The Ward Lucas Lecture Series in the Arts was given by the family and friends of Ward Lucas. Mr. Lucas, who died in 1961, was a member of the Carleton College Board of Trustees for over 20 years. The lecture series sponsors “an annual series of public lectures, with or without demonstration, in any of the creative arts to be delivered by an outstanding ‘maker or doer.’ It is the intent of this lectureship to invite only individuals who have distinguished themselves in the actual practice of the art about which they are to speak, and who are selected by a committee appointed by the President of the College.”

A rotation has been developed between the participating departments.

The regular Lucas Lectureship rotation will resume in the 2022-23 academic year with the Music Department. The full rotation will be:

22-23 Music

23-24 Dance

24-25 Art and Art History (Visual)

25-26 Theatre

26-27 CAMS

27-28 Art and Art History (Architecture)

CAMS and Art and Art History (Architecture) had rotations disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those visits will be scheduled outside of the regular rotation, when the desired visitors and schedules permit.

Timeline of Activities for the Department Chair and Assistant

In October of the year prior to the lecture, the Director of the Arts will send a memo to departments with the description of the lectureship and rotation. During the year prior to the lecture, the designated department searches for and selects a Lucas lecturer. The department forwards the name to the Director of the Arts for approval. The Director of the Arts will approve the honorarium amount.

Once the Director of the Arts approves the selection, the department searches for an appropriate date that will work for the visit. This will involve consulting with the Convocation Committee to see which dates are still available. Once a date is agreed upon, the Director of the Arts sends a letter with honorarium amount, confirmation of dates of visits, and request for a C.V. and SS# from the lecturer. By copy of this letter, the Stewardship Office is alerted to the dates and upcoming lecture. When the Director of the Arts receives confirmation, they will relay that to the hosting department and the Stewardship Office (copy of C.V. to College Relations and Stewardship).

The Hosting Department does the following:

Six months prior to lecture

  • Contact Campus Services to reserve rooms for lectures, workshops, or other activities.
  • Arrange overnight accommodations. Contact College Relations to book AGH guest room for overnight accommodations of the speaker. If AGH not available, the department should book a downtown hotel.
  • Add the public events to the college events calendar.

As soon as possible, but shoot for three months prior to lecture

  • Work with speaker to arrange travel to campus—flight, ground, etc. Contact the Director of the Arts for charge number.
  • Finalize schedule with lecturer and provide a copy to the Director of the Arts and Stewardship.
  • Send the Facilities Office a set-up request for each room reservation.
  • Contact Dining Services to arrange meals and select menus.
  • Contact PEPS to arrange for audiovisual needs.
  • Think about appropriate additional activities and set up: book signing, classes with students, meals with department members and students, tour of Carleton or Northfield, etc.
  • Ask speaker for permission to videotape the lecture for limited broadcast at the College or on the Northfield cable station. If so, arrange with PEPS.

Six weeks prior to the lecture

  • Create an invitation list (with addresses) and print invitations for dinner and the lecture/performance. Please include the following and their spouses: members of the hosting department, the President, Provost, appropriate Associate Provosts, and internal/external constituents interested in the subject (as determined by the department and Director of the Arts). Notify the Stewardship Office when the invitations will be sent and send a copy of the invitation list to them at that time.
  • Work with the Publications Office to create the program announcement, brochures, and posters (provide Publications with a digital image of the speaker/performer). Be sure to use the full name of the lectureship: The Ward Lucas Lecture Series in the Arts.

Two weeks prior to the lecture

  • Publicity: send brochure with public information to faculty and staff, distribute posters around campus, send a note to Carleton Weekly; advertise on the radio and in the Northfield News.
  • Confirm dinner arrangements: invitations distributed to guests, room reservation, menu, wine order, and facilities set-ups.
  • Send other invitations for specific additional events.
  • Submit check request for speaker’s honorarium and be sure that the department chair has it to give to speaker.
  • The Stewardship Office will notify the hosting department if Lucas family members will be in attendance.

Week of lecture

  • Send copy of speaker’s final itinerary to the Director of the Arts and Stewardship Office. Send two copies of printed materials (poster, brochures, handout, etc.) to Stewardship and one copy of the same to the Director of the Arts.
  • Confirm accommodations and transportation (flight and ground) for the speaker/performer.
  • Confirm count for the dinner with dining services.

Others do the following:

Three months prior to the lecture

  • The Stewardship Office will send an invitation to the Lucas family for the lecture/events.

Two weeks prior to the lecture

  • The Stewardship Office will send the poster, brochures, and any other documentation to the Lucas family.
  • Notes for dinner: There should be some social engineering with a head table: Lucas family member, speaker, chair of the department, and other interested individuals. Nametags are suggested.
  • Other: If there is a book signing, get an extra copy signed to send to the Lucas family.

Following the lecture

  • If the Lucas family is unable to attend the lecture, the Stewardship Office will contact PEPS for a videotape of the lecture and send it to the family.
  • Send a follow-up survey to the speaker so we can improve the process in the future.