Stories

Former Assistant Conductor Sues Rochester Philharmonic And Eastman School

Jherrard Hardeman says he got two years of high praise from management; then, last September, he was abruptly told by the CEO to resign and Eastman barred him from its premises. Only later, he says, did he hear “rumors” accusing him of inappropriate conduct with minors, a charge he strongly denies. - WROC (Rochester)

Louvre Looks To Asia For Donors To Help Fund Its Very Expensive Renovation

The overhaul, badly needed to ease overcrowding, remedy deferred maintenance, and improve security, is expected to cost well over €1 billion (US$1.2 billion). Christophe Leribault, who became the museum's director in February, went to Tokyo and Hong Kong to talk about the necessity of the project. - South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)

Barnes & Noble Buys Another Distressed Indie Bookseller

Joseph-Beth Booksellers, which has two locations in metro Cincinnati, is the third independent retail business that B&N has acquired in three years. The chain bought Denver’s Tattered Cover in 2024 and the Bay Area's Books Inc. last year; both companies had filed for bankruptcy. - Publishers Weekly

Unions At The Whitney, Brooklyn Museum, And American Folk Art Museum Vote To Strike

“In a statement on behalf of the unionized staff, Local 2110 UAW said all three museums must raise their minimum pay rates, noting that average wages for their staff fall below … the minimum required for a single adult to afford to live in New York City.” - ARTnews

Ed Sheeran Tour In Shambles After Supporting Musicians Pull Out After Macklemore Ouster

Finneas was slated to open for Sheeran on six South American dates in late November and early December. In a post on social media, he announced his decision to drop out after Macklemore was kicked off the tour on Monday. - Variety

Trump Calls In To Kennedy Center Board Meeting, Rants, And Board Votes To Shut Down Indefinitely

An unnamed board member described Trump’s phone call as “fucking crazy” to CNN, while another source told the news outlet that Trump screamed throughout the call. - The New Republic

Nearly Intact Pre-Inca Tomb Discovered, Complete With Funerary Treasure

The burial chamber was found at Chan Chan, once the capital of the Chimú people, whose culture flourished on what’s now Peru’s northern coast from the early 10th century CE to 1470. Because the tomb was never looted, researchers will be able to learn more about Chimú society than ever before. - Smithsonian Magazine

Bookstores Warn Of Threats To Publishers Of Left-Wing Literature

The criminalization of left-wing literature and those who publish or distribute it, the booksellers said, should also concern mainstream bookstores, which should be able to carry “a broad range of viewpoints without fear of government scrutiny or interference. - Publishers Weekly

Burning Man Is Now Middle-Aged — In More Ways Than One

It’s not just that the festival itself has been happening for 40 years, or that people have been complaining that it’s not what it used to be for decades. It’s that Burners themselves are older, with 40% of them over 40 last year and only 10% of them in their 20s. - The Guardian

Arkansas Public Television Has Flourished Since It Left PBS

Arkansas TV gained half as many new donors between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026 compared to the previous year. The percentage of repeat donors from the 2025 to 2026 fiscal years dropped from 87% to 78%. - Arkansas Advocate

How To Repurpose All Those Centuries-Old Japanese Temples?

There are around 77,000 temples across the country, but as many as 17,000 no longer have a full-time resident priest as congregations have shrunk — particularly in rural districts experiencing rapid depopulation — and financial pressures have taken their toll. - Deutsche Welle

Making Dance In Kyiv Between Bombing Runs

The Ratmanskys’ arrival coincided with one of the worst periods of the war, a time of constant attacks on the capital that sent them and others scurrying to bomb shelters multiple times a day. “It is difficult in every sense,” Tatiana said, “mental, physical.” - The New York Times

Lawsuit Alleges International Racket In Fake Andy Warhols

“(A family of art collectors) is suing more than a half-dozen individuals and companies across Florida, Philadelphia and Peru, whom they claim served as ‘suppliers, fake authenticators and distributors’ in an elaborate and far-reaching forgery scheme.” - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)

Why It’s Increasingly Difficult For Museums To Tackle Complicated Topics

Donors underwrite celebration. Nobody endows a wing to say “it’s complicated.” That’s why the critical museum barely exists as a category. I’d rather build a Howard Zinn People’s History Museum than rehash a heroic retelling of our glorious past, but I have no idea how that gets funded. - Josh Goldblum

Inside How Theatres Plan Their Seasons

Whatever their circumstances, at the end of the day, all theaters have to program a season that affirms their mission. Each has to do it while working within its limitations—or joining forces with others to do something greater. - Washington City Paper

Our Free Newsletter

Join our 30,000 subscribers

Latest

Don't Miss