21C Supports Faculty and Graduate Student Creative Research in the Arts Since its founding in 2017,
the Institute for 21st Century Creativity (21C) has sought to cultivate experimental and arts-based research to innovate and challenge creativity for this century and beyond. With support from the UCI Office of Research, Dean Stephen Barker founded the school-level center. From all four departments at CTSA and partners at the university, any faculty or graduate student’s research is welcome. During 21C’s foundational years, John Crawford, professor of dance and media arts, served as the faculty director. From 2017-2020, 21C supported several groundbreaking and interdisciplinary productions and programming, including; Reading Frankenstein (2019), the xMPL Emergence Series (2018-19); 21C Research Support (2018-19); and Living in The Tempest (2018). The new grant program will further 21C’s legacy.
Launching New Research In 2020, the school established a new area of focus, CTSA Research and Innovation, which encompasses 21C and welcomed an inaugural Associate Dean of Research and Innovation, Jessie Colin Jackson. As part of the launch, the center created a unique funding opportunity with a call for 2020-2021 21C Research Grants. The new program prioritizes projects featuring leadingedge research agendas, interdisciplinary collaborations, and strong potential for external recognition and support. Many
of the successful proposals also took the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the creative landscape into account.
“Our faculty and graduate students are always on the leading edge of creative practice.” Associate Dean Jackson formed the Research and Innovation Advisory Committee (RI Committee), which supports the programs and features a faculty member from each CTSA department. The RI Committee and Jackson faced the difficult task of narrowing the proposals down to a select group. “Our faculty and graduate students are always on the leading edge of creative practice, which made the selection process very challenging. What particularly distinguishes the projects we chose is how they open doors to new audiences, opportunities, and directions for CTSA,” says Jackson. “The projects are not only innovative but also urgent, addressing complex social questions stemming from spirituality, social justice, and the pandemic.” 21C received 33 impressive proposals, with requested funds totaling $154,000. Through the 2021 Research Grants, 21C has been able to support ten faculty and six graduate students from CTSA’s four
CTSA RESEARCH
