A Front-Row Seat to Discovery: Creativity Takes Center Stage with a New Semester of UWG’s Culture LabShare this page
Want to know more about the history of Coca-Cola? Interested in discovering the laws that govern food and wine interactions? The University of West Georgia’s Culture Lab has you covered.
Once again this fall, the Culture Lab is turning UWG into a crossroads of imagination, inviting students, faculty and staff, and neighbors to experience creativity in motion.
“Our Fall 2026 lineup is decidedly international, with two visitors from Italy, a lecture by our newest professor of French and German (all about ‘Sleeping Beauty’), and even a talk on America's fascination with King Arthur,” said Dr. Chad Davidson, executive director of global engagements and cultural programming. “In September, we kick off our fall schedule with celebrated pianist Manuel Magrini, who blends jazz, folk and classical styles in compositions and renditions all his own. At the end of September, former Olympic marathoner Piergiorgio Conti – who will also be running the Carrollton Half Marathon – visits campus to discuss the boundaries of human endurance. As someone who has run 65 marathons, he knows a thing or two about that.”
Magrini’s visit is made possible by the incredible generosity of Michael and Andrea Stone, and Conti’s participation is made possible through a generous gift from the Warren and Ava Sewell Foundation.
NOTE: You must be 21 or over to be served alcohol at this event. Please be prepared to show ID. If you are interested in any of the following events, please register online.
The Michael and Andrea Stone Visiting Artist Series Presents Pianist Manuel Magrini: Inner Pictures
Tuesday, Sept. 1
6 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. performance
Townsend Center for the Performing Arts Dangle “Black Box” Theatre
We are pleased to welcome to Carrollton renowned Italian pianist Manuel Magrini, who seamlessly blends jazz and classical styles in arrangements all his own. Magrini is a graduate of the famous Morlacchi Conservatory in Perugia and plays around the world. Pack cards available for UWG students who attend.
Blackwell Prize in Filmmaking: An Evening with Suzannah Herbert
Tuesday, Sept. 15
6 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan
Free Admission: REGISTER
Join us for a talk by Suzannah Herbert – the award-winning filmmaker – who will screen excerpts from her latest film, Natchez, and discuss the richness and complexity of southern storytelling. Pack cards are available for UWG students who attend.
Wild Alterations: Views of the Natural World Reception & Gallery Talk
Friday, Sept. 18
Gallery talk by Amie Esslinger at 7 p.m.
The Vault Gallery, Wadsworth Auditorium, Newnan
Free Admission
Wild Alterations: Views of the Natural World brings together a dynamic group of artists exploring unexpected, imaginative, and at times unsettling interpretations of flora and fauna. This exhibition embraces the natural world as both subject and catalyst—a site in which animals, plant life, and landscape are transformed through artistic vision into works that surprise, delight, and provoke. The result is a collection of works that challenge viewers to reconsider their relationship to the environment and the creatures within it.
The Sewell Lecture Series Presents the Boundaries of Endurance: Olympic Marathoner Piergiorgio Conti
Thursday, Sept. 24
6 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
Adamson Hall
$5 general admission, free for students: REGISTER/PURCHASE
We are proud to welcome to campus former Olympic marathoner Piergiorgio Conti from Italy. Conti traveled to Beijing in 2008 as part of the Italian Olympic team and has run 65 marathons. A must see for running enthusiasts and anyone interested in the outer boundaries of human endurance. Pack cards are available for UWG students who attend.
The Other Night School: The Curious Story of Sleeping Beauty
Tuesday, Sept. 29
6 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan, Lecture Hall 133
$5 general admission, free for students: REGISTER/PURCHASE
Speaker: Dr. Alex Claussen, UWG assistant professor of French and German
Curses and kisses; slumber and wonder; fairies, ogres, ex-wives, vampires: “Sleeping Beauty” has it all. Join us as we explore the tale’s twists and turns—and (re)discover those bits that have gotten lost in translation. Pack cards are available for UWG students who attend.
The Other Night School: The Surprising Life of Coca-Cola
Tuesday, Oct. 13
6 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
Adamson Hall
$5 general admission, free for students: REGISTER/PURCHASE
Speaker: Dr. Jenna Harte, UWG assistant professor of general education
Did you know that the most widely recognized word on the planet, after "OK" is "Coke”? Join us to learn how this sugary beverage became not only an icon of not only America but also global culture and consumerism. Pack cards are available for UWG students who attend.
An Evening with Peter Van Dyck, Winner of the 2026 Blackwell Prize in Painting
Tuesday, Oct. 20
6 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan, Lecture Hall 133
$5 general admission, free for students: REGISTER/PURCHASE
Join us for a special presentation by Peter Van Dyck. A celebrated contemporary realist painter and educator based in Philadelphia, he is known for his intimately observed interior scenes and still lifes. Pack cards are available for UWG students who attend.
The Other Night School: King Arthur: Fact, Fiction and Future
6 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
Adamson Hall
$5 general admission, free for students: REGISTER/PURCHASE
Speaker: Dr. Leah Haught, professor of English
Why might a pseudohistorical British king remain popular in the contemporary U.S.? Join us to explore why a nation that famously initiated a revolution to escape an actual king continues to be fascinated by a fictional one. Pack cards are available for UWG students who attend.
The Other Night School: Exploring Art with Nathan Rees: 250 Years of American Art
Tuesday, Nov. 10
6 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan, Lecture Hall 133
$5 general admission, free for students: REGISTER/PURCHASE
Speaker: Dr. Nathan Rees, UWG associate professor of art
Come learn the fascinating story of how a colonial backwater became a global art capitol. As we survey the defining moments of American art history, we will explore how artists have shaped the vision of our nation. Pack cards are available for UWG students who attend.
The Other Night School: Demystifying Wine with Chelsea Young
Tuesday, Dec. 1
6 p.m. reception / 6:30 p.m. talk
UWG Newnan, Lecture Hall 133
$5 general admission: REGISTER/PURCHASE
Understanding how wine and food interact—and how best to pair the two—can often feel like a dark art. Join Chelsea Young, certified wine expert and owner of the Oenophile Institute in Smyrna, for a crash course in the rules that govern how food and wine do and don't play well together.