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- This Year’s Most Interesting Visual Art Lawsuits
Like most years in the art world, 2024 saw a slew of lawsuits wind their way through the courts. – ARTnews
- Exploring The Art Of The “Art Monster”
Some creative geniuses make the world richer because of their work. Others have used their cultural impact as an excuse not to treat others with basic respect. The latter group brings to mind a truly notorious kind of “art monster” – The Atlantic
- SFMoMA Fires Curator
Eungie Joo, the curator and head of contemporary art at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMoMA), was fired from her position on Tuesday (17 December) for allegedly violating the museum’s policies governing workplace conduct. – The Art Newspaper
- Carlos Simon talks about using the composing process to impact communities
Carlos Simon, Composer-in-Residence of the Kennedy Center, shares the ethos behind his composing process that impacts communities.
- The Egyptian Government Just Rented Out The Pyramids To MrBeast
MrBeast says on the podcast that he worked with the Egyptian government to get access to the historic site. “I’ve never been inside of it,” he says. “I want to just find secrets and go through all the rooms and the tombs and that kind of stuff.” – Fast Company
- Fired Members Of Dallas Black Dance Theatre Reunite For A Final Performance
The National Labor Relations Board ruled in their favor and they’re getting compensation, but the ten dancers are declining to return to DBDT. So they got together for one last performance — a program of new pieces collectively titled Emergence —before figuring out where their careers will take them next. – KERA (Dallas)
- How Judith Jamison Shaped The Alvin Ailey Dance Company
Under Jamison’s direction, the Ailey dancers grew more and more godlike in technique without losing earthly looseness and soul. – The New Yorker
- The Year That Was In NY Theatre
Broadway returned to boom times, and several commercially produced shows did gangbusters business in smaller theatres, but Off Broadway’s nonprofit companies continued to struggle. Yet a lot of what made the city artistically exciting this year required that all parts of the ecosystem flourish. – The New Yorker
- How Music Shapes Our Future Perceptions
“Sound directs our passage through time. It shapes our orientation to the future moment and also to the moment when the future stops.” – The Wall Street Journal
- Ballet Genius/Putin Superfan/Notorious Train Wreck Sergei Polunin Says He’s Leaving Russia
The Ukrainian-born dancer, who has three tattoos of Putin (despite the Russian military’s near-obliteration of his hometown, Kherson), now says “My time in Russia ran out a long time ago … I’ve fulfilled my mission here.” Last week he posted a message calling for peace negotiations and promptly lost his job. – CBS News
- Rousseau’s Philosophical Diagnosis Of What Ails Us (Still Relevant Today)
Rousseau was, in effect, the diagnostician of despair who captured the affliction of alienation in all of its dimensions. The source of our affliction was the very thing we thought made us better: civilization. – The American Scholar
- How Did A Publishing Startup Land 25 Books On The Bestseller List In A Year?
So far this year, Bloom has landed 23 books and two series on the New York Times best-seller list. Last year, it surpassed $100 million in gross sales, and its 2024 sales are up 58 percent. – The New York Times
- Nearly 15,000 Media Jobs In The US Were Eliminated In 2024
“While the 14,909 jobs lost by mid-December this year offered an improvement on the 21,417 jobs cut in 2023, it would be unwise to consider this year a ‘comeback’ by any stretch. Combined, the number of jobs lost between 2023-24 more than quadrupled the amount lost between 2021-22.” – TheWrap (MSN)
- Charlotte Symphony Is Making Big Investments In Immersive Performances
“It is going to be a space you can choose where to be and how to listen,” Fisk said. “We want people to lose themselves in this music and to be swallowed up by the experience of being part of nature.” – Charlotte Observer (MSN)
- Why Some Non-Christian Composers Are Attracted To Christmas Material: David Lang
“Every Christmas, I ask myself this question, because accidentally I — a Jewish composer — have also written something of a Christmas classic: the little match girl passion. Cynics may think that these artists make Christmas music because they’re chasing the market. I believe there is something deeper at work.” – The New York Times
- Movie Producers Sue National Parks System Over Permits In Parks
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Wyoming federal court, Alexander Rienzie and Connor Burkesmith challenge the constitutionality of federal permit and fee requirements on First Amendment grounds. They accuse National Park Services of censoring speech by requiring advance permission to film commercial content. – The Hollywood Reporter
- Can A Musical Be A Better Way Of Focusing Politics On An Issue?
Like the drama series about the Post Office scandal aired a year ago, “Mr Bates vs The Post Office,” dramatizations of the news can often draw more attention to an event. They can also build public pressure for injustices to be addressed.
- The Top 10 Bookselling Stories Of 2024
“We saw booksellers, publishers, and others in the industry step up to aid stores that sustained extensive hurricane damage, call for greater rights and representation for people with diverse identities, and more.” – Publishers Weekly
- What Nonprofit Theater Leaders Told The NEA
“(A) series of listening sessions, held this past summer, helped the (NEA theater) team to learn more about evolving challenges, successful strategies, and potential pathways to future sustainability of the field. Those conversations have now been distilled and analyzed in a new report.” – National Endowment for the Arts
- Will This Be The First Broadway Musical Whose Title Role Is A Dead Body?
“Dead Outlaw, a rambunctious musical that tells the hard-to-believe-it’s-true story of a bandit’s corpse that became a spectacle in early-20th-century America, will open on Broadway next spring. The show … will be the first developed by Audible to make it to Broadway.” – The New York Times
- Is The World’s Largest Fully-Functioning Musical Instrument In Jeopardy?
The organ in the old Wanamaker’s department store, right across from City Hall, is a Philadelphia icon. Yet the store, currently a Macy’s, is shrinking just like other department stores; the building is in receivership as upper-floor office space remains vacant post-COVID; and Macy’s lease expires in 2027. – The Conversation
- Use Our Copyrighted Material To Train AI? Oh Hell No, Huge Coalition Tells UK Government
“Writers, publishers, musicians, photographers, movie producers and newspapers have rejected the Labour government’s plan to create a copyright exemption to help artificial intelligence companies train their algorithms.” – The Guardian
- This Upstart Publisher Got 25 Books On The Bestseller List In A Single Year
Three years ago, the only author on Bloom Books’ list was E.L. James (the Fifty Shades of Grey series). Now it publishes over 40 authors, many previously self-published, will have well over $150 million in gross sales this year, and has nearly one-quarter of the lucrative romance market. – The New York Times
- SF-MOMA Fires One Of Its Top Curators
“Eungie Joo, who served as head curator of contemporary art at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art for seven years, was fired after what the museum described as a violation of its workplace conduct policy. … No further details were given.” – San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
- Executive Director, Dance On Camera
Dance on Camera is looking for an Executive Director who believes in the power of movement on film, is highly organized, and is excited by the prospect of building on a 50+year legacy of expanding opportunities for artists working at the intersection of dance and film.
Founded in 1951, Dance on Camera works to foster connections between the worlds of dance and film; to promote excellence in dance films; to support filmmakers working specifically with dance and help them develop their skills; and to connect audiences with quality films focused on movement and dance, both new works and works from the historical canon.
The operating budget – $150,000 (70% earned, 30% contributed).
The salary range – $45K to $50K, commensurate with experience, for approximately 20 hours per week.
target start date – February or March 2025. Contact michele@dancefilms.org with questions. To apply, email cover letter and resume to info@dancefilms.org .JOB PROFILE
Excellence in the field of dance on film.
Dance On Camera (www.dancefilms.org) invites applications for its next Executive Director.
WHO WE ARE
Founded in 1951, Dance On Camera is a not-for-profit with a mission to foster connections between the worlds of dance and film; to promote excellence in dance films; to support filmmakers working specifically with dance and help them develop and augment their skills; and to connect audiences with quality films focused on movement and dance, both new works and works from the historical canon.
We create opportunities for filmmakers, choreographers, dancers, and those who work across these disciplines to interact in order to strengthen existing connections and create an environment where new ones can flourish. We present quality dance films publicly throughout the year through the Dance on Camera Festival, our website, and in more intimate public forums. We create educational opportunities, where filmmakers can develop new skills and receive professional feedback on their work in process. We collaborate with strong partners to develop programming that highlights the full spectrum of movement in film.
We value identifying and fostering the intersections of dance and film; validating and supporting the works of filmmakers working in the field of dance; and connecting audiences to quality films focused on movement and dance.
Our flagship program, the Dance On Camera Festival, presented annually in New York City, is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, and The Arnhold Foundation. For more information, please visit dancefilms.org. In addition, we present programs throughout the year to support filmmakers in their work, including our renowned Dance Film Labs, a competitive Production Grant program, and other activities to uplift the work of our community or artists.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN OUR NEXT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR- Someone passionate about our mission of supporting artists working in dance and film.
- A self-starter committed to excellence. We are looking for an Executive Director who will equal our commitment to excellence and empower others to do the same. You will be highly organized, focused on growth, hold yourself and others accountable, and excel at motivating others – staff, board, volunteers, and partners – to achieve their best.
- An entrepreneurial business planner. We are looking for an Executive Director who is excited to capitalize on our legacy and develop strategies to expand our organizational reach and programming as well as our capacity to fund this expansion.
- An organized fundraiser and financial manager. We are looking for an Executive Director to strengthen our fundraising program and overall financial sustainability in partnership with our Board. You will bring direct or relatable experience that will enable you to lead fundraising efforts and manage our finances, including overseeing the annual financial review alongside our treasurer.
- A strong communicator and relationship builder. We are looking for an Executive Director who can build and facilitate trusting relationships with the board, artists, staff, partners, donors, members and the broader community. You will have strong interpersonal skills.
WHO YOU’LL BE WORKING WITH
The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors. Two part-time staff report to the Executive Director, one offers administrative support and the other works on social media marketing. In addition, the Executive Director works closely with an outside bookkeeper, a development consultant, and our accounting firm.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- In partnership with the Board, provide strong leadership to set the strategic and operational direction.
- Play a leading role in long-range strategic planning and ongoing strategy development.
- Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, team-building, and respect.
- Foster strong, collaborative partnerships with presenting organizations and other arts organizations supporting the work of dance on films.
- Oversee the organization’s marketing and fundraising efforts, assuming lead responsibility for organizational visibility and earned and contributed revenue.
- Represent Dance On Camera in the community and nationally, as necessary, in industry networks.
- Build productive relationships with board members that maximize their time and expertise.
- Track progress on operational and financial goals and report to the Board. Coordinate and attend all meetings.
- Serve as Dance On Camera’s lead financial director, overseeing the budget, financial statements and processes. Partner with the Board to ensure fiscal responsibility and maintain supporting policies.
- Organize the internal team and contractors to efficiently and effectively implement processes across operations, marketing, fundraising and financial management. Provide oversight of all operations in accordance with bylaws, policies, and employment laws.
- Attend evening and weekend meetings and events, including performances, Board meetings, fundraising events, and community programs as needed.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
- 5+ years of non-profit experience. While prior experience in fundraising, marketing, financial management, and working with a Board is valued, candidates with experience in some, but not all, of these areas, and who bring relatable experience and a commitment to our mission, are invited.
- Supportive approach to management. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Superior organization skills and high attention to detail.
- Mission-driven strategic thinker, able to make thoughtful decisions when faced with competing priorities.
EMPLOYMENT AND COMPENSATION
- Salary: $45K to $50K, commensurate with experience. Start date: Negotiable with a target of February 2025.
- The position is part-time exempt, with a flexible schedule to accommodate the festival and other events.
- Remote work environment.
DOES THIS OPPORTUNITY INTRIGUE YOU? LET US KNOW!
To apply or express interest, email your cover letter and resume to info@dancefilms.org. For priority consideration, please contact us by January 3, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will continue to be accepted until the position is filled
- Remember, “A Christmas Carol” Is Not Dickens’s Only Christmas Story
It’s not even Dickens’s only Christmas ghost story. And some of them are much weirder and more unsettling than the famous one. – Literary Hub
- Canadian Movie And TV Production Sinks
Volume was down 18.5% to C$9.58B ($6.68B) in the 12 months between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, according to the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA)’s ‘Profile 2024’ report. In 2019/2020, the figure was C$9.38B. – Deadline
- This Completely Legal Musical Is Totally Not About Raygun The Olympic Breakdancer
Two weeks ago, comedian Steph Broadbridge cancelled Raygun: The Musical just before its Sydney premiere after notorious-Olympic-breaker-and-viral-sensation Dr. Rachael Gunn’s lawyers sent a cease-and-desist notice. Then the producer got a demand for $10,000 for Gunn’s legal fees, and Broadbridge had another idea. – The Sydney Morning Herald (MSN)
- Quick Study: High-Def Data Needs for the Digital Arts
In this episode, we discuss digital creators and how data can help illuminate a field marked by hybridity and rapidly evolving practice. A transcript is available on the NEA website.
- Jennifer Homans Remembers Arlene Croce
She had always insisted that what she was reviewing was not a dance itself but an “afterimage” imprinted in her mind, something personal and partial to throw “out there” into the cultural conversation, whatever that might be. Which is why, even when I disagree with Croce intensely, I often find myself in conversation with her. – The New Yorker
- How America Redefined Old Age
Contemporary America segregates debility and death, and it’s costing us, body and soul, writes Duke University historian James Chappel. – The American Scholar
- How The Politics Of Smell In Prose Broke The Internet
I wanted to share with my academic network, so I posted a photo of myself holding a physical copy of my PhD thesis on X. The post amassed 120 million views and sparked a lot of anger in response to its title: Olfactory Ethics: The Politics of Smell in Modern and Contemporary Prose. – The Conversation
- Did Shakespeare Commit Suicide? A Scholar Makes The Case
Larry Lockridge, professor emeritus at NYU: “I’ll air my conviction that death by suicide is more probable than the notion that Edward de Vere, Francis Bacon, William Stanley, Christopher Marlowe or Queen Elizabeth wrote those plays — still only plausible, yet unsettling and maybe instructive to ponder.” – The Hedgehog Review
- Facing Funding Stress, Sydney’s Museum Of Contemporary Art Scraps Its Free Admission
Free general admission was introduced in 2000 under the directorship of Elizabeth Ann MacGregor with the aid of a Telstra sponsorship. But stagnant government funding has forced the museum’s hand, with the introduction of a $20 entry fee from 31 January. – The Guardian
- On The Front Lines Of Art Therapy
“We work a lot with trauma and survivors who maybe are struggling to find the words to be able to describe what they’ve endured. Art is an incredibly effective way to channel some of the angst that they’ve experienced.” – Hyperallergic