This is a summary of a story that originally appeared on Duke Arts .
A group of Duke students spent part of the summer examining how the arts can tackle complex challenges - from climate change to video game design.
That was the driving force of this summer's Arts+ experiential summer learning program, which tasks students with thinking broadly about art and its applications in the world.
On one project, Imagine 2100: Environmental Storytelling for a Warming World, students explored how creative practice can make climate research more accessible.
Led by Ashton Merck, program manager of Climate Research & Engagement at the Museum of Life and Science, the team spent six weeks researching issues like sea level rise, environmental justice and data centers.
"We (wanted) to translate climate messages that feel more natural, feel more human when people approach climate questions," said participant Bach Tung Nguyen.
Students also collected environmental data, visited sites connected to North Carolina's environmental justice history, and learned a range of printmaking techniques.
In the Game Narrative and Acting, Story and Cinematics project, undergraduate students collaborated with Duke's Master of Engineering in Game Design, Development & Innovation program to develop dialogue, storylines, performances and cinematic sequences for original video games. Students also used motion-capture technology in Duke's Human Performance Laboratory to transform live performances into digital animations. They used full-body motion capture suits to make animation more human and lifelike.
Other projects focused on recreating historic stained-glass windows while preserving local heritage and giving students hands-on experience in arts administration through Duke Arts Presents.
"It's really cool to see where the arts at Duke are going, that the programs here are thriving, and the new generation of arts students is rising up to meet the challenge," said 2026 Duke graduate Aidan Klein, a Game Design team member who also participated in the inaugural Arts+ cohort in 2024.
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