by Julie Lineback
Known for pairing thought-provoking conversations with flowing wine, the University of West Georgia’s Culture Lab returns this fall with its signature The Other Night School (TONS). This vibrant lecture series showcases top-tier artists and scholars from the arts and humanities, business, and sciences, as they offer a fresh lens on complex topics.
“We’re excited about our fall lineup, which will welcome new award winners and new faculty presentations,” said Dr. Chad Davidson, executive director of global engagements and cultural programming. “We kick off with Anu Valia, winner of our inaugural Blackwell Prize in Fillmmaking, and will also feature our first Richards College of Business faculty presenter in Dr. Agnieszka Chwialkowska. Dr. Marian Buzon from the geology program will give us the ‘real dirt’ on asbestos, and we also host Italian documentarian Francesco De Augustinis. The series will wrap with Dr. Corey Maggiano from anthropology on the information locked inside ancient human bones, the inimitable Dr. Nathan Rees on American art, and – another novelty – wine education from the owner of the Oenophile Institute in Smyrna.”
TONS is proudly supported by the generosity of the Hollis Trust of Newnan and Milestone Investment Management, LLC, of Carrollton, and is held in partnership with UWG Newnan.
If you are interested in any of the following events, please register online.
The Other Night School: An Evening with Anu Valia, Winner of the 2025 Blackwell Prize in Filmmaking
Tuesday, Aug. 26
6 p.m. reception/6:30 – 7:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan
Free Admission: REGISTER
Join us for a conversation with Anu Valia, Sundance Jury Prize-winning filmmaker and recipient of the inaugural Blackwell Prize in Filmmaking. Drawing on her deep experiences with feature films, short films, and television, Valia will discuss the narrative, emotional, artistic, and cultural opportunities presented by each form.
The Other Night School: The Real Dirt on Asbestos
Tuesday, Sept. 9
6 p.m. reception / 6:30-7:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan
Free Admission: REGISTER
Speaker: Dr. Marian Buzon, UWG Associate Professor of Geology
Once regarded as a “wonder material,” asbestos has undergone what we might call a publicity crisis. But how and why did it find its way into so many of our products? Join Dr. Marian Buzon, mineralogist, as she exposes the real dirt on asbestos and tells stories of the places and people that could not escape it.
The Sewell Lecture Series Presents: Filmmaker Francesco De Augustinis
Tuesday, Sept. 16
6 p.m. reception / 6:30-7:30 p.m. talk
Adamson Hall
Free Admission: REGISTER
We welcome to campus Italian documentary filmmaker and freelance journalist Francesco De Augustinis, whose film “Until the End of the World” documents the troubling and complex business of industrial fish farming. Francesco will show clips and discuss the film alongside UWG Professor of Geography Andy Walter and Professor of Film Deon Kay.
The Michael & Andrea Stone Visiting Artist Series Presents: Visual Artist Hannah Chalew
Thursday, Sept. 25
6 p.m. reception / 6:30-7:30 p.m. talk
Adamson Hall
Free Admission: REGISTER
We are proud to welcome to campus artist and environmental activist Hannah Chalew, whose stunning work examines life in a time of global warming and a collective, uncertain future. Hannah will discuss her work and entertain questions from UWG art professor Casey McGuire.
The Other Night School: An Evening with Tamie Beldue, Winner of the Blackwell Prize in Painting
Tuesday, Oct. 14
6 p.m. reception / 6:30-7:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan
Free Admission: REGISTER
Don’t miss a presentation by Blackwell winner Tamie Beldue, whose award-winning graphite pencil drawings defy the limitations of this humble medium. Beldue served as Chair of Art at University of North Carolina – Asheville for over 15 years and continues to bring contemporary drawing to the city via the annual international art exhibition Drawing Discourse, which she created.
The Other Night School: Eco-Logic: Why “Going Green” Is Smarter Than You Think
Tuesday, Oct. 21
6 p.m. reception / 6:30-7:30 p.m. talk
Adamson Hall
Free Admission: REGISTER
Speaker: Dr. Agnieszka Chwialkowska, UWG Associate Professor of Marketing
We often consider sustainability a privilege – an expensive lifestyle choice reserved for the rich. But going green doesn’t have to be a self-sacrificing act that comes with a hefty price tag. Join us as we discuss some greener habits that are accessible, cost-effective, and serve our own best interests.
The Other Night School: Exploring Art with Nathan Rees
Tuesday, Oct. 28
6 p.m. reception / 6:30-7:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan
Free Admission: REGISTER
The Hudson River School and the American Landscape.
Explore painting in the early nineteenth century with Dr. Nathan Rees, UWG Associate Professor of Art History. Learn how the Hudson River School, America’s first internationally recognized art movement, documented the beauty of the continent’s wild spaces and the growth of settlements that threatened to destroy them. Examine how its painters sought to capture the essence of the American landscape while also working to conserve it.
The Other Night School: Reading the Weather Through Bones
Tuesday, Nov. 4
6 p.m. reception / 6:30-7:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan
Free Admission: REGISTER
Speakers: Dr. Corey Maggiano, UWG Associate Professor of Anthropology
Locked in layers of bone is the story of our lives. Join us to see how new techniques can help us understand the behavior, environment, and health of even those long dead.
The Other Night School: Let’s Drink (Wine) to the Environment!
Tuesday, Nov. 11
6 p.m. reception / 6:30-7:30 p.m. talk
Adamson Hall
Free Admission: REGISTER
We drink to the environment. Or, rather, we drink because of the environment, since wine presents a unique expression of fruit, yes, but also soil, microclimate, and a host of environmental factors. Join Chelsea Young, wine expert and owner of the Oenophile Institute in Smyrna, for a crash course in all things wine (samples included).
