Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara "is the leader of the San Isidro protest movement (MSI) of artists and intellectuals pressing for free speech and other rights" in Cuba. He spent nearly a month in hospital after an 8-day hunger strike, without his phone or any means of communication. - Yahoo News (AFP)
In the U.S., people like nonfiction, especially self-help - and cookbooks, and sex advice. The books in the best-seller canon "are not books so much as appliances. They are not read; they are used. And probably many of them have been bought by people who do not otherwise buy many books." - The New Yorker
You don't have to wait for news reports; just watch livestreams from protests, lectures, concerts, and more. "With endless images and videos at our constant disposal, people are entirely able to form their own understanding of events—and of the narrative choices involved in crafting newspaper articles and cable network broadcasts." This is great, and terrible, for journalism and the...
Admirers and critics alike may say, "At last!" This is a strong about-face. "He proudly played Bach on modern pianos; referred to fortepianists with an interest in Schubert as mere 'specialists'; and told a New York Times interviewer in 1983, 'I’ve heard some ghastly things done in the name of authenticity.' Time and experience, though, have brought about a wholesale change in...
Universal, Hipgnosis, Primary Wave, and others have paid multiple hundreds of millions for music catalogs ranging from Bob Dylan's to that of Stevie Nicks. But "music publishing and related intellectual-property management and exploitation is not a business one enters lightly. Famously called 'a business of pennies,' it requires attentive nurturing and development in order to maximize the value. ......
If you want to be healthier and happier, that is. "Can’t we stop succeeding for just one moment? Cease trying to be exceptional at something? The answer is yes, but to do so you must embrace your inner amateur." - Psyche
There's an argument raging in some circles about a new concrete walkway at the monument - but the culture ministry is not backing down. "In collaboration with Greek associations for people with disabilities, the ministry said signs in Braille and bold would be installed for visitors with visual impairments, in addition to scaled models of the monuments. Handrails and...
Humans have probably changed dog genes in this arena. A new study shows that "even 8-week-old puppies with little exposure to humans can understand pointing and show sophisticated levels of social cognition in other tests. On top of that, the study found that each fluffball’s genetic makeup was a strong predictor of its ability to follow a pointed finger...
"The major partnership," announced in May, "will include funding for archaeological preservation of the historic Al Fao region in the southern part of Saudi Arabia, and an exchange of expertise on heritage and museums, archaeology, antiquities, cultural festivals, and modern culture. … Previous partnerships with France, Germany, and the U.K, took place before the murder of Khashoggi. Yet...
The Belgian government has dragged its feet - so "a group of Belgian experts have drafted a set of restitution guidelines for dealing with the nation’s colonial collections." - Artnet
And it's not — not just — the Trocks and RuPaul's Drag Race. The latter, however, by its popularity and creativity, does seem to have created space for dancers and choreographers, even high-profile ones, to shake off the rigid gender expectations that have held sway in dance and to experiment with costuming, make-up, and gender-neutral movement and roles. -...
Other cities are thinking big: Chicago's Arts 77 has $60 million for individual artists and arts organizations. "City departments from parks and rec to libraries, community development, streets, and schools would all participate. ... New York City has set aside $25 million for a municipal jobs program that aims to put 1,500 artists to work in communities across the...
"After furloughing around 80 percent of the chain's workers at once, and having survived the financial crucible of bankruptcy by selling itself to deep-pocketed backers, the company is poised to make good on its grandest ambitions to date. Such expansion, though, comes with a subtle but undeniable shift in corporate culture." - Vulture
Is the theatre industry training too many students? The pandemic sure made it seem so. "There is a vital need for creative practice and an equally critical need to earn a living. It’s not a binary consideration, but one that increasingly feels antithetical." - The Stage (UK)
The Cornwall-based company, a frequent visitor to the US whose production of Brief Encounter was nominated for Tony and Olivier Awards, said in a statement that it was financially stable, but that "recent changes in artistic leadership raised questions as to whether Kneehigh could sustain their vision going forward." Founding artistic director Mike Shepherd had resigned in March after...
