CORAL GABLES, Fla. (September 22, 2022) — Committed to the civil exchange of ideas for the benefit of the community and the wider world, the Hoffman Forum provides an annual opportunity to have collaborative and interdisciplinary programs related to issues at the intersection of law, public policy, the arts, and social justice with programming that responds to evolutionary (and, perhaps, even, revolutionary) developments among visual and performing artists and arts institutions as they confront and cope with unexpected new norms and realities.
This year's discussion, "Civil Conversation, Cultural Patrimony and the Kingdom of Benin: Critical Considerations," will focus on how museums and cultural institutions in the U.S. and abroad should review their collecting and ethics policies and engage in meaningful dialogue with organizations such as the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments to consult and collaborate on strategies to ensure the respectful repatriation of cultural objects.
In the late 19th century, thousands of artifacts, called the Benin Bronzes, were looted from the ancient Kingdom of Benin and are now scattered around the world in various museums and private collections. In recent years, cultural institutions and governments have examined their collections and entered discussions to repatriate these objects to Nigeria.
Sarah Clunis, director of Academic Partnerships and curator of African Collections at the Harvard University Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, will moderate the virtual event Thursday, October 20, 2022, from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. via Zoom.
Speakers include leaders from the worlds of the arts, sciences, law, politics, entertainment, sports, and business to meet in a structured setting to discuss timely and essential issues and unexpected events and opportunities. The Hoffman Forum operates under the Arts Law Track in Miami Law's Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law LL.M. Program. Before this, the Hoffman Forum was hosted in collaboration with The Aspen Institute Artist-Endowed Foundations Initiative.
Generous gifts from Deborah Hoffman, J.D. '83, and Larry J. Hoffman, J.D. '54, support the forum.
Committed to the civil exchange of ideas for the benefit of the community and the wider world, the conference provides annual opportunities to have collaborative and interdisciplinary programs related to issues at the intersection of law, public policy, the arts, and social justice with programming that responds to evolutionary (and, perhaps, even, revolutionary) developments among visual and performing artists and arts institutions as they confront and cope with unexpected new norms and realities.
Ethics credits CLE will be available for a fee. The event is free and open to the public with advanced registration.
