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Trump Administration Just Won’t Let Its Court Fight Against Institute Of Museums And Library Services Go

“Although the IMLS restored discretionary grant funding in December and just last week reopened to grant proposals for FY 2026 — in compliance with a November court order — defendants in State of Rhode Island v. Trump have filed a notice of appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.” - Publishers Weekly

World’s Oldest Known Cave Art Discovered In Indonesia

“One hand stencil was dated to at least 67,800 years ago, making it the oldest securely dated cave art found anywhere. This is at least 15,000 years older than the rock art we had previously dated in this region, and more than 30,000 years older than the oldest cave art found in France.” - The Conversation

One Minneapolis Theater Suspends Operations Indefinitely, Partly Because Of ICE

The Jungle Theater has been wrestling with financial problems ever since COVID hit, but the decision to close comes after an ICE raid near the theater’s doors last weekend. Artistic director Christina Baldwin said, “We’re under siege at the moment and we need a breather.” - The Minnesota Star Tribune (MSN)

UK Government Announces £1.5 Billion In Arts Funding

Around half of the package, £760 million, will go to museums, mostly for infrastructure needs. £425 million will go to support some 300 performance venues, £230 million to maintain churches and heritage buildings, £27.5 million to upgrading libraries, and £80 million over four years to National Portfolio Organisations. - Press Association (UK) (Yahoo!)

A Labor Economist Looks At Opera And Says It Isn’t Dying (But Its Business Model Might Be)

Christos Makridis of Arizona State University: “I found the public’s demand for meaningful, live cultural experiences — including opera — remains strong. … (But) few opera companies have embraced strategies the rest of the entertainment industry regularly uses: audience data analysis, experimentation with digital content and streaming, engagement through online platforms rather than brochures.” - The Conversation

San Francisco Ballet And “Anticipatory Obedience”

Trot out the national anthem, the flag or a John Philip Sousa march, they believe, and it’s like a free exclamation mark to whatever point they’re trying to make: “Ha! See? The stars and stripes are on my side!” - San Francisco Chronicle

There’s More Footage Of The Jewelry Robbery At The Louvre — And It Looks Pretty Bad

“The two perpetrators can be seen wearing balaclavas and using disc cutters to slice open display cases. The theft takes place under the watch of staff members who were not able to intervene.” - Artnet

Women-Centered Fantasy Is Fueling The Publishing Industry

Women are rewriting the rules of sword-and-sorcery, trading testosterone-fueled quests for romance-driven adventures. Publishers are discovering that dragons plus dating equals dollars—who knew female readers wanted both magic and meaningful relationships? — The Conversation

Philly Art Museum’s Rebrand Needs a Rebrand (And Might Get It)

Nothing says "we nailed it" quite like forming a task force to fix your fresh new identity while quietly showing your chief marketing officer the door. Sometimes the most authentic brand move is admitting you got it spectacularly wrong. — Hyperallergic

Trump Takes Aim at New Deal Murals

Because nothing says 'making America great again' like erasing the last time we actually invested in artists. Depression-era public art programs apparently too woke for 2025. Grandma Moses weeps. — Hyperallergic

A Look At Opera’s Sexiest Tune, With Its Reigning Singer

Mezzo Aigul Akhmetshina on the Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen. - The New York Times

Writers vs. Machines: The John Henry Complex Returns

ChatGPT has writers channeling their inner folk hero, hammer in hand. But as Stephen Marche notes, we've been dancing with technological muses long before algorithms—typewriters, anyone? — LitHub

Why Movies Launch And Music Drops

A key reason why it’s now more complicated to promote an album than, say, a theatrically released film, is the ephemeral, immaterial nature of contemporary music consumption.  By comparison, most films that see a theatrical release maintain a predictable, streamlined promotional schedule. - The New Yorker

Afghan Musicians Fled To Pakistan To Escape The Taliban. Now Pakistan Is Chasing Them Out

The rhythms that resonate in wedding halls, concert stages and apartment blocks are falling silent, as the Pakistani government pursues a wave of expulsions that has already forced out a million Afghans since last year. - The New York Times

Maybe Listening To An Audiobook Really Is As Good As Reading A Print Book

“Is listening to a book while doing the dishes, walking the dog or drifting off to sleep really as valuable as sitting down to read it? For authors, the publishing trade and those encouraging reading and literacy, the answer is increasingly yes.” - The Guardian

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