Good morning: Festivals were the star events of the 2010s. The secret sauce for the most successful of them was in delivering unique experiences — unique performances, special locations, physical events that stood out from the screens we all obsess over. In the 2020s, though, more and more of them are under stress, and many have gone away. Last week came news that music festivals in California are struggling (even the giant Coachella Festival didn’t immediately sell out, and Burning Man attendance was down). Now British literary festivals, which have over recent decades taken over the idyllic summer countryside, are under stress because of rising costs. Has the novelty of the experience worn off? Have festivals become too generic? Or has the cost and hassle and inconvenience become too much?
Here are the rest of today’s highlights:
- Whitney Museum To Make Admission Free For Those 25 And Under, Thanks To Julie Mehretu “Mehretu, who is internationally known for her swirling abstracts that have sold for up to $10.7 million at auction, has contributed $2.25 million to the nearly $5 million initiative, alongside trustee Susan Hess.” – The Wall Street Journal
- Roman Polanski Avoids Civil Trial For Alleged Rape Of 13-Year-Old In 1973 “Polanski, who fled the U.S. decades ago after admitting to the statutory rape of a 13-year-old, will no longer face trial over an alleged assault of another minor after reaching a settlement.” – France 24
- Seattle Art Museum Security Guards Vote To Strike “VSO Union members said two-plus years of bargaining is too long, and that the museum hasn’t provided meaningful counters on its economic demands, including a $27/hour starting wage, scaling pay rates, health care expansion for part-time workers, and reinstatement of employer retirement matching.” – Seattle Times
- Godzilla Is 70 Years Old, And Its Warning To Us Is Still Relevant “(The franchise) conveys a vital message about Earth’s creeping environmental catastrophe. Few survivors are left to warn humanity about the effects of nuclear weapons, but Godzilla remains eternal.” – The Conversation
- Royal Shakespeare Co. And Chicago Shakespeare Begin Their First Collaboration “On Friday, for the first time in some 30 years, (the RSC) will open a show in Chicago — William Shakespeare’s Pericles, now in previews. There are plans for more collaborations between the two companies.” – Chicago Tribune
Skip down to see all the stories we collected in the past day, organized by topic. If you know someone who might like this newsletter, please send them here to subscribe. See you tomorrow.
Doug