Arts - Newslocker

The Kids Are Fine. Check On Grandpa.

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 05:46:00 +0200

Good Morning,Every few years America convenes a panic about young people abandoning culture. Today’s stories suggest we’ve been watching the wrong generation. Since 2003, daily reading time among older Americans has nearly halved. BUT it’s the young whose reading habits are growing (New York Times). And they’re not just holding: Gen Z is choosing culture that puts bodies in rooms together, movie theaters included (New York Times), buying novels by the pallet because BookT

Surrealists Were The Original Antifa

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:50:00 +0200

“While Surrealism is figured as a style in popular imagination — trippy, dreamy, and escapist, detached from reality in every way — (the exhibition) ‘In the Very Bowels of Change: Surrealism and Antifascism’ reminds just how much the movement was formed in response to the politics of its time.” – Art in America

AI-Created Music – What We Can Learn From Copyright History

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:31:00 +0200

AI can now generate songs, images, novels and artworks in seconds. Many of these works are already being streamed, licensed and sold. This raises an increasingly important question: should works produced without direct human authorship receive copyright protection? – The Conversation

How The Pedant Became A Stock Character In Theater

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:03:00 +0200

Going all the way back to before 1600, the cantankerous, pompous, book-smart nincompoop has been a figure of mockery on European stages, a target for venting people’s dislike for know-it-all behavior. Some of the stereotypes associated with the character, however, were rather nasty. – The Public Domain Review

We Should Worry About How AI Might Change Us With Its Use

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:44:00 +0200

How, then, could an automated oracle help? It cannot tell you what to feel, because feeling is not something you can summon by obedience. But neither can it settle the matter by telling you what to do. Reasons matter, and to be a morally responsible agent you must reason for yourself. – Humanist Review

What If Smartphones Are Not Responsible For What Ails Our Kids?

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:15:00 +0200

Which change that happened 15 years ago was the real source of so much misery for children? “You can’t run experiments on history,” Haidt said, so we’ll never be able to prove that smartphones and social media caused the steep decline in youth mental health. – The Atlantic

Brooklyn Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Fatal Stabbing Of Dancer O’Shae Sibley

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:02:00 +0200

Though Dmitriy Popov, now 20, was acquitted of murder, he was convicted of first-degree manslaughter as a hate crime and other charges for attacking Sibley — a Black and visibly gay man — with a knife and puncturing his heart while Sibley and friends were dancing outside a Brooklyn gas station in 2023. – Gothamist

FCC Will End Ownership Caps On Local TV Companies

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 18:44:00 +0200

“Today, national programmers can distribute their programming to 100 percent of the country — either through their own streaming services or through deals they cut with nationwide ‘virtual cable companies,’ like YouTube TV. The cap no longer constrains their control over distribution in this respect,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr wrote. – Variety

Why TikTok Has Become A Force In Book Buying

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 18:29:00 +0200

One of the reasons TikTok’s book-review videos, known collectively as BookTok, have become so popular—and powerful in the publishing world—is that they offer a human-based, quasi-critical recommendation portal for fans and genre devotees to connect, commiserate, and promote their favorite work. – The New Yorker

Gen Z Has Big Nostalgia For Eras Before They Were Born

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 18:15:00 +0200

In a nationally representative survey conducted by our team at the Archbridge Institute’s Human Flourishing Lab, 68% of Gen Z respondents reported feeling nostalgic for eras before their lifetime, and 73% said they are drawn to media, styles, hobbies, or traditions from earlier periods. – Big Think

Brenda Fricker, First Irish Actress To Win An Oscar, Has Died At 81

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 18:04:00 +0200

She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1990 for playing the mother of disabled painter/writer Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis) in My Left Foot. She’s remembered by a (mostly) different set of moviegoers as the Central Park Pigeon Lady in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. – The Hollywood Reporter

Who’s Reading Less? It’s Older Americans, Not Younger

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:44:00 +0200

In 2003, older Americans read on average just under an hour each day — 58.5 minutes. By last year, that had fallen nearly by half, to roughly 32.4 minutes each day, a drop that represents the lion’s share of overall reading declines. – The New York Times

Why Trump Is Fixated On Smithsonian History

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:31:00 +0200

People often joke about how Trumpism would like to return us to some version of the 1950s, when America supposedly was “great.” In this report, the administration has done just that. The report would prefer that nothing had ever happened since the ’50s to mar the White House’s polished, superficial, puerile version of America’s past. – The New York Times

Culture Shift: Why Young People Are Choosing Culture That Brings Them Together

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:15:00 +0200

We human beings remain stubbornly, beautifully starving for one another. More surprising — and heartening — we are looking upward and outward, and returning to one another after being tethered for so long to our screens. This all portends well for the entertainment business, no doubt. – The New York Times

How Vanderbilt University Made Itself Competitive With The Ivy League

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:04:00 +0200

Twenty years ago, the school’s acceptance rate was 38%; now it’s under 5%, roughly equivalent to Yale’s, and its undergraduates are reportedly the happiest in the country. The change is the result of deliberate, planned effort by two successive presidents over 20 years. – New York Magazine (MSN)

Hong Kong Government Gives Ominous Warning To Booksellers

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:33:00 +0200

“Hong Kong’s top security official said Thursday that booksellers should ensure the titles they sell do not harm national security, a day after five people linked to two bookstores were arrested. The police operation on Wednesday was the third round of arrests targeting independent bookstores within four months.” – AP

Madison Symphony Appoints Laura Jackson Music Director

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:05:00 +0200

Jackson is currently music director of the Reno Philharmonic in Nevada — a position she’ll keep through 2028-29 — and will officially take up this post as of the 2027-28 season. She succeeds John DeMain, who retired in June after 32 years. – The Cap Times (Madison, WI)

White House May Bring US Government Into Trump’s Lawsuit Against BBC

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:32:00 +0200

“According to filings seen by the FT, the US government told the court in Florida ‘that it is considering participating in this litigation’. … The ‘conflict of interest is clear and stark’, the BBC said in a filing responding to the US government’s submission.” – Financial Times

Trump Drops A Portion Of His Defamation Case Against The BBC

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:06:00 +0200

“Trump is demanding damages from the corporation, claiming a Panorama documentary defamed him because of an allegedly misleading edit of footage of one of his speeches. … However, while (he) is pressing on with the case as a whole, he has dismissed defamation claims against … the broadcaster’s commercial and production arms.” – The Telegraph (UK) (Yahoo!)

Nashville Symphony’s New CEO: Mark Cantrell Of Colorado Symphony

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:34:00 +0200

“Cantrell’s appointment comes after a nationwide search sparked by the retirement of longtime Nashville Symphony leader Alan Valentine, who served in the role for 28 years. Cantrell, who will officially assume the position on Aug. 1., comes to Nashville Symphony from the Colorado Symphony in Denver.” – Nashville Post

Ravinia Festival Cancels Performance Due To Wildfire Smoke

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200

The July 16 performance of Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio, with James Conlon conducting the Chicago Symphony and soloists including Katherine Lewek and Miles Mykkanen, was called off due to hazardous air quality caused by smoke from wildfires raging in Canada. – Ravinia Festival

Mahler: Fact and Fiction

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 05:10:00 +0200

The books of Robert Seethaler, one of Europe’s pre-eminent novelists, include a 2020 novella about Gustav Mahler: Der letzte Satz. It’s

The Howard Theatre in Washington, DC, seeks an Executive Director.

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:45:00 +0200

Position Summary
The Howard Theatre seeks a strategic, entrepreneurial, and externally compelling Executive Director to lead the organization through its next phase of growth. This is a formative leadership opportunity for an executive who will shape the organization’s next chapter. The next Executive Director will not inherit a mature nonprofit operating platform. They will help create one. The Howard has an extraordinary legacy, renewed Board energy, strong public symbolism, and real mo

Managing Director – Texas Performing Arts via TOC Arts Partners

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 01:16:00 +0200

About the Opportunity
The Managing Director is Texas Performing Arts “number two” leader. The position is responsible for implementing the Executive & Artistic Director’s strategic vision by leading daily operations, providing financial management, and guiding the work of TPA’s operational and administrative teams. The position works closely with colleagues across UT Austin and engages extensively with the university’s centralized systems and policies.Reporting

Yo-Yo Ma Plays the Drainage Ditch

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 22:18:00 +0200

Good Morning,Yo-Yo Ma is among the musicians turning the Los Angeles River — neglected, trashed, half-restored — into an impromptu concert stage (Los Angeles Times). And in Oakland, a nonreligious choir is packing a church with people who just want to sing together (San Francisco Chronicle).
The ownership end of culture had a busier day. Twelve states sued to block Paramount’s $111 billion purchase of Warner Bros. (The New York Times), while Netflix — struggling to keep v

Is It Really Possible To Map The Odyssey?

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 20:05:00 +0200

The ancient Greek polymath Eratosthenes, who was the first person to measure the circumference of the Earth, disputed that the Odyssey had anything to do with geography. He said: “You will find the scene of the wanderings of Odysseus when you find the cobbler who sewed up the bag of the winds.” – The Conversation

The Fault Lines Of PEN America’s Support Of Free Speech

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 19:41:00 +0200

PEN America currently sits on a widening fault line, one that divides old-school liberalism, which treats the right to speak as more important than any particular ideology, from a surging and fiercely ideological left that sees Israel and Zionism as its enemy. – The Atlantic

Survey: Americans Support AI Companies Transferring Half Their Stock To A Public Fund

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 19:21:00 +0200

According to a new national survey of 1,690 adults from research firm Verasight, 69% said they support “forcing” AI firms to transfer half their stock to a public sovereign wealth fund that would, in theory, pour AI profits back into the economy and even provide direct payments to Americans. – Fast Company

Music Industry Proposes Labels For AI-Use

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 19:01:00 +0200

The labels are simple icons that distinguish between those that are “AI-generated” and “AI-assisted,” but they are designed to be adopted by digital music services, distributors and others. The track labeling is voluntary. – Deadline

Danny Elfman: What Classical Music Is Missing

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:40:00 +0200

“In too much classical modern contemporary music, there’s just sound,” he said. “Nothing sticks. You’re not giving the audience anything to hold on to. It’s just a lot of sound, a lot of orchestration.” – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Netflix Considering Adding Live Channels

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:20:00 +0200

To bolster engagement, executives at the company have recently discussed adding live channels that would continuously stream certain programs, or shows and films from a certain genre, according to people familiar with the matter. – The Wall Street Journal

12 US States Sue To Challenge Paramount/Warner Deal

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:00:00 +0200

A coalition of 12 Democratic states including California, New York and Washington filed a lawsuit Monday to block Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, the most serious legal challenge to date for one of the biggest media deals in history. – The New York Times

How The University Of North Texas Censored An Art Exhibition

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 17:45:00 +0200

Initially, the administrators discussed removing some of the pieces from the show. But then the provost texted that he wanted to take down the entire exhibition instead. Michael McPherson wrote, “I think it’ll be easier to manage any barking from our friends in Austin.” – NPR

The Private Concierges Of Rome (Culture On Demand)

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 17:30:00 +0200

The secret to the company’s success lies in its network of “partners”—museums and churches and palazzi, but also artists and photographers and scholars. Each has something special to offer if they can be persuaded to provide it. – The Atlantic

Yo-Yo Ma Is Just One Of Many Musicians Performing Along The Los Angeles River These Days

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0200

The river has “been neglected, trashed and often forgotten over time, myriad governmental and nonprofit groups have been working for years to restore habitat. … And recently, creatives and activists, who dream of transforming it into a hospitable greenway, have been hosting arts events.” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)

Sam Neill, Beloved New Zealand Actor Known For Jurassic Park And The Piano, Has Died At 78

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:30:00 +0200

The actor was a warm internet presence and a proud producer of wine from his vineyard. “At 11, he changed his name to Sam, taking inspiration from characters in Western movies. It was, he added, ‘probably the best decision I made in my life.’” – The New York Times

At Long Last, John Constable’s Most Famous Painting Is On View In Suffolk

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:00:00 +0200

“The famous work depicts a rural scene near the River Stour in Flatford, but it was actually painted in Constable’s London studio.” – BBC

Learning How To Fake-Punch, Fake-Fall, And Fake-Go Up In Flames, On Camera

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:45:00 +0200

“The best side of a stunt always has to face the lens: The trajectory of a feigned punch, a few degrees off, can look fake to viewers.” – The New York Times

Why Debates Over Free Speech Can Lead To So Much Fury

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:30:00 +0200

“The free speech wars of recent years are not just about rules – they’re about what it means to be a good person.” – The Guardian (UK)

This Nonreligious Choir Draws Crowds In The Bay Area

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:15:00 +0200

Big crowds for a church venue, anyway – and a lot of participants. “The choir is full of these intense, amazing, freaky, kooky people, and the community that I’ve been able to fall into and build has just been a game changer.” – San Francisco Chronicle

California Places A New Cap On Film And TV Tax Credits, Freaking Out State Lawmakers

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0200

The state legislators “are calling for Gov. Gavin Newsom to exempt the state’s film and TV production incentive program from a recently approved cap on corporate tax credits.” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)

It Was Probably Way Too Early For A Live-Action Moana, And The Box Office Reflects That Problem

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:45:00 +0200

“On average, Disney has waited 27 years before remaking one of its animated classics as a live-action movie.” Just one problem: They’re out of animated classics to remake. – The New York Times

Reconsidering An English Artist Who Painted The Working-Class

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:30:00 +0200

A painter from Manchester, who focused on the working class, isn’t necessarily what Londoners think. “What we’re hoping to do is actually to bust a few myths. … [LS Lowry] wasn’t just an industrial painter. He certainly wasn’t naive or isolated.” – The Guardian (UK)

The Question Remains

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:15:00 +0200

Can genAI art or writing ever, ever be more than mid? – Glasstire

Netflix Is In Talks To Buy Letterboxd

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200

Remember Amazon buying Goodreads, anyone? “The app has become a beloved platform and community for young movie enthusiasts, and is most popular with audiences ages 18 to 35.” – The Guardian (UK)

What Would A Post-Literate World Look Like, Though?

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:45:00 +0200

“We are making real trade-offs as we shift to communication through short-form video, and maybe it will be worth it, but we certainly are losing a lot.” – NPR

A Building Is Not An Institution

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 05:40:00 +0200

Good Morning,Modernization was supposed to sand the world down to one global culture. The evidence says otherwise: under pressure, people tend to sharpen their differences rather than surrender them (Psyche).
Which is useful context for the day’s buildings. The Kennedy Center is technically open — doors unlocked, staff at their posts — and nearly empty, a marble shell deactivated (Washington Post), even as a federal panel rules Trump’s name stays off it while appeals proc

What’s The Deal With The Second Season Audience Drop On Netflix?

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:14:00 +0200

“Between confusing release schedules, binge releases, long gaps between seasons and the regular flood of new content making it difficult for any new release to stand out, Netflix’s scale is quickly becoming its own worst enemy.” – The Wrap (MSN)

Does Worldwide Modernization Lead To Reduction In Cultural Differences? Not Necessarily

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:04:00 +0200

“When researchers have actually tried to document the size of cultural differences over time, the picture is far more complicated – and more interesting.” – Psyche

Have Two English Preservation Societies Been Exaggerating About ‘Witch Marks’ On Old Buildings?

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:46:00 +0200

One architectural historian might go even farther: “Anything on a stone building that looks like a design gets picked up as these damn things now. There’s absolutely no evidence they were ever used like that.” – The Guardian (UK)

Time For The ‘Emmy Snubs And Surprises’ Round-Up

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:31:00 +0200

For instance: “The third and long-delayed final season of Euphoria didn’t make much of an impact on voters, as the once-celebrated drug-addled soap scored nods for Zendaya and [Colman] Domingo, but not many of the other big stars.” – Variety

How Many Parody Heated Rivalry Musicals Can The World Handle?

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:13:00 +0200

There are already at least four this summer, with more in production. “With the show’s success – all perky keisters, swanky hotel shags, a secret sex cottage and just a smidgeon of hockey – [one producer] reckons it was inevitable.” – The Guardian (UK)

Nina Ananiashvili On Dancing And Choreographing Odette And Odile In “Swan Lake”

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:02:00 +0200

“For me, the key has always been to make Odette the embodiment of pure femininity, sorrow, refinement, and forgiveness — but never weakness. … Odile, by contrast, should be explosive, feminine, bold, daring and wicked — but never vulgar. You know, without steam coming out of her nostrils.” – Gramilano (Milan)

Yes, Horror Still Sells At The Box Office

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 19:44:00 +0200

Witness Obsession, made for less than $1 million and now having grossed more than $400 million worldwide (breaking the record held by Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon in the process). – The Wrap

Will The Kennedy Center Survive This ‘Open,’ Empty Time?

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 19:33:00 +0200

“What’s left has the air of a ghost ship, as the center’s board prepares to reconsider to what degree the building will remain open. The Kennedy Center declined to comment.” – Washington Post

Emily Wilson Knows From Angry ‘Odyssey’ Bros

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 19:16:00 +0200

“Wilson’s translations of The Odyssey and The Iliad are some of the best-known pieces of contemporary translation, and they’ve turned the University of Pennsylvania professor into both a star and a specter of controversy.” – Vulture

Artist Mickalene Thomas Sued For Copyright Infringement

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 19:03:00 +0200

“Mickalene Thomas, an artist known for her popular paintings and photo-based installations centering Black women, is facing a lawsuit from the photographer Barbara Karant, who alleges that Thomas used her pictures without attribution or permission in works that appeared at an array of museums and blue-chip galleries.” – ARTnews

Frida Kahlo Hadn’t Intended To Be An Artist (A Biographical Refresher)

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:01:00 +0200

Because she’s even more ubiquitous than usual this year — a blockbuster show at Tate Modern, a bio-series at Netflix, a fantasy opera about her at the Met, a new record ($54.7 million) for a woman artist at auction — here’s a recap of her life. No mention of the affair with Trotsky, though. – ARTnews

Competition Which Discovered Gustavo Dudamel Awards No First Prize This Year

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 17:02:00 +0200

The jury of the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition, which Dudamel (in his first time leading a fully professional orchestra) won in its inaugural edition in 2004, decided not to name a winner for only the second time in the event’s history. The €20,000 second prize went to 31-year-old Polish conductor Jakub Przybycień. – Moto Perpetuo

Four London Theatres Listed As At Risk Of Closure

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:34:00 +0200

Borough Hall, Streatham Hill Theatre, Tottenham Palace Theatre, and the Intimate Theatre have been deemed “at risk of closure, redevelopment, or demolition.” Three of them are being eyed for conversion into churches or other sites of worship. – The Standard (London)

Smithsonian Chief Rebuts Trump Administration Report Accusing American History Museum Of Extremism

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:06:00 +0200

In a staff-wide email, Lonnie Bunch wrote that “there will always be room for improvement,” but the report “is not a fair characterization of … the National Museum of American History. At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy, and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.” – The Washington Post

Ukrainian Troops Get Handbook On Protecting Cultural Property

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:30:00 +0200

“The handbook sets out Ukrainian soldiers’ main obligations under international humanitarian law, the different levels of protection afforded to cultural property, the precautions to be integrated into operational planning, and the procedures for identifying, reporting and documenting attacks against heritage.” – The Art Newspaper

“The Pitt”, “Hacks”, “Widow’s Bay” Dominate 2026 Emmy Nominations

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:05:00 +0200

“The Pitt leads all nominees with a total of 25, followed by Hacks with 24 (a record for a comedy series for noms in a single year) and Widow’s Bay with 19 (leading all new shows).” Connor Storrie scored the only nomination he was eligible for — for guest-hosting Saturday Night Live. – The Hollywood Reporter

Trump’s Name Must Stay Off Kennedy Center While Appeals Proceed, Rules Panel

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 14:33:00 +0200

“A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit … rejected the administration’s argument that the removal was damaging the arts institution’s finances.” – The Guardian

Man Sentenced For Theft Of Rare Chinese Manuscripts From UCLA Library

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 14:01:00 +0200

Jeffrey Ying, a 39-year-old resident of Fremont, Cal., gets a year of house arrest and three years of probation for a scheme in which he reserved and checked out, under false names, several 17th-century manuscripts, then returned fake dummy copies. – San Francisco Chronicle (Yahoo!)

The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum seeks Executive Director

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:20:00 +0200

Organization The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum is the only art museum in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the only art museum along South Carolina’s north coast. Established in 1987 and opened to the public in June 1997, the Myrtle Beach Art Museum has become a vital visual arts institution serving Myrtle Beach and the broader tri-county region of Horry, Georgetown, and Brunswick Counties. Located in an iconic historic building with views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Myr

Director of Marketing & Communications at The Reser

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:16:00 +0200

Patricia Reser Center for the ArtsReports to: Executive DirectorFSLA Status: Exempt, Full-time with benefitsSchedule: As dictated by scheduled events; this position will require evening and weekend work as well as occasional holidays.Date of Posting: June 16, 2026Patricia Reser Center for the Arts is an equal opportunity, at-will employer, dedicated to the goal of creating a diverse and inclusive working environment. We strongly encourage applications from women, persons of color, and LGBTQ indi

Aboard A Cruise Ship With 20 Celebrity Impersonators

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 21:52:00 +0200

“Near the exit, with his blue eyes and sensible sandals, was Boy George, who swanned over to double-cheek kiss Sharon, then peck the forehead of Martha Stewart, and — skipping over Jeff Bezos — the tip of Fran Drescher’s nose. Sinatra (A), by the banquette, had just politely pumped the hand of Sinatra (B) …” – N+1

ABC, Fighting Back Against The FCC, Says That ‘The View’ As A News Show Is Long-Settled Law

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 20:44:00 +0200

“The F.C.C.’s focus on The View plays on longstanding grudges held by the president against the show and some of its hosts, and thrusts a talk show started by the ABC journalist Barbara Walters as a breezy kaffeeklatsch into a molten national debate.” – The New York Times

Go Ahead, Touch The Art

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 06:16:00 +0200

Good Morning,The V&A’s new East Storehouse lets visitors order objects up from the collection and actually handle them (The New York Times). Museums have traditionally erected barriers between people and things; now one of the world’s great collections is betting on removing them.It’s not alone in rediscovering that authentic presence is the asset. Americans are falling back in love with independent cinemas (The Guardian) — thriving not by competing with streaming but

American Classical Music at 250 – Take Two: The BAM Experiment

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 05:57:00 +0200

The “New World” Symphony visual presentation created by Peter Bogdanoff for the Brooklyn Philharmonic’s 1994 Dvorak festival. Building on

Turkish Comedian Imprisoned For Insulting Erdogan

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 22:00:00 +0200

“A Turkish court on Friday ordered a comedian jailed pending trial on charges of insulting religious values and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after his stand‑up routine included references to him as a ‘dictator.’” (This is what the some might call Erdogan “not beating the charges.”) – Seattle Times (AP)

Take A Deep Breath: Music Fans Vs Music Critics Discourse Surfaces Again

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 21:30:00 +0200

“America’s obsession with celebrity has morphed into this really weird, parasocial thing, where people feel incentivized to be deputized defenders of that person and are there to attack anybody who says anything at least a little bit negative about them.” – Washington Post

The Men’s Team World Cup Run May Be Helping Revive Mexico’s Mariachi Traditions

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 21:00:00 +0200

“People are drinking. They’re happy. They’re paying for music.” – NPR

What’s Going On With Theatre Leadership Isn’t Exactly Hidden Or Mysterious

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0200

“Call it what you want: colonialism, toxic workplace culture, oppression, patriarchy, the result is the same: power in the hands of a few who extract all the benefit they can from the many while trying to convince us that we should be thankful for the honor of the extraction.” – Amy Wratchford

While ‘ER’ Made Noah Wyle’s Career, It Probably Also Stifled Him

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 20:00:00 +0200

The actor, currently famous thanks to his project The Pitt, says he “missed out on roles in Saving Private Ryan and Good Night, and Good Luck because he couldn’t get out of filming” ER. – Variety

The MAGA-Reviled Smithsonian Museums Saved Many Lives On The Fourth

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 19:30:00 +0200

Did someone hit a big flashing “irony” button for our timeline? – The New York Times

After Some Grim Times, The US Is Back In Love With Independent Cinemas

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 18:30:00 +0200

You can thank the young ones: there’s “a gen Z-led wave fueling a fresh resurgence of indie movie houses.” – The Guardian (UK)

Fifty Years Ago, The NEA Funded Orchestras Celebrating The Nation’s Big Anniversary

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 18:00:00 +0200

In 1976, “the centerpiece was the National Endowment for the Arts Bicentennial Orchestra Commissioning Project. That funded America’s six top orchestras to each commission a major work that all six would play.” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)

The Green Man Music Festival In Wales Does A Lot More Than Simply Entertain

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 17:30:00 +0200

Javid from Afghanistan “said the festival in the idyllic Bannau Brycheiniog national park had been his first ever experience of a music concert. Under the Taliban, he said, ‘There is no music, and it’s banned to listen to any music.’” – The Guardian (UK)

The Empty, Vacuous Promises Of The New LACMA

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0200

“There is nothing emancipatory, nor original, about creating a luxury venue that privileges sensibility over scholarship, allure over accessibility, and fine dining over gallery square footage.” – E-Flux

All The Burning TV Questions That Wednesday’s Emmy Nominations Should Answer

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 16:30:00 +0200

“I still don’t think anyone actually likes Euphoria, but it’s big and expensive and full of movie stars, and at this moment in time Hollywood needs all three of those things to remain viable.” – Vulture

Everything Digital We’ve ‘Bought’ Is Actually Rented

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 16:00:00 +0200

And Sony’s email to Playstation UK customers was simply a reminder of that uncomfortable, horrifying fact. – Wired

The Most American Movie Of All Is Quite Bleak

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 15:30:00 +0200

There Will Be Blood “both celebrates American cinema and inverts it.” – The New York Times

Pride And Pain: The United States At 250 As Seen In Its Performing Arts Scene

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0200

“Who are ‘our people,’ broadly defined? Can we even talk about a common American experience or identity, to which we can all attach a full-throated patriotism? We might look to the example of New York City’s Lincoln Center.” – American Theatre

If You Need Some Incredible Photographs, Not Only Of Space, NASA Probably Has Them

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 14:30:00 +0200

But how to search them up? Google won’t help as much (if at all) anymore, but there are ways. – Wired

Hollywood’s Output Has Always Been About Defining The USA

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200

But now? “More and more, the space of American cinema is defined by one word: fantasy. … The fantasy worlds where our movies increasingly take place add up, in both philosophy and sensation, to a kind of abstract no-man’s land.” – Variety

Ordering Up, And Then Touching, The Objects At The V&A East Storehouse

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 13:30:00 +0200

“When you open these cardboard frames up and look at the edges of the paper and see they’re stained and old, you can really picture Beatrix Potter’s hand. … It’s such a privilege to be this close and be trusted.” – The New York Times

The Fanfiction Community Is At Internal War Over Generative AI

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0200

“Fandom communities are still mostly relying on vibes. Most fanfics aren’t judged by a tool like the AO3 skin, but by tells’ that could include anything from specific sentence structures — like the notorious ‘it’s not X, it’s Y’ — to overuse of flowery metaphors.” – The Verge (Archive Today)

AJ Chronicles: So What’s Working in this Arts Bear Market?

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 06:34:00 +0200

When you look across the culture at what is gaining traction, some common themes emerge.

Sidney Jackson talks about the unique role of Chicago Sinfonietta

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 17:11:00 +0200

Sidney Jackson, President & CEO of Chicago Sinfonietta, talks about their unique role and impact regionally and nationally.

The First Great American Symphony? George F. Bristow’s “Niagara”

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:50:00 +0200

Doug Shadle: “As I listened to the symphony — a strange yet monumental work with a choral finale eclipsing Beethoven’s Ninth in scope — the sonic confluences that have given shape and vibrancy to our national culture for 250 years rushed at me for over an hour.” – Early Music America

Former Facebook Exec Sues Meta For Trying To Suppress Her Memoir

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:33:00 +0200

Sarah Wynn-Williams, who was director of global public policy at Facebook from 2011 until her firing in 2017, argues in her suit that the non-disparagement clause in her severance agreement and the arbitration order barring her from promoting her book, Careless People, are invalid. – AP

Philadelphia Orchestra Appoints New Assistant Conductor: Sara Aldana

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:06:00 +0200

A native of Colombia and a student of Marin Alsop, the Philadelphia Orchestra’s principal guest conductor, Aldana was most recently cover conductor at the Detroit Symphony. – Moto Perpetuo

Jonas Kaufmann vs. the Orchestra of St. Luke’s – Take Two: Mahler Steinbach Festival

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 06:53:00 +0200

Mahler’s composing hut on the Attersee
One of my more popular blogs – it still gets lots of hits

When Ice Cream Beats the Vermeers

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:20:00 +0200

Good Morning,The Museum of Ice Cream and its cousin the Museum of Balloons are printing money while traditional museums count their deficits (The New York Times). The lesson isn’t that audiences got dumber, it’s that they’ll pay handsomely for an experience they can photograph, and a Rothko isn’t sexy enough for TikTok. Ah, the Selfie Generation.Traditional institutions are suffering for it. DePaul shut down its art museum’s daily operations but kept the collection

Executive Director – Kansas City Ballet working with Management Consultants for the Arts

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 02:32:00 +0200

Kansas City Ballet (KCB) seeks a strategic and visionary leader to co-lead one of America’s longest-established professional ballet companies. As the organization’s chief administrative leader, the next Executive Director will develop institutional resilience and drive team momentum for long-term success. Partnering with Artistic Director Devon Carney and the Board of Directors, the next Executive Director will champion bold entrepreneurial strategies to build resources, expand conn

Executive Director – The Town Hall

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 02:29:00 +0200

The Town Hall (Town Hall), the storied performance hall in the heart of New York City’s theater district, invites applications for its Executive Director position. Combining a deep passion for a broad range of cultural creativity and the desire to shape the next chapter for one of New York City’s most celebrated venues, the role will be charged with expanding Town Hall’s reach, impact, and importance in the intersection of performing arts, education outreach, and civic engagem