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The Real-Life Inspiration For “The Exorcist” Identified Publicly

He was known to a small group of Jesuits and reporters, but he spent his life afraid that more people would learn about his ordeal. Ronald Hunkeler, who grew up to have a 40-year career as a NASA engineer, died last year at 85. - New York Post

A Very Very Weird Year For The Art Market

The story of the Banksy neatly encompasses all three elements of the year: the impact of Asian buying power; the increasing influence of cryptos and those who have made fortunes in the alternative currencies; and a realignment of art scholarship. - The Art Newspaper

Dance Magazine’s 25 To Watch In 2022

Choreographers and performers from Africa and its diaspora have a notable presence on the coming year's list, as do dancers blurring gender boundaries and a sibling choreographer team from the Netherlands. - Dance Magazine

The Guggenheim Preached Austerity During COVID, Then Gave Its Director A Forty Percent Raise

The Guggenheim’s 990 IRS Filings, a form the US Federal government uses to gather information about tax-exempt organisations, shows Armstrong’s total compensation increased from $1,073,991 in 2019 to $1,504,081 in 2020. - The Art Newspaper

A New Sequel To “West Side Story” Will Take Maria Back To Puerto Rico

Long Wharf Theater in New Haven has commissioned Mildred Ruiz-Sapp and Steven Sapp of the company Universes to create a musical, titled Maria, that will see the heroine return to the island after her boyfriend Tony's murder. - Forbes

Maybe The Problem With Spielberg’s “West Side Story” Is That Movie Audiences Are Tired Of Remakes

Not sequels: people obviously love new installments in a franchise. The difference seems to be that fans want the characters they already know in new situations, not new actors as the characters they know. (Exception: when the previous version didn't work, as with Dune.) - The Guardian

Broadway Will Not Be Shutting Down Completely, Declares President Of Broadway League

"Yes, some shows are closing. we have absolutely no plans to shut down. We are paying serious attention to the protocols. The other 20 to 30 shows continue to perform because we're following the protocols that we set up, and it shows they're working." - The Hollywood Reporter

Arts Groups Really, Really Hope Children Will Turn Out For Holiday Shows This Year

Ballet companies count on the income from parents bringing the kids to Nutcracker; same with the Met Opera's English-language children's versions of classics; many museums have shows timed for school vacation. And, at last, the younger set can get vaccinated. Fingers are crossed. - The New York Times

Lorne Michaels Sets A Timetable For Retiring From “Saturday Night Live”

"You know, I think I'm committed to doing this show until its 50th anniversary, which is in three years," said Michaels, who'll be 80 that fall. "I'd like to see that through, and I have a feeling that'd be a really good time to leave." - The Hollywood Reporter

The Parthenon Marbles Stolen by Elgin? Not Our Problem, Says Boris’s Government

Yes, Prime Minister Johnson argued back in 1986 that they should return to Greece, but as recently as last month, he reiterated to Greece's leader that the marbles are strictly a matter for the British Museum's trustees (who are appointed by the prime minister). - The New York Times

Netherlands Shuts Down The Arts (And Most Other Things) Due To Omicron

Performance spaces and cinemas, bars and restaurants, and other non-essential businesses are closed until mid-January. This and a similar lockdown in Denmark are, so far, the strictest measures in Europe since the Omicron variant of the coronavirus arrived. - Variety

How Looney Tunes Got A Foothold In American Culture

Why did several generations watch old Looney Tunes alongside new work and actually prefer the stuff made before they were born? It was partly a historical accident caused by television’s demand for endless material at a relatively high cost. - The Walrus

What’s The Point Of Coming In To An Office?

The offices of tomorrow may have more in common with a café or a classroom or a maker space, IDEO's Sandy Speicher says. It’s all about giving people a “reason to come in rather than regulation to come in.” - Harvard Business Review

The Art Of Museum Store Shopping

You must resist the siren call of logoed knickknacks. These items transmit either “I was there” (which, as the gift giver, you are already telegraphing implicitly) or “I support this place” (which, great, but you want your gifts to signal joy, not virtue). - The New Yorker

Culture Shift: Gen Z Kids Are Abandoning Real-World Sports For E-Games

It’s clear that the rise of e-sports has come at the expense of traditional youth sports, with implications for their future and for the way children grow up. Lack of young players in the pipeline could be a problem for professional sports. - The New York Times

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