"The continuing war in Ukraine has turned , which features many Russian artists and nationalistic themes, into a vexed issue." Many of the Russians involved live in Germany and have denounced the war. - The New York Times
"To indefinitely continue access to the ever-expanding glut of content – not just an invaluable artistic heritage, but a crucial account of how the world is and was – requires a herculean ongoing restoration effort from a global network of passionate experts and cinephiles." - The Guardian (UK)
The normal thing to say about such experiences is that you’ve lost yourself in a book or song — lost track of space and time. But it’s more accurate to say that a piece of art has quieted the self-conscious ego voice that is normally yapping away within. - The New York Times
"Without a wider strategy, the worry for many is that the changes in Arts Council England grants won't come in conjunction with other kinds of spending – education, transport links, infrastructure, as just a few examples – that are needed to ensure new cultural investment actually helps an area." - PoliticsHome (UK)
For the many independent artists who say that work they have posted online — in hopes of attracting paying gigs, or at least an audience — has been stolen by powerful companies, seeking redress has led to an uphill battle. - The New York Times
Mali and Burkina Faso are blessed by active art scenes and scores of museums — and afflicted with militias causing murder and misery, and often targeting those museums for looting. Now the International Council of Museums and the Aliph Foundation are training museum staffers to defend their collections. - The Art Newspaper
"Arts leaders are unsure what the new normal might be after attendance numbers took a hit from the pandemic. Much hinges on the answer, especially now that federal emergency COVID-19 funding for arts groups has ended and ticket income is becoming more critical." - The Philadelphia Inquirer
"After more than two decades of planning, fundraising, and construction, the International African American Museum in Charleston finally has an opening date: June 27, 2023 — just after Juneteenth. The announcement comes after myriad delays to the project, which was first proposed by Charleston mayor Joe Riley back in 2000." - Artnet
“Digital dualism” is finally on life support, replaced by a dawning recognition that the distinction between offline and online has collapsed. Instead, we face pervasive surveillance enabled by the growth of cameras, sensors, connected devices, and data collection in our communities. - The Atlantic
Ukrainian institutions and individuals, with support from UNESCO, the Getty Trust, World Monuments Fund, and others, are cataloguing damage, digitizing archives, and "winterizing" monuments with exposure to the elements. One notable gift: hundreds of fire extinguishers for historic wooden churches. - Artnet
The word event was once reserved for more special occasions. But now Zoom is doing to the word event what Facebook did to the word friend; Just as most people you come across can instantly become a friend on Facebook, most gatherings that take place online can become an event. - Slate
The US immigration service wants to raise visa costs from $460 (£385) to $1,615 (£1,352) alongside other changes that artists and their managers say would make it almost impossible for anyone but the biggest stars to perform in the US. - The Guardian
Sports are a harbinger of a future of surveillance that is more intrusive, multitudinous, and expansive. But they aren’t just showing us the future. Sometimes, they’re directly bringing it about. - The Atlantic
Basically, there are too many streaming services involved. "Warner Bros. Discovery claims that Paramount Global 'embarked on a multi-year scheme to unfairly take advantage of Warner/HBO.'" - Vulture
