Why Do Artists Create?: A Morton L. Mandel Conversation

Musician Jason Moran and author Viet Thanh Nguyen, in conversation with Deborah Rutter, share what it means to pursue a life in the arts and as an artist. 

Moran is an innovative and collaborative jazz musician who has issued more than a dozen albums, including soundtracks. Nguyen's novel The Sympathizer won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction pairs with his non-fiction book Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War. 

In this conversation, they talk about developing as artists, dedicating themselves to their work, serving as faculty members, and staying creative in the face of new challenges. Rutter, the Vice Provost for the Arts at Duke University, was previously the president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The conversation was introduced by Academy President Laurie Patton, who provided context for the Academy's ongoing support for the arts and artists.