Douglas McLennan
Doug is the editor of ArtsJournal
Spotify: The Aural Drug That Flattens Music
As its playlists became increasingly dominated by music from content farms—low-wage operations producing dreck for somebody else’s profit—these mood classifications turned into what Ms....
Indie Bookstore Service Launches E-Reader Platform
Today, the online platform that connects readers to local bookstores launched an e-reading platform of its own. For the first time, local independent bookstores can sell...
The Louvre Has Become Overwhelmed By Visitors
One of the largest arts centres on the planet and the world’s most visited museum, the Louvre attracts more than 8 million people a...
Checking In With Theaster Gates
"Why is it so often that the people with the least amount of imagination and the most concern for the bottom line – real...
Might Media Publication Bundling Resuscitate Journalism?
The New York Times is a competitor to all local newspapers. For the cost, you get much more value with a subscription to NYT...
Laughing Is Fun. But Anthropologically…
There’s nothing like getting caught in a giggle loop, where the desire to laugh builds until it bursts out at a disastrous moment. Only...
Washington’s National Gallery Ends DEI Programs
The National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, DC, is ending its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs as a result of an executive order (EO)...
When A Theatre Critic Stands At Performances (He Sees More)
I could see just fine. (A colleague quipped that sitting any closer wasn’t going to make a show better or worse.) And I understood...
New York’s New Superstar Cultural Philanthropist Couple
The Tangs’ increasing prominence seems due to several key capital projects simultaneously coming to fruition and the couple’s effort to counter the anti-Asian discrimination and violence...
Deborah Rutter To Step Down As Head of The Kennedy Center
Ms. Rutter, 68, the center’s president since 2014, guided the organization through the coronavirus pandemic, oversaw an expansion of its campus, added hip-hop and...
How Do We Determine Bad Art From Good?
Do we believe, with T.S Eliot and others, in our duty to work towards what he calls the correction of taste? - Salmagundi
Department of Education Will No Longer Investigate Book Bans
The Education Department said on Friday that it would no longer investigate schools that remove books from their libraries, emphasizing its new stance by...
In A Time Of Relentless Change, What, Artistically Should Stay Consistent?
The idea of there being something fundamentally stable about an artist, independent of outside forces, makes sense. It’s what allows them to experiment with...
Could AI Be A Way To A Better You?
Instead of functioning as a means of top-down compliance and control, A.I. can help us understand ourselves, act on our preferences and realize our...
The Architecturally Important Houses Lost In The LA Fires
Included in the losses are more than 30 notable buildings whose pedigrees span the 20th century and a who’s who of domestic architecture—from Arts...
Changes Writers Would Like To See In Australia’s Book Publishing Industry
“This really should be the time that publishers are digging deep on representation, research and making sure whatever lands across their desk isn’t just...
Trump And The (Very Real) Art Of Political Theatre
But as with actual theater, not all political theater is created equal. Some of it is shudderingly effective, to the extent that it ceases...
The End Of Earnestness: What This Year’s “Best Science Fiction” Anthology Reveals
I’m always fascinated by the trends that the Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy anthologies reveal. Short stories are (usually) quicker to write than novels, which...
Inside 150 Years Of Paris’ Opulent Palais Garnier Theatre
At a 150th anniversary gala on Friday, before guests reach the marble staircase, the baroque sculptures, the inlaid golden mosaics and the elaborately painted...
Longtime Baltimore Symphony Concertmaster Resigns: A Complicated Legacy
Allegations of inappropriate behavior first surfaced in 2006, when principal oboist Katherine Needleman told a union rep and orchestra personnel staff that Carney made...
Ways To Think About Being Stupid
We should embrace conscious ignorance—an intellectual humility that helps us recognize our own limitations while remaining receptive to the knowledge of others. This form of...
A Library Of Textures, Materials, Things…
It's "a place where people could browse, handle, and borrow stimulating materials, a place where playing with material could spark new ideas and make...
The Angel Blue Story
Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager, said that he expects Blue would remain a major presence at the Met. Already, he added, she has...
Giant Publisher Bertelsmann Strikes Deal With OpenAI
In addition to using ChatGPT Enterprise to increase the efficiency in its daily work processes, “experts and creatives from content businesses will work...
Music Streamer Deezer Reports 10,000 AI-Created Songs Are Uploaded To Its Site Every Day
Deezer has been among the most aggressive digital service providers (DSPs) when it comes to detecting AI-generated content, “noise” tracks meant to skim royalty...
