The a2ru/Willson Center Faculty Research Cluster partners with departments, initiatives, and programs in supporting extraordinary contributions to arts-oriented research at UGA. The goals of the a2ru Faculty Research Cluster include administering support and increasing external funding for UGA faculty engaged in arts-oriented research, increasing the visibility and understanding of arts-oriented research, establishing a community of faculty and institutions involved with arts-oriented research, securing UGA’s reputation as a leader in arts-oriented research, and supporting curricular initiatives that promote arts-oriented research and interdisciplinarity

The Social Ecology Studio is an experimental arts research lab housed within the School of Art, dedicated to advancing sustainability and resilience through the arts. Capitalizing on art’s ability to interest, inform and activate its audience, the studio is piloting methodologies to engage and connect community members and policy makers with issues entrenched in social ecology.

The UGA Arts Collaborative is a catalyst for innovative, interdisciplinary creative projects, advanced research and critical discourse in the arts, and for creative applications of technologies, concepts, and practices found across disciplines. It is a collaborative network of faculty, students, and community members from all disciplines of the visual and performing arts in addition to other disciplines in the humanities and sciences. The Arts Collaborative enables all stages of creative activity, from concept and team formation through production, documentation, and dissemination of research.

The mission of the Willson Center is to promote research and creativity in the humanities and arts. It supports faculty through research grants, lectures, symposia, publications, visiting scholars, visiting artists, collaborative instruction, public conferences, exhibitions, and performances. It is committed to academic excellence and public impact.