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Yours very truly, etc., etc., etc.
Yours very truly, etc., etc., etc.
At CIRS, we believe that the spirit and legacy of Romanticism—its passion for imagination, its commitment to justice, its reverence for nature, and its belief in the transformative power of art and ideas—is more relevant than ever. CIRS aims to facilitate programming and residencies for scholars, artists, teachers, students, and lifelong learners interested in the Romantic Era, associated eras, and creative fields that find a connection they wish to explore.
About CIRS
The Community Institute of Romantic Studies (CIRS) serves scholars, artists, and lifelong learners passionate about Romanticism's enduring influence. Our foundational community includes English Literature faculty, graduate students, independent scholars, international researchers specializing in British and European Romanticism, and we actively welcome interdisciplinary voices from art history, musicology, philosophy, environmental humanities, and beyond. We embrace contemporary artists, writers, creative practitioners who draw inspiration from Romantic traditions, and the broader public seeking meaningful intellectual engagement with this transformative period in history.
CIRS addresses critical challenges facing our community: academic isolation due to declining departmental support, limited conference access caused by rising costs and funding cuts, barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration, and the need for mentorship and professional development in an increasingly challenging academic landscape. Through our programming—including seminars, conferences, residencies, and community outreach—we create vital connections across disciplines, career levels, and geographic boundaries. Whether you're a tenured professor, emerging scholar, independent researcher, practicing artist, or a curious learner, CIRS provides the resources, community, and collaborative opportunities essential for sustaining and advancing the study and appreciation of Romanticism in all its forms.
As all good things begin, conversations with dear friends after a week in Italy spark the imagination in ways that are simultaneously unforeseen and always already where they needed to take you. CIRS emerged from an acknowledged need to support friends and colleagues as the evolution of the academic landscape turns toward something more like Byron's "Darkness" rather than the green pastures many thought awaited us. While CIRS hopes to be a future location for many academic (and post-academic) gatherings, it will also be a location that fosters interdisciplinary celebration. What are we if not joined together to continue learning, exploring, and creating?
When the world is in such a state as it currently finds itself, the best we can do is offer support and community for one another. CIRS exists to do precisely that: to be the place to provide both intellectual and physical access to what fuels our motivation to continue. We will build a sustaining world—however small—where scholarship, art, conversation, and the simple joy of being together can thrive.
CIRS was founded by Kaila Rose, a lifelong learner and supporter of Romantic scholars and scholarship, who experienced an inspirational moment in Pisa with two of her dearest friends. What a Spritz and a railway strike cannot inspire, she knows not. This organization represents her commitment to creating spaces where both the academic and the larger community can flourish beyond traditional institutional confines.
While there are many steps to take before CIRS can offer all that it envisions, Rose looks forward to assembling the Board of Directors, writing the bylaws, finding the villa in Italy, gathering monetary support, and planning ahead for our shared future. The path may seem long now, but as we all know, without darkness one cannot fully enjoy the light.
Our mission extends beyond mere survival in challenging times—we aim to create a thriving community where intellectual curiosity, artistic expression, and genuine human connection can flourish. CIRS will serve as both sanctuary and launching pad for the kind of collaborative scholarship and creative work that emerges when passionate minds gather in inspiring places.
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