more emo, or more casual, you can still be goth. Anyone can be goth, and it is not a subculture that can be gatekept or hidden. Goth is goth. Goth will always be goth, no matter what shape its style or music may take.

If you find yourself interested in goth music after reading this article—or you’re already interested in it and want to find more artists—there are numerous playlists on all streaming platforms containing tons of goth songs. If you’re just starting out with goth music, I’d recommend starting with the big three: Bauhaus, the Cure, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. From there, you can branch out wherever, or you can just skip the big three altogether and go on your own path. There are numerous subgenres of goth to choose from, not just classic/trad goth, and no matter what your taste is, you’ll most likely find a band or two that you like. If you want to dress up in the goth style, go for it! Dress however you’d like. The whole point of goth is being innovative and creative, so design your own style; you don’t have to fit the status quo of “trad goth”, “vampire goth”, “mall goth”, or any other type of goth if you don’t want to. If you do want to, however, then go ahead!

Goth is a beautiful subculture, and even if you don’t enjoy the music, I’d highly recommend looking into it just to appreciate its history and everything else about it. At the very least, all we goths ask is that you respect us as people—and stop confusing us with emos. We’re supposed to hate those guys, according to South Park.

‘Invisibility and Erasure’ – Amrita Chakrabarti Myers tells the Story of Julia Chinn Erased from History

Chloe Cotton

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November 19, 2025

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‘Invisibility and Erasure’ – Amrita Chakrabarti Myers tells the Story of Julia Chinn Erased from History

In the second part of Transy’s Creative Intelligence series, Amrita Chakrabarti Myers spoke about ‘Invisibility and Erasure’ and how these themes relate to her book, The Vice President’s Black Wife: The Untold Life of Julia Chinn. You might be wondering, just as I was, how a vice president’s wife can be almost completely erased from any records. The answer to this question is systematic racism in America, and specifically, in Kentucky.

Dr. Myers starts her talk by showing images of quilts that belonged to Julia Chinn’s grandson, and states that since there aren’t any confirmed portraits of Chinn, she uses these quilts to represent her and her family. Myers decided to have one of these quilts as the border of the book cover. She compares these quilts to her journey in telling Chinn’s story by saying that it was “like putting together a patchwork quilt”. Unlike most quilt projects, Myers had to go to great lengths in searching for the pieces of fabric before sewing them together in writing her book.

Myers then gave meaningful context surrounding the man whom Chinn was enslaved by and supposedly married to: Richard Mentor Johnson.

Born in 1780, Johnson is dubbed a “war hero politician who killed Tecumseh during the War of 1812”. Despite his not killing Tecumseh, there’s more focus put on this than on his being a plantation owner and slaveholder. Myers points out that Johnson also claims to have attended Transy, despite there being no archival records to support this claim. There are records of him serving for forty-four years in public service, four of which were as Vice President. He also holds the title of the first Kentuckian to hold a seat in Congress. His time in the Senate is less glamorous, though. He lost his seat in 1829, and the reasons are unclear; however, this may be due to his relationship with Julia Chinn. This supposed relationship is the foundation of Myers’ book, as it has been tried to be covered up for decades.

There are many layers to their relationship. The first being that they’re around 16 to 17 years apart. The reason why there isn’t an exact number of years between them is that it’s unclear when Julia was born, as she was born enslaved to Richard’s father, Robert. The Johnson family states that she had her first child at the age of 15 or 16 in 1812, which would have made her born in either 1796 or 1797. Considering the age gap between them and Richard being admitted to the bar in 1802 and elected to the Kentucky state house in 1804, there’s a good chance that they would’ve had little to no contact with each other growing up.

Another layer to their relationship is that Julia was enslaved and had never been free. When Johnson was back in Kentucky in 1810, Julia was selected by his mother to be his housekeeper. This decision was sparked by his receiving a significant amount of land, on which he built a mansion called Blue Spring Farm. This title of ‘housekeeper’ was often given to enslaved women who were white men’s mistresses, and there’s speculation around whether their relationship was consensual or not.

The meaning behind the title proved to be true in 1811 when Julia and Richard’s sexual relationship began, resulting in their first child together in 1812. Even though they ended up having two children together, they were never legally married because, until 1967, Kentucky didn’t allow interracial marriage. There are speculations that they secretly got married in the church that the Johnsons founded, Great Crossing Baptist Church.

Despite multiple people claiming that the couple was married, Dr. Myers couldn’t find any official papers documenting their marriage. She explained that this could be because the Scott County courthouse had been burned three times prior to the Civil War. Although there are no official records of their marriage, Richard referred to Julia as his ‘bride’ in a letter to his friend, which suggests that they likely acted as husband and wife, despite the absence of an official marriage and the power imbalance between Richard, who was Julia’s slaveholder.

Myers puts heavy emphasis on the speculative nature of Julia’s life and her relationship with Richard. There are aspects of the story that we know are true, though. One being that Julia was literate and responsible. She spoke with local businessmen, oversaw the estates, and helped run the boarding school on their property, Choctaw Academy. She was responsible for being sure that every student was fed, healthy, clean, and clothed. Julia kept the school running. She also had her own house on the Blue Spring Farm, which was separate from Richard’s house, and had access to his line of credit, so she had a considerable amount of privilege at this point in history. Due to her enslavement, she wasn’t able to own anything and could have lost her house at any time. She was also in an odd position where she was enslaved, but also in charge of the slaves on the property.

When Richard was gone in D.C., the enslaved laborers took advantage of this, knowing that she struggled to assert her authority, and simply didn’t have as much authority as Richard. This constant taking care of the farm and the school ended in July 1833 when Julia died. We see just how much the success of the school was dependent on Julia in the rapid deterioration of Choctaw Academy, which shut down 15 years later in 1848. She wasn’t in the Johnson family cemetery at Great Crossing Church because even though she and Richard were most likely married, she was still enslaved. In fact, we still don’t know where she was buried.

The work that Dr. Myers did in order to tell Julia’s story is immeasurable. She met with Julia’s descendants, contextualized the timeline of Julia’s life and her relationship with Richard, and dug through public and church records. Through the writing of her book and this talk, one of Myers’ messages is that Julia’s story isn’t interesting. It’s important. The fact that barely anybody knows who Julia was illuminates how the U.S. continues to refuse to acknowledge the history of slavery and interracial relationships. All history needs to be taught—the good and the bad.

Has the Well of SNAP Run Dry?

Annie Kunkle

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November 14, 2025

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Americans across the country have had their social media feeds flooded with SNAP-related posts, videos, and calls for action. Users have reposted headings and articles centered around the decline of the federal program, spreading awareness of the potential elimination. What exactly is SNAP? How did it originate, and why is it crucial for millions living in the United States?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, widely referred to as SNAP, is a federally funded program that distributes money for food to underprivileged Americans. Previously known as the Food Stamp Program, SNAP has paved its way to becoming the largest federal nutrition program in the country, feeding 1 in 8 impoverished persons per month. Amidst the federal government shutdown, nearly 42 million Americans are at risk of losing food and nutrition benefits. SNAP is not a new program by any means, though, hence the national pushback over the loss. How did it come to be?

The origins of SNAP date back to the Great Depression, as a way to distribute excess farm commodities such as wheat and livestock. With the passing of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 was established, providing more income for farmers and distributing food for the impoverished. Carrying out the mission in 1935, the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation began to purchase, transport, and distribute food to relief agencies across the country. With the system seemingly replicating the services provided by the grocery industry, there was national defiance; in hopes of ending the discourse, Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace created the first Food Stamp Program.

Klein, Christopher. “How Did Food Stamps Begin? | HISTORY.” *HISTORY*, 27 Aug. 2019, www.history.com/articles/food-stamps-great-depression.

Through years of research and experimentation, the Food Stamp Program was made permanent by the Food Stamp Act of 1964. Decades of implementation, expansion, and milestones led to the Farm Bill of 2008, changing the name of the Food Stamp Program to SNAP with the switch from paper to digital stamps.

As of today, SNAP helps Americans who are eligible to receive benefits towards food. Requirements to acquire monthly stamps include having a gross household monthly income at or below 130% of the poverty line. Recipients must also have proof of employment to maintain the average, individual amount of $187 per month. Upon achieving eligibility for SNAP benefits, individuals will be issued an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, allowing for the purchase of food groceries.

So, why is SNAP so important, anyway? And, how will the delay of payments affect Kentuckians? Well, the access to food provided by SNAP helps families in poverty, veterans, and disabled people. With federal help with allocating money for groceries, people in need can properly budget their personal money for rent, bills, and non-food essential items without the worry of putting food on their plates. By delaying and minimizing SNAP benefits from being issued to Americans during the government shutdown, only 50% of eligible households will be covered by emergency funds, leaving millions across the country on their own to find money for crucial nutrition needs.

Zooming into home, approximately 600,000 Kentuckians, 225,000 of whom are children, utilize SNAP. Such vulnerable citizens will be left with empty cupboards, despite Governor Andy Beshear’s efforts to combat the disruption by suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

I reached a grim realization when researching the USDA’s extensive history of the Food Stamps Program. Despite their official and accurate information, the message headlining the website holds an unfortunate series of words: “Senate Democrats have now voted 13 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance” (usda.gov).

With the clear bias referring to the Democratic party, along with the negative connotation regarding immigrants and gender-affirming care, the issue of accuracy in governmental sources has become relevant. If we can’t go to the federal archives for information, where can we go? If we can’t rely on our government for properly budgeting money and resources during a shutdown, who can we rely on?

Staff, WKYT News. “Lexington’s Big Give Food Drive Launches amid SNAP Benefit Uncertainty.” *Https://Www.wkyt.com*, WKYT, 3 Nov. 2025, www.wkyt.com/2025/11/03/lexingtons-big-give-food-drive-launches-amid-snap-benefit-uncertainty/

All in all, the instability of SNAP benefits makes for a scary time in our country. If you or your family is struggling amidst the change, though, do not give up hope. The City of Lexington has partnered with God’s Pantry Food Bank and various community organizations to launch “Lexington’s Big Give”, a city-wide food drive. Collecting food for families across the Commonwealth, both God’s Pantry and The Family Care Center are available resources for Kentuckians in need.

You are not alone in this time of uncertainty. The well of SNAP will not run dry without a fight or support from our community.

The Mysterious Campus Insurance Plaque: What is it?

Eliza Carter

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November 13, 2025

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The Mysterious Campus Insurance Plaque: What is it?

There are many odd things on the campus of Transylvania, from Rafinesque’s tomb to an insurance plaque no one even realizes is there. The marker isn’t a large monument, but rather a plaque on a rock located outside the Brown Science Center, in front of Hazelrigg Hall. This led me to question: what is it for and why is it here?

Thanks to the library, I was able to research the man who is mentioned in the plaque. What I discovered was very vague but interesting nonetheless. The man’s name was Thomas Wallace; he was a wealthy and successful merchant in Lexington. He also served on the Board of Trustees at Transylvania beginning in 1807 and resigned from his position on Friday, March 22, 1816.

If you read the plaque, it will mention The Insurance Company of North America (INA), which is the oldest capital stock insurance in the US, founded in Philadelphia in 1792, about 12 years after Transy was founded. They sold life, fire, and marine or boat insurance to people throughout the upper parts of the US.

Alexander Henry, who was an INA Director, proposed that they expand their company to Lexington, which was on the nation’s frontier. On January 26, 1808, the INA President John Inkeep appointed agents through many different places, one of them being Thomas Wallace in Lexington.

This event has been credited as the start of the “American Insurance System.” In 1957, a plaque was put on Transy’s Campus to honor when insurance came to Lexington and their agent, Thomas Wallace.

The full text of the plaque reads as follows, for those curious:

“Here in the thriving frontier town of Lexington, Kentucky in 1807, The American Agency System of bringing insurance protection to America’s families, businesses and institutions was begun when Thomas Wallace, prominent merchant, was appointed an agent of Insurance Company of North America.

Thus, a free people, with initiative and enterprise, created a system of providing for their own security through independent local businessmen that spread throughout America, enabling the nation to grow and prosper.

1807 – 1957″

Communicating the Ineffable: An Interview with Artist Grace Ramsey

Kate Polson

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November 12, 2025

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Communicating the Ineffable: An Interview with Artist Grace Ramsey

Have you ever been to an art exhibit in a moving truck? I have. My friend Lyra and I wanted to see how a U-Haul could be transformed into an art gallery. It was pretty cool, to say the least.

Transylvania professor of art Grace Ramsey showcased her work alongside University of Kentucky professor of art Rae Goodwin in one of Muse Collective’s “blink projects.” In this interview, Grace discusses the ideas behind the displayed pieces, the evolution of her creative process, and how her experiences contribute to her practice.

The Pop-Up at Blue Stallion Brewery

Grace said the Muse Collective reached out to her directly with an invitation to exhibit with Rae Goodwin. The show came together fairly quickly, which is typically how these pop-ups go.

Grace: I love these little U-Haul pop-up shows because when you’re in the space, you kind of forget that you’re in a U-Haul. The Muse Collective has been doing them for a while now, so they know how to outfit the truck with these hanging walls.

What makes a Grace Ramsey painting?

Kate: Would you describe yourself as a surrealist?

Grace: I don’t categorize myself as a surrealist because I kind of associate that with the movement itself, but most of my paintings incorporate surreal elements. I like to use the surreal, like magic, color, and pattern, to disrupt the realism and kind of allow the work to be interpreted by many kinds of people in many kinds of ways. When things get more detached from our reality, the language is more universal.

I also just think with art you can make anything, and with that kind of freedom, I’m more interested in getting weird, you know? I think that ritual, magic, color, and unknown forces are symbolic of being human. They open up doors and allow us to talk about things that are ineffable.

Grace explained that the works in this pop-up show came from a period when she relied heavily on photographic references, both those she took and those she found. She reflected that the realism of this approach was time-consuming, and capturing a subject’s likeness was the least interesting part of the process. Over time, she has shifted toward more stylized, imagined figures rather than basing her work on real models or photos.

That One Piece

Grace described the origin of one of her more controversial pieces, Latch. She recalled being in the throes of early motherhood, nursing her five-month-old daughter, Marigold, nonstop. While visiting friends in New Orleans, Grace began developing ideas for new work and asked her friends and their babies to pose for reference photos. After several shots were taken, one of her friends suggested the idea of people nursing each other, which became the main concept for the piece.

Grace: It’s coming from a truly nonsexual place. Of course, they’re naked women, kind of intertwined, and people see it as an “orgy.” However, if you look a little more closely, it’s really tender and nurturing. It’s really about, as women, our ability to feed one another and nurture each other and connect in this way that is so animal. There’s nothing that will ground you more and make you realize that you’re an animal than having a baby.

Me: Yes. Anytime I think about motherhood and what women go through… one hundred percent.

The Most Eye-Catching Piece (to Me)

Grace: This painting, Possess All That I Am, is inspired by paintings of the martyr Saint Agatha. There are several paintings out there that depict generally what’s happening here: a woman with no breasts, offering breasts on a plate or something up to God because she had her breasts cut off. Martyr paintings in general, I’m really interested in, especially because they often look very peaceful, but this terrible act of violence is happening to them.

Growing up as a devout Southern Baptist, many biblical stories and Christian art fascinate her and come up in her work. Although she is no longer Christian, Grace began her undergraduate studies intending to become a missionary and majored in Religious Studies. Over her college career and post-graduate life, she has come to redefine her values, which have shaped her into who she is today.

Your Evolution as an Artist and Teacher

In the evolution of her creative process, Grace has learned to let go of perfection and wholeheartedly trust her intuition. She acknowledges that details and meticulous planning have their place, especially for students with less experience.

Grace: Slowing down and being thoughtful is really something students should practice. As you gain experience, these things can be put aside. If people don’t plan a little bit, as soon as they hit a roadblock, they’ll change ideas. We want to be able to pursue an idea, even when it gets tough.

A Perfectly Inspiring Event: The Kentucky Book Festival

Lyra Duffy

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November 6, 2025

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A Perfectly Inspiring Event: The Kentucky Book Festival

I went to the Kentucky Book Festival, and it was one of the most inspiring things I have seen.

When I was a freshman deciding where I wanted to go to school, I picked Transylvania, partly because of Lexington itself. The community of writers and readers that Lexington cultivates is full of joy and creativity. It is such an amazing opportunity to wander into Joseph-Beth Booksellers and find over 70 authors ready to talk about their books. The amazing range of literature made it feel like there was a book for almost everyone who walked in.

The Book Festival (illustrated by K. Nicole Wilson, seen on the right) features three main stages where authors are able to discuss their work. Located in the upper level of the store, rotating authors spoke about their lives as writers, the inspiration and history of their books, and held a discussion panel and Q&A with the audience. The various stages had a theme for each panel, such as Appalachia, Writing for Young Readers, Cocktails, and Poetry. This brought authors from across a variety of fields, but allowed each panel to have an overarching theme in which authors could find common ground with each other.

This opportunity for authors to come together was beautiful to witness. Kentucky Poet Laureate Kathleen Driskell discussed how writing is often perceived as something done in solitude and isolated from others. However, she argued that writing is one of the most collaborative things one can do. It felt amazing to see the conversation and intellect shared across authors and readers.

As a Kentuckian, it felt particularly meaningful to introduce myself to Kentucky authors. Oftentimes, the world of reading seems so huge with millions of authors out there. The Kentucky Book Festival really highlighted how many truly amazing authors we have right in our own backyard. It was invigorating to see this community and to find part of myself becoming an attendee, adding more and more books to my “need to read” list.

Witnessing the young children so excited about the books and authors was particularly dazzling. Recently, I have often found myself worried about how kids are no longer reading for fun. Social media has been a dominating force, and the lack of children reading has become daunting. However, I experienced the opposite at the Book Festival. Instead of seeing iPad kids, I saw attentive children at storytime and kids excited to receive a book signed by the author.

Overall, the Kentucky Book Festival was pretty much the perfect event. As a college student bogged down with many readings, I often struggle to find time for my personal reading. The Kentucky Book Festival inspired me to make time and not give up on a hobby I love, simply because I am busy. I felt inspired to write, read, and support authors.

Thank you, Kentucky Book Festival.

Green Room Exchange – A Cross-Cultural Experience using the Language of Art and Music

Anna Marasco-Quibrera

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November 5, 2025

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Green Room Exchange – A Cross-Cultural Experience using the Language of Art and Music

Green Room Exchange operates less like a traditional concert series or talent agency, and more like a cross-cultural laboratory. It’s designed to reframe how Lexington experiences other places and communities, not as distant, unheard foreign things, but as relationships worth maintaining and conversations worth having. That sense of closeness to art and art making is one of the things that make Green Room Exchange (GRE) so special (and so similar to Brian Eno, but more on that later). I had a wonderful conversation with the founder Lee Carroll about GRE’s challenges, successes, and the many unique aspects that make the organization unlike any other in Lexington. Our conversation, as well as the research I conducted on GRE, led me to see the organization in conversation with Brian Eno’s claims in What Art Does, such as art as a simulator, a social technology, play, and collective creativity.

GRE’s goal, as listed on their website, is to offer the opportunity “to see other cultures through the eyes of those who live there, using the universal language of music and art.” They achieve this by bringing international musicians to Lexington to perform, sometimes teach, and collaborate with local artists. It sounds simple, but the process of finding musicians is extensive. Lee travels to different music festivals around the world to scout for talent to bring to Lexington. Recent performances include Hermanos Villalobos, a folk fusion group from Veracruz, Mexico, in September of this year, and a fusion festival of Indian classical and world music in June. Lee visited Ghana, Cuba, Mexico, and various countries in Europe, and every time, what struck him over and over again was how relationships with artists felt so welcoming, humbling, and human, and that’s precisely what he wanted to bring to Lexington.

Getting the first series of events started was a difficult task, filled with challenges along the way. Navigating through travel barriers, visa requirements, funding, and venues presented obstacles that GRE deals with to this day. Because world music can be niche in a place like Lexington, there was a learning curve in marketing and building trusting relationships. Additionally, when the organization started working on creating workshops as well as shows, the already present challenges demanded more time, relational energy, and resources.

Now, Lee and the rest of the crew (made up of various artists who take part in administrative duties) have a more robust operations process. Artists’ identification and relationship building remain the first steps, often via travel, social networks, and pre-existing connections. Then the invitation and logistical arrangements take place, which consist of visas, scheduling, travel, securing venues, and rehearsals. While these first two steps take place, funding and budgeting are occurring around the clock. Lee serves as treasurer as well as founder, so during this time, he is also focusing on looking for grants, sponsors, ticket revenues, managing the costs of travel, lodging, artist fees, technical setups, and fundraising via events or local support.

According to Lee, aside from overcoming audience bias and cultural prejudice, the most difficult and time-consuming portion of the whole process is funding and budgeting. The final two steps, local engagement and performance, take care of themselves by the end of the process, although they are also arduous in their own way. Arranging workshops, educational components, and marketing all fall into place around halfway through the process.

The final performance/concert step often has multiple components: main show, smaller show or collab, sometimes talk or lecture to provide cultural context. Once all of those components have taken place, that means there are still two more things left to do. Documentation is extremely important to the mission of the organization, as it allows continued and accessible access to music and art that stands the test of time. Documentation is so critical to GRE that there is a dedicated section on the website with a video and photo archive going back years. Videos, photos, and audio recordings are all uploaded either to the website or to their Facebook page, which is their most active social media. Staying in touch with artists, perhaps with return visits, and evaluating what went well and could improve is the true last step of the process, and it is continuous.

Beyond what’s already been touched on, Lee mentioned some recurring challenges that the organization has had to learn to overcome. Financial constraints, although not huge since the organization is primarily privately funded, present significant obstacles when it comes to technical costs and the fees associated with all the logistics required to move artists around the globe. What seems to be the most difficult is audience development and bridging demographic gaps. Building awareness in Lexington for music forms that may be unfamiliar to the majority is difficult.

Most people are closed off to what they don’t know, so not only does people’s initial apprehension due to lack of familiarity present an issue, but so does prejudice, which makes it even more difficult for events like this to take place. Lee and I discussed politics and the current attitudes of Americans towards those of other cultures. It is extremely difficult to get people to come to a show when they have already dismissed both the artist and the music as weird and strange. Attracting audiences for this organization is therefore less about marketing/advertising and more about getting people to trust that such events are worthwhile.

This is the part where Brian Eno comes in. According to Eno, art is a simulator that allows an audience to inhabit alternative realities. When a Kora drum master performs in Lexington, the performance area becomes a short-term simulation of a musical lineage rooted in West African social life. People aren’t just listening to music; via music, they are rearranging their attention. In Eno’s language, they are becoming part of mini-worlds that people can step into and experiment with that expand the range of what the local community can imagine and practice.

Eno stresses that art’s value often accrues through social effects: it binds people into shared practices and generates new forms of attention, as well as uniting communities. By bringing artists to audiences, documenting these exchanges, and creating collaborative environments, GRE creates a social technology that fulfills its mission. Especially when they host workshops, more than entertaining, these events facilitate an environment where listening, learning, and co-creation can create community bonds. Over time, these bonds can translate into broader civic benefits such as deeper intercultural understandings that can sustain further exchange. By creating repeated, structured encounters with world music traditions, the organization expands Lexington’s cultural reach and offers tools for empathy and connection in a region that is sometimes stereotyped as being culturally homogenous. To Eno’s joy (hopefully), GRE makes new ways of feeling, living, and playing happen. Those worlds in which people can play and learn influence how the city thinks about its identity, its relationships to migration and globalization, and its capacity for cultural hospitality. Because Lee Carroll and GRE treat hospitality as a cultural bridge, it demonstrates how a small, focused arts organization can enact many of the things that Eno says art “does”. In the current political environment, where anything different or new is discarded as dangerous or inferior, GRE’s mission is vital to maintaining a sense of unity and connection across geographical boundaries. Reshaping feelings, attention, and cultural understanding is something that music has always been able to do, and that magic has been furthered in Lexington in a unique and powerful way.

How The Black Writers Collaborative Exemplifies a Liberal Education

Olivia Jackson

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October 31, 2025

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How The Black Writers Collaborative Exemplifies a Liberal Education

As part of my Writing for the Arts class, I was instructed to profile the Lexington Organization, the Black Writers Collaborative, and to interview one of its founders, Jude McPherson. Through this profile, I will connect the organization with the work of Writer William Cronon and his article “Only Connect,” which highlights ideals of a liberal arts education.

The Black Writer’s Collaborative creates a safe space for Black writers and learners to share ideas, receive feedback, and learn. The organization was founded with the goal of making institutional change in the education system in light of the barriers that racism has created around learning for people of color. The group focuses primarily on creating reformations in the Carnegie Center in Lexington, which had a racist and segregated past. This group’s mission and work exhibit numerous connections to the central ideas of liberal education outlined in the article “Only Connect” by William Cronon. The Black Writers Collaborative is rooted in the ideals of connection to community, freedom, and growth —principles that comprise the foundation of liberal education.

Cronon describes what he feels encapsulates a liberal education, stating, “Freedom and growth: here, surely, are values that lie at the very core of what we mean when we speak of a liberal education.” The Black Writers Collaborative’s staff and work are founded on these principles, breaking barriers created by discrimination. The team works to ensure that Black students feel comfortable using their voices and are not held back by racism in educational spaces. The team’s founders enforce anti-discrimination policies, offer free classes, and provide a judgment-free space for Black students. Coordinators, Claudia Love Mair and Jude McPherson, operate the organization, enabling the inclusion of Black individuals at every stage of the process.

The organization also hosts community events such as Burn the Mic, a poetry reading for people of color, and The Book and Literature club, which celebrates black authors from Kentucky and discusses characters in their books who face oppression. These programs, along with the classes they offer, provide the freedom that Black students need to bridge gaps in the educational system. They create a space that not only supports Black students but is made specifically for them.

Focusing on those who are underrepresented and facing barriers in the structural and societal foundations of our country is not only important but necessary. This places the freedom and choice to learn and grow as a student back in the hands of those from whom it was taken. Cronon states, “I have asserted that liberal education in particular is about nurturing human freedom—helping young people discover and hone their talents.” This is precisely the work that the Black Writers’ Collaborative undertakes through programs like these.

During my interview, Jude McPherson disclosed that recent funding cuts have affected their group. He mentioned that hours and profit had been scaled down due to these cuts. Regardless, he assured me that the group was capable of making it through, stating, “We’re a creative group… there’s nothing that’s going to keep us from our mission.” A critical element for organizations like these is that they often operate with little to no funding, yet still keep their mission alive. He mentioned that the group had continued despite the lack of funding and that they would now be able to persevere as well. Cronon stated that an integral part of solving problems is being able to “put reality back together again after having broken it into pieces.” I feel that the Black writer’s collaborative ability to continue pursuing their mission in a world geared against it perfectly encapsulates this.

The organization was established to combat institutional racism, both in its entirety and within the Carnegie Center. They also strive to be a part of structural change. During our Interview, Jude mentioned that saying ‘Black Lives Matter’ isn’t enough; you have to make a change. Jude placed a strong emphasis on the idea that visual and vocal acts of support for BLM were helpful, but they weren’t enough. He believes that one of the most important things you can do is create societal and institutional change in the world, which is precisely what the BWC aims to achieve. Through their organization, they make a significant impact on the education system, creating an institution that promotes the education of Black students and students of color. This provides a real-world application that places value on the lives of Black people in our community.

The Black Writer’s Collaborative places a strong emphasis on nurturing and empowering Black students and writers to use their voices and create a space that assists in their development as learners. This is an essential part of the organization’s mission, as it strives to create a judgment-free environment where Black students can feel comfortable expressing their voices.

The Black Writers Collaborative emphasizes community, particularly through programs such as Burn the Mic and the Book and Literature Club. Cronon comments, “Education for human freedom is also education for human community.” Through these programs, the BWC provides a safe space for people of color to express their creativity and use their voice. When asked about how the programs generate community, Jude discusses how often Black people don’t feel comfortable using their voice because they have been taught that what they have to say and what they care about does not matter. Still, through the Burn the Mic event, he is able to provide them with a community that does care and a space where their voices are both heard and valued.

Above all else, the most essential connection between the ideas of Only Connect and the mission of the BWC is the emphasis on how, through connection, we can make the world a better place. Cronon comments, “In the end, it turns out that liberty is not about thinking or saying or doing whatever we want. It is about exercising our freedom in such a way as to make a difference in the world, and make a difference for more than just ourselves.” This statement is at the heart of the work the Black Writers Collaborative does, as they use their community to create change in the lives of those who are underrepresented, and bring people together for the purpose of learning and creating.

Art Organization Profile: An Interview at Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center

Cameron Ritchie

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October 31, 2025

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I had the opportunity to learn about the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center (DAC) in my Writing for the Arts class. From my interview with Pam Miller DAC Director Celeste Lewis, I learned about why making a space for the arts is essential for our city. Another aspect of the interview that I recognized was the connections to the book “What Art Does” by Brian Eno. Many of the points made about the purpose of art and art spaces in the book relate to what we discussed in our interview. Celeste demonstrated to me the importance of art in our community, which reflects the ideas of Brian Eno and Bette Adriaanse’s book.

The Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center serves as a major art venue for the city of Lexington. They host numerous art-related events, including galleries, concerts, plays, and classes. When I asked about the purpose of the DAC, Celeste told me that they want to be a place where artists can have the space they need for their creative output. This reminded me of the chapter where Eno and Adriaanse discussed how art makes communities. In the same way, art allows people to connect and express their interests, so does a space like the Pam Miller DAC.

For example, in chapter 8 of “What Art Does,” Eno and Adriaanse state that “Art is one of the things that binds people together”. This quote reminded me of a moment in my interview when I asked Celeste about what needs to be done for the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center to keep going. She called back to a moment during the COVID-19 pandemic when Pam Miller DAC and the arts in general were struggling to survive in an isolating period. Yet even in the bleakest of moments, the urge to make art persisted. She gave an example of how the Blackbird Dance group, a local dance group in Lexington, desperately wanted to perform, despite the restrictions. Pam Miller DAC allowed them to perform in the window of one of their gallery rooms because, as she stated, “they just needed to perform,” and they attracted an audience on the street. They called it “The Glass Box”, and it was successful.

This story highlighted two points for me: that art will always find a way to thrive and that it has the ability to connect people. The way Pam Miller DAC was able to provide space for art and draw an audience at that moment speaks to its success as an organization. It also relates to Eno and Adriaanse’s point about art’s ability to bring people together, as seen in Celeste’s example. A great aspect of the Pam Miller DAC is that it consistently provides a space for artists and for people to experience art, allowing them to bond in new ways through various forms of art. Even when circumstances are challenging for the arts, Pam Miller DAC will still be a place where art can flourish.

Another moment from my time with Celeste that reminded me of the ideas from Eno and Adriaanse’s book was when she told me, “Without art, your city is garbage.” This happened outside the interview, while we were taking the elevator as I was about to leave, yet it stuck with me. It was bold and thought-provoking, and it immediately reminded me of our book, “What Art Does.” Namely, in the eighth chapter, when Eno and Adriaanse state that “Art is that cloud; a reservoir of shared experiences that gives us ways of sharing complex feelings and ideas with each other. It’s the lifeblood, the lubricant, the circulatory system, of community” (Eno and Adriaanse). The authors are trying to convey that art is an essential feature of humanity, society, and the foundation of community.

What Celeste said succinctly summarizes this point about the importance of art. She explained it to me with the example of a business moving into a new city. One of the first things they ask about is, “What’s the art scene like?” This example demonstrates two key points: that there is an economic incentive for art and that art makes things more interesting. Celeste pointed out that no one wants to live somewhere that’s boring. People want to live where there are fun things to do, and art is a major outlet for doing so. We love art, whether we consciously acknowledge it or not. It’s so important to us that we wouldn’t want to live somewhere without it. This is exactly what Eno and Andriaanse mean when they say art is the lifeblood of community. It’s the glue that holds our society together.

A final point of reflection on Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center and “What Art Does” is how the DAC is constantly evolving, just as the arts do. In chapter 9, when discussing the unfinished nature of art and building a better world, Eno and Adriaanse state that “As artists, we don’t finish it: we start it. It goes on to have a life without us, a life we didn’t predict” (Eno and Adriaanse). The point of this quote is to demonstrate the idea that we approach art and our lives as an ever-changing process, constantly building and rebuilding ourselves. Pam Miller DAC exemplifies this by consistently hosting new events, implementing renovations, and improvising in moments of need, as seen in the “The Glass Box” example. Pam Miller DAC, like any art organization, must be prepared to adapt to change when necessary. Celeste discussed this when I asked about what someone who wants to work in the arts can expect. She mentioned that while it’s very rewarding, it also requires having an incredible amount of energy because, as she said, “no two days are the same.” This attitude at Pam Miller DAC exemplifies Eno and Adiaanse’s point on the unfinished approach we should take in life, as they are prepared to tackle the challenges of being an arts organization through their capacity to adapt to change.

From my time with Celeste at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, I not only learned a great deal about them, but also how Eno and Adriaanse’s ideas come to life in the arts. After meeting with Celeste, I found that Eno and Adriaanse have the right idea about the arts and their role in society.

“Coming of Age” at the Kentucky Theatre

Oscar Robinson

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October 30, 2025

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In the coming weeks, the Kentucky Theatre will be the home of a special series of films, handpicked and introduced by Transylvania’s own Tim Kirkman, an acclaimed filmmaker and my screenwriting professor. Beyond his experience at Transy, Kirkman is also a screenwriter and producer who has worked across forms, from documentaries to music videos to film. The five films in the series all surround the theme of coming of age, each an exemplar of a different decade, from 1970 to 2010. I sat down with Kirkman to discuss the series.

“Coming of age is a favorite genre of mine,” says Kirkman, “because it’s about how we become who we are, and I love that it confronts issues that are high-stakes: first love, first sexual experience, family dynamics, friendship, and – so often – loyalty. I really love watching a character learn something, and coming of age stories really have a heightened sense of a character change.”

“I started with Harold and Maude because it’s my all time favorite film, but it’s also a terrific coming of age story that deals with life and death and love.” The 1971 film, directed by Hal Ashby, stars Bud Cort as Harold, a young man obsessed with death. The other titular character, Maude, is played by Ruth Gordon. Gordon is also known for her roles in Rosemary’s Baby, as well as many Broadway productions, including Maxwell Anderson’s Saturday’s Children. Harold and Maude was not a critical success upon release, but eventually developed a cult following, and was released on DVD in the Criterion Collection. In 2000, it was listed on the American Film Institute’s 100 funniest films of all time.

“The second film I chose is from the 80s, which is a more unconventional choice, a movie called Risky Business, with Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay.” If you’re familiar with Risky Business, it is likely in the context of Tom Cruise’s iconic dance to the sound of Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock & Roll,” sliding into frame with his white crew socks and a loose button-down. “…when revisiting it, I realized what a satirical take on capitalism it is, and I thought, at this moment in our current political climate, it was a great choice to revisit.”

The 1983 film, directed by Paul Brickman, follows the exploits of Cruise as Joel Goodson, a teenager left at home while his parents are on a trip. The film is widely considered Tom Cruise’s breakout role and a classic 80s teen comedy, often listed alongside John Hughes’s filmography.

“The third film is a largely unseen film, and it’s the one I’m most excited about. It’s Steven Soderbergh’s third feature, called King of the Hill. He’s stated that it is his favorite of his films that he’s ever made, but most people haven’t seen it because it was tied up in legal issues for a long time.” The film, often confused with the unrelated cartoon series of the same name, is an adaptation of a memoir written by A.E. Hotchner, surrounding the story of a young boy growing up in St. Louis during the Great Depression.

For years, it was completely inaccessible to stream after finding no audience upon its 1993 release, until it was eventually added to the Criterion Collection and released on DVD. “It is now available, and we are screening it, and I hope everyone – if you only see one film in the series – I hope you will come to King of the Hill, because it is an extraordinary and moving film.”

“The fourth film is An Education… it stars Carey Mulligan as a young woman who starts a relationship with an older man when she’s a senior in high school. She’s exposed to art, culture, and a life she’s aspiring to have when she leaves, but – as you can probably imagine – learns a lot of other life lessons as well that are not so pleasant. Carey Mulligan was nominated for the Oscar for that film, and it’s directed by a woman, Lone Scherfig.” Scherfig is an award-winning Danish director also known for her film Italian for Beginners. An Education (2009) is her most acclaimed film, and was adapted from Lynn Barber’s memoir of the same name by Nick Hornby, the author of the books Fever Pitch and High Fidelity.

“The fifth film is a very recent movie, My Old Ass, which stars Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella.” Readers in the same age bracket as I may be interested to know that Maddie Ziegler, of the reality TV show Dance Moms fame, also makes an appearance in this film. “It’s my favorite film of the last several years. I walked out of that movie thinking: this is your generation’s Harold and Maude. This is something that takes on big issues of family, friendship, love, death, and loyalty. Loyalty is such a common thread among these films.”

The 2024 film, directed by Megan Park, follows an 18-year-old Canadian girl who has an encounter with an older version of herself. Upon release, the film received a number of accolades, including earning Maisy Stella the Best Young Performer at the Critics’ Choice Awards and a nomination for a Gotham Award. Additionally, for those who take such things into consideration, the film holds a critics’ 90% fresh score on the review website Rotten Tomatoes.

“My hope is that readers of the Rambler, especially students at Transy, will come and see these films because I think that they will find themselves in these films. I think that watching the stories of Harold, and Joel, and Aaron, and Jenny, and Elliott, are all people that they will relate to, because they are all on a journey of self-discovery – as we all are, at all periods of our life, but especially when we’re in college.”

“I’m drawn to films that challenge my views of the world, and sometimes that can surprise me, and it can change me, and it can make me re-think. But, I also love films that are a mirror, that help me see that, ‘Ah! I’m like that!’ and it makes me feel less alone in the world, especially when I’m feeling unseen or marginalized in any way. Movies have always been a way to help me connect with my neighbors, and with the larger world, and that’s a way that art can heal us.”

The films will be presented every Tuesday, starting October 28th with Harold and Maude and continuing through November 25th, at 7:15 P.M., with an intro given by Tim Kirkman prior to each. Tickets available at www.kentuckytheatre.org or at the door. The trailer for the film series is available on YouTube, and keep up with Tim Kirkman on his Substack.

The RamblerTransylvania University