Athens is recognized all over as a musical hub, and the collection at the Georgia Museum of Art located at the University of Georgia is no different. Enrolled in Callan Steinmann’s spring 2025 Topics in Art Museum Education course, students dedicated much of their term to assembling the exhibition titled “Feel the Beat: Rhythm, Music and Movement.”

This exhibition, which operates from May 31 to Aug. 3, showcases creations by 20 artists from across the globe and delves into the profound links between dance, music, and visual arts spanning various cultures, histories, and mediums.

Students picked works from the museum’s collection that showcase diverse interpretations of sound and movement by various artists. Some creations celebrate the vibrancy and elation of music performance, whereas others emphasize its therapeutic qualities. Featured artists comprise Woody Crumbo, Lamar Dodd, Ronnie Goodman, Francisco Goya, Wadsworth Jarrell, America Meredith, Art Rosenbaum, May Stevens, Arthur Tress, among many others. Collectively, the exhibition offers an enthralling sensory encounter aimed at engaging and inspiring its audience.

Throughout the semester, students worked collaboratively to animate the exhibition through research on artworks, composing interpretative labels, and formulating a comprehensive curatorial vision focused on music. The class also devised interactive components to foster visitor engagement. Attendees have the opportunity to listen to a Spotify playlist, engage with a hands-on instrument activity station, express their own reflections, and take home a brochure that expands the experience beyond the gallery.

The exhibition served as a significant component of the course, which familiarizes students with visitor-focused methodologies in art museum education and interpretation. Steinmann, the head of education at the museum, also curates academic and public programs and plays a vital role in UGA’s museum studies certificate program. She frequently teaches museum education and introduction to museum studies.

The student curators for “Feel the Beat” included Rainier Barfield, Noel Corbin, Isabela Doulatshahi, Cullen Doyle, Angelina Gladwin, Johnson Lin, Carley Rossano, Agustina Rovayo, Tallulah Sanders, Kaleb Santos-Felgenhauer, and Kristen Spiros.

In alignment with the museum’s continuous educational mission, the exhibition sparked this summer’s Art Adventures program. Developed by the museum for local youth from day camps, childcare centers, and community hubs, Art Adventures provides complimentary, immersive art education experiences.

This year’s theme, Soundscapes, concentrates on the visual depiction of movement and sound within the museum’s permanent collection and incorporates the exhibition into its schedule. Each session lasts 90 minutes and features an interactive gallery tour along with a hands-on art activity.

Art Adventures is available in morning and afternoon time slots on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from June 11 – July 31. Each session can accommodate a maximum of 30 children, with one chaperone for every 10 participants. To arrange your group’s Art Adventure, please email [email protected] or call 706-542-0439.

Related activities, which are free and open to the public, encompass:

• Family Day: Visual Beats on June 28 from 10 a.m. to noon, featuring interactive gallery activities and a take-home art project. Family Day is supported by Heyward Allen Cadillac-GMC-Toyota.
• Toddler Tuesday: Tunes and Tones on July 8 from 10 to 11 a.m., offering storytime in the gallery and an art project for families with children aged 18 months to 3-plus years (email [email protected] to register).

The article UGA students organize music-inspired exhibition was first published on UGA Today.