UWG Culture Lab

04/27/2026

This month, we welcomed author Stephen Graham Jones, recipient of the Blackwell Prize in Writing. From readings in Newnan and Carrollton to visits with local high school students, it was a fantastic series of events—complete with free books for all and book signings!

Many thanks to the generosity of the Blackwell Trust and Newnan Art Rez for making this opportunity possible.

04/23/2026

The Other Night School returns to UWG Carrollton on Tuesday, April 28, for a very special event—“The Kennedys in Carrollton.”

We’re excited to welcome back former UWG First Lady Dr. Tressa Kelly, who played a key role in uncovering and preserving the fascinating history of UWG’s Kennedy Chapel.

Dr. Kelly will share insights from her research on the chapel’s historic structure—work that grew into a book-length project, available for purchase at the event.

The evening will also include an introduction by current UWG First Lady Beth Johnson.

📅 Tuesday, April 28
📍 Adamson Hall, UWG Carrollton
🕕 6:00 p.m. – Reception
🕡 6:30 p.m. – Event
🎟️ PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND: https://giving.westga.edu/the-other-night-school-the-kennedys-in-carrollton

04/22/2026

Join us for the closing reception and artist talk for Brittany M. Watkins’ Escape Device installation titled BRINK OF COLLAPSE II.

The ESCAPE DEVICE project space is a new program that invites artists to conceive of, create, and install site-specific artwork in the actual bank vault located inside the Vault Gallery.

We are thrilled to have Brittany M. Watkins as our inaugural Escape Device artist!
A UWG alumni, Brittany is an interdisciplinary artist, gallery director, and educator based in Columbia, SC. who has earned notable accolades for her large-scale installation work.

✨ Reception April 22 from 5-8pm
⏰ Artist Talk 6pm
📍 Wadsworth Auditorium

04/12/2026

Hey Other Night Schoolers—we’re back in Newnan on Tuesday, April 14!

🎶 Join us for a talk by Dr. Josh Byrd, Professor of Music, Director of UWG’s top-tier Wind Ensemble—and one of our best lecturers! “Reading Behind the Lines (and Spaces)” will give you the inside scoop on how performers read music.

📅 Tuesday, April 14
⏰ 6:00 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
📍 UWG Newnan
🎟️ Register at [link] https://giving.westga.edu/the-other-night-school-reading-behind-the-lines-and-spaces/

About the Talk:
Music is much more than notes on a page—but how do performers read beyond the notation? What makes one interpretation different from the next? Join Dr. Josh Byrd, Director of Bands, for a special session that reveals what lies behind the lines.

04/08/2026

Don't miss our next Other Night School at UWG Newnan! Join us for a talk by Dr. Josh Byrd, UWG Professor of Music and Director of UWG’s top-tier Wind Ensemble—and one of our best lecturers! Discover the inside scoop on how performers truly read music.

📅 Tuesday, April 14
⏰ 6:00 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
📍 UWG Newnan
🎟️ Register at [link] https://giving.westga.edu/the-other-night-school-reading-behind-the-lines-and-spaces/

About the Talk:
Music is much more than notes on a page—but how do performers read beyond the notation? What makes one interpretation different from the next?

Join Dr. Josh Byrd, Director of Bands, for a special session that reveals what lies behind the lines.

04/01/2026

We are super excited to host Stephen Graham Jones! Our Carrollton reading is almost full. Please make sure to register soon if you would like to attend [link]: https://giving.westga.edu/blackwell-prize-in-writing-stephen-graham-jones-uwg-carrollton/

We still have plenty of seats in Newnan. Register [link]: https://giving.westga.edu/blackwel-prize-in-writing-stephen-graham-jones-uwg-newnan/

03/23/2026

Join us for Newnan Art Walk at The Vault Gallery this Friday, March 24, for the opening reception of "Love Over War."

Featuring paintings and drawings by Atlanta-based artist Darius Emerson ’18, this exhibition reflects themes of the African Diaspora while celebrating resilience, intimacy, and cultural influence.

🕔 5:00–9:00 p.m.
📍 The Vault Gallery, Wadsworth Auditorium

The exhibition will run through April 24 during regular Vault Hours: Tuesday-Friday 2:00-6:00 p.m.

02/27/2026

We are pleased to announce the newly established Dr. Charles N. Hubbard Distinguished Lecture Series, which will directly support the arts and humanities on campus and in the community.

The series is made possible by a generous $50,000 endowment from Marilyn Hubbard in honor of her late husband, who was a loyal supporter of the university for decades, contributing to areas ranging from arts to athletics.

Read the entire story ⤵️

The University of West Georgia is pleased to announce the inaugural Dr. Charles N. Hubbard Distinguished Lecture Series, made possible by a generous $50,000 endowment from Marilyn Hubbard in honor of her late husband, who was a loyal supporter of the university for decades, contributing to areas ran...

02/26/2026

We are excited to announce the inaugural Dr. Charles N. Hubbard Distinguished Lecture debuting in Newnan on Tuesday, March 10.

Join us as Dr. Cole Jones of Purdue University Department of History presents:
“Colonial Georgia and the Winding Road to Independence.”

🕕 6:00 p.m. Reception
🕡 6:30 p.m. Lecture
🔗 Register at giving.westga.edu/the-other-night-school-colonial-georgia-and-the-winding-road-to-independence

About the Lecture:
In the 18th century, Georgia—Britain’s youngest mainland colony—was remote and often overlooked. Yet during the American Revolution, it became a pivotal battleground between Loyalists and Patriots. This talk traces Georgia’s unique journey to independence, from its utopian beginnings to the upheaval of war.

We hope you will join us for this new lecture series made possible by a generous endowment from Mrs. Marilyn Hubbard in honor of her late husband, Dr. Charles N. Hubbard, who was a loyal supporter of the university for decades, contributing to areas ranging from arts to athletics.

11/13/2025

Pre-Sale VIP Tickets are now available for our third installment of Miked Up: Mattison on the Blues— a dynamic evening of music and conversation with two-time GRAMMY Award winner Mike Mattison of the Tedeschi Trucks Band.

🎟️ VIP tickets: giving.westga.edu/2026-miked-up-series

📅 Tuesday, February 11 • 6:30 p.m.
📍 Carrollton Center for the Arts

Packages include exclusive afterparty access, available only during this pre-sale period. All proceeds directly support UWG Music students, providing scholarships, resources, and career-building opportunities.

09/12/2025

🎬 We’re excited to welcome Italian journalist and documentary filmmaker Francesco De Augustinis! He will be discussing his film Until the End of the World about the complex and troubling business of industrial fish farming, among other work.

Tues, Sept. 16 | UWG Carrollton, Adamson Hall
⏰ 6 p.m. reception · 6:30 p.m. talk
🎟 Seats are limited—Register at www.westga.edu/culturelab

Francesco will be in conversation with UWG Professor of Film Deon Kay and Professor of Geography Andy Walter.

A Sewell Lecture Series event, made possible by the generosity of The Warren and Ava Sewell Foundation of Bremen, Georgia