Good morning: Measuring success when it comes to art has aways been problematic. Sales numbers hardly tell the real story. Attention has become the primary currency online. But the first cracks in the tyranny of the social web, which opaquely chooses winners and losers in the attention algorithm wars, may be starting to show. There is increasing evidence that the social web is in advanced decay for both audience and creators, and that the participation models being rewarded online are deeply—even injuriously—flawed. I wrote an essay for the National Endowment for the arts questioning what it means to “participate” in art. Some musing on my blog Diacritical here.
Here are more highlights from the past week:
- A Call For Systemic Change In NY’s Cultural Structures
Recent testimonies from artists, cultural workers, and arts organization leaders in New York City Council hearings reveal a cultural sector in crisis, highlighting the need for systemic changes in the governance model. – ARTnews - Where (And How) The International Book Market Is Growing
A new report on global book sales shows a rise in fiction revenues, while nonfiction is declining in many regions. Social media, especially the BookTok community, is playing a growing role in boosting sales internationally. – Publishers Weekly - Why Choreographer Oona Doherty Has Grabbed The Contemporary Dance World’s Attention
Known for her refusal to compromise and her pull toward the extreme, Oona Doherty’s first major piece, “Hope Hunt and the Ascension Into Lazarus,” has been a remarkable exploration of authenticity and subversion in movement since 2015. – Dance Magazine - The Internet Has Fractured Culture So Much, The Cultural References Don’t Work For Everyone
Many recent novels reference niche cultural fragments familiar only to certain urban media circles, suggesting future readers might need a guidebook to understand them. – The Walrus - “Sleep No More” Announces Yet Another Closing Date For Its 14-Year New York Run
The immersive, site-specific adaptation of “Macbeth” has set multiple closing dates, with extensions due to popular demand, underscoring the lasting appeal of this innovative theatrical experience. – Variety
As usual, jump down to see all the stories we collected this week.
Doug