ArtsJournal: Arts, Culture, Ideas

Stories

An Ethnomusicologist Analyzes Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby”

Prof. Michael O’Brien discusses why we listen to so many of the same songs year after year, the unusual appeal of “Santa Baby,” and why Eartha Kitt’s version is so much better than Madonna’s (or anyone else’s). - The Post and Courier (Charleston)

The Woeful State Of Arts PR. Here’s Why It Matters

On the inside of my job, lousy PR is one of the biggest signs that an institution is struggling. Outreach goes ignored, follow-up is late and flustered, and media events suffer. - Broad Street Review

The Collective Who’s Transforming Ballet In France’s Second City

“(LA)HORDE is a choreographic collective running the National Ballet of Marseille and rewriting the ballet rulebook for a new era. Their work blends classical techniques with surprising influences, from queer nightlife to the political history of social dance.” - BBC (video)

What Happens To You Creatively After You’ve Won Success?

These big breaks and large prizes are remarkable things that can provide incredible opportunities, but there is so often another side to that success. - LA Review of Books

Fred Child To Lead Portland Classical Music Station

He is best known for his 25-year run as host of American Public Media’s national classical music program “Performance Today.” Child, who will relocate to Oregon from New York City, stepped down from the show in October. - Inside Radio

Jake Heggie’s New Opera: A Historic 1976 Wine Competition

His one-act opera "The Judgement of Paris" is set to make its world premiere at Festival Napa Valley at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena on July 18, part of the Wine Country event's 20th anniversary season. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)

World’s Third-Busiest Public Library Withdraws “Restructuring” Plan After Outcry

Many of Australia’s most prominent writers and artists, along with thousands of ordinary citizens, expressed outrage over the proposal to eliminate 39 jobs — including cutting the number of public-facing reference librarians by 60% — and refocus the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne on tourist-oriented "digital experiences." - The Guardian

David Ellison’s Dangerous Play For Warner Bros.

David Ellison was able to ascend to Paramount moguldom thanks in part to his closeness with Mr. Trump, and now he is trying to capitalize on the same bond to win the president’s favor for an even bigger prize. And he has leverage. - The New York Times

Profound Changes In Canada’s Cultural Economy

It found that Manitoba’s cultural sector produces $1,010 worth of cultural goods and services per person, one of the highest per-capita levels in Canada. Manitoba trails only British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. - Winnipeg Free Press

The Benefits Of Tolerant Cultures

A tolerant person is one who does not interfere with other people, even if he thinks they are wrong, but is prepared to let them think what they like and say what they think. If he thinks they are wrong, he may try to persuade them, but he will not try to force them. - Psyche

Director Of Britain’s Tate Galleries To Step Down

“Maria Balshaw is to (depart) in 2026, after a challenging nine-year tenure when she steered the organisation through the COVID-19 pandemic and had to deal with fluctuating attendance figures and financial instability.” - The Guardian

Disney Sues Google For “Massive” Copyright Infringement

Disney is accusing the tech giant of copyright infringement on a “massive scale,” claiming it has used AI models and services to commercially distribute unauthorized images and videos, according to the letter seen by Variety. - TechCrunch

Controversial New Designs For Notre Dame’s Stained Glass Windows Go On Display

The designs for six new stained-glass windows for the cathedral of Notre Dame have gone on show at the Grand Palais in Paris, despite a number of protests against the project. - CNN

Disney/OpenAI Deal Will Redefine Copyright

On the surface, there appears to be some dissonance with Disney embracing OpenAI while poking its rivals. But it’s more than likely that Hollywood is embarking down a similar path as media publishers when it comes to AI. - Wired

A Wave Of Unionization At Chicago’s Cultural Institutions

In the last four years, AFSCME’s Cultural Workers United organizing campaign has helped 2,500 Illinois cultural workers form unions at such sites as the Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shedd Aquarium, Newberry Library, and, most recently, the Adler Planetarium and Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. - WBEZ (Chicago)

Our Free Newsletter

Join our 30,000 subscribers

Latest

Don't Miss

function my_excerpt_length($length){ return 200; } add_filter('excerpt_length', 'my_excerpt_length');