The foundation said the half-a-billon-dollar commitment is the largest multiyear funding initiative in its history. “I feel proud that we’ve been catalysts and contributors to a larger conversation in the nation about monuments,” said Elizabeth Alexander, the foundation’s president. - The New York Times
"In 1990, then-director Sam Miller named (Norton Owen) director of preservation, where he now oversees the scholar-in-residence program, PillowTalks, pre- and post-show talks, and exhibitions. Carrying on Pillow founder Ted Shawn’s drive to document, Owen has prioritized video and continually upgraded the quality of the organization’s performance recordings." - Dance Magazine
At a time when more Americans feel stressed, face mental health challenges, and feel more disconnected from each other than ever before, the arts can serve as a unifier and a touchstone for our humanity, directly impacting our individual and collective well-being. - American Theatre
“It looks like you’re looking at a normal piano through funny mirrors,” says Jonathan Biss, who will play Beethoven’s “Emperor Concerto" on it with conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra in a concert benefiting the foundation of the late architect, who died last March. - The New York Times
Those who shun the indefinite tend to see the world in shades of black and white, ignoring the gray. They are prone to jump to answers and are distressed by chaos and surprise. - Nautilus
"The collection, mostly from Crimean museums, was on loan to Amsterdam's Allard Pierson Museum when Russia annexed Ukraine's peninsula in 2014. Both Ukraine and Russia claimed the items but" — after a decade of legal proceedings — "Dutch courts backed Kyiv." - BBC
According to the BBC, the decision was made after Mr. Mitsotakis, appearing on British television on Sunday, called for the marbles, which include statues of Greek gods and carved frieze panels that once decorated the Parthenon, to be returned to Athens. - The New York Times
"A decline in subscription rates, shockingly higher costs, and donations that haven't kept pace with inflation have thrown some arts organizations off-balance and spiraled others into crisis. Museums, music and dance venues have bounced back faster. Theaters struggled, perhaps due to the expense and complexity of staging." - Crain's Chicago Business
Paid attendance and box office income are both nearing pre-pandemic levels, though they're still slightly below those of 2019. Says CEO Jeff Alexander, "We're building our way back. … We're happy. We could be happier." - Crain's Chicago Business
"Even residents are wary of the city’s ongoing crime surge. Barely half (53%) of Cook County residents feel safe spending time in downtown Chicago (according to a Harris poll). If locals feel unsafe in their own city, how can we expect out-of-town visitors to feel comfortable?" - Crain's Chicago Business
"Although the pandemic was devastating for all arts organizations, non-majority-run organizations received a lifeline (via) government funding. … These theater companies, many of them small storefront operations, were able to add staff and produce more work. The question is whether these groups will be able to sustain their momentum." - Crain's Chicago Business
Well, yes … more or less. They are home-baked by Muppet wrangler Lara MacLean and contain entirely edible ingredients. Mind you, that doesn't mean they taste good (to humans). Flavor is not their most important quality. - The New York Times
"Authentic cuisine. Authentic voice. Authentic self. Authenticity as artifice. Lookups for the word are routinely heavy on the dictionary company’s site but were boosted to new heights throughout the year … in (this) age of deepfakes and post-truth." - AP
"Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures became a household name in the 1970s, helping launch them into creating and producing family and kids shows for more than 50 years. Eventually, Marty Krofft would be referred to as the 'King of Saturday Mornings.'” - CNN
With that sprawling stylistic range and its technical mastery, its enthusiastic curiosity about eminent and student composers alike, its precision and passion, the JACK has, since its founding in 2005, become one of contemporary music’s indispensable ensembles. - The New York Times
