The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation debuted last week their newest virtual initiative Taliesin Talks, a weekly series of live-streamed, conversational and interactive discussions offering digital audiences an exciting new avenue to learn about and discuss topics related to the work of the Foundation and the Wright legacy of architecture and design. The second installment of the series is scheduled for this upcoming Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. MST.

The talks will be hosted by Foundation staff in conjunction with leading experts and past collaborators from around the world. The featured guests will come from a variety of different disciplines and share a passion for innovation, which builds off of Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy of forward-thinking.

The hour-long conversations will span a wide range of exciting and engaging topics, from preservation to performing and visual arts, to space exploration! Viewers will have the opportunity to ask on-the-spot questions and engage with hosts in a way they haven’t before. Each talk will be broadcast live on the Foundation’s Facebook page and saved for viewing after the livestream.

As many sites have recently had to close their doors to the public due to COVID-19, the Foundation hopes that virtual initiatives like that of Taliesin Talks or the popular Wright Virtual Visits will invite more people into the Wright community with a wide array of topics that demonstrate the vast scope of the Wright legacy.

The Taliesin Talks initial schedule will include:

Theater in Historic Spaces

May 19, 2020 starting at 4 p.m. MST.

Participants:

Mary Way – Executive Director of Southwest Shakespeare Company

Irwin Appel – Professor and Chair of the Music and Dance Department for University of California, Santa Barbara; Death of Kings director

Debra Ann Byrd – Harlem Shakespeare Festival Founder; Othello actress and director

Overview:

This panel will take a look into what it is like to perform in a historic space and the overall impact of history on theater.

Showcasing Spoke Art

May 27, 2020 starting at 4 p.m. MST.

Participants:

Ken Harman – Gallery Owner and Curator, Spoke Art Gallery and Hashimoto Contemporary

Jeff Goodman – Vice President of Communications & Partnerships, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

Overview:

The panelists will reflect back on the 2019 Frank Lloyd Wright: Timeless Spoke Art exhibition, featuring a conversation with the artists on their inspiration and process.

Teaching Architecture for Extra-Terrestrial Habitats and Extreme Environments

June 4, 2020 starting at 2 p.m. MST.

Participants:

Christian Snaft – Branch Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, Virginia G. Piper Branch

Christopher Jason – Education Manager, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

Natalie Pollet – Education Coordinator, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

Erin Bonilla – NASA

Overview:

This panel will discuss what it means to build habitats in otherwise unlivable environments, and the significance of teaching children about architecture using these challenges.

In addition to taking part in any of the Foundation’s new virtual programming opportunities, the public is encouraged to support the organization by donating or purchasing a membership, which includes passes for annual visits to Taliesin West, along with reciprocal benefits at Wright sites across the country and discounts for online shopping.

For more information on the Taliesin Talks series and to see the full schedule of events, visit FrankLloydWright.org/Taliesin-Talks.