“The Associations Advancing Equitable Evaluation Practices (AAEEP)* came together earlier this year to support and advance the equitable evaluation field of study and practice. As a part of this commitment, we offered an introductory webinar to our members sharing experiences of two foundations, Kresge and the Oregon Community Foundation, who are testing the waters of equitable evaluation. With an overwhelming interest in the webinar (we sold out at 500 registrants 10 days before the webinar!), some of their learnings feel potent enough to share, and begin with the value of practice.” – Philanthropy New York
Displaying, not Hiding, the Reality of Slave Labor in Art
“Thomas Jefferson, Architect: Palladian Models, Democratic Principles and the Conflict of Ideals … at the Chrysler Museum, in Norfolk, Va., is one example of how some museums are working to incorporate the impact of slavery in exhibitions and permanent collections in a way not commonly done even a decade ago. … Other museums are also grappling with how they can rework or revise their collections, even in small ways, to acknowledge the role of slavery in the art itself or people represented by the art.” – The New York Times
In Miami, the Murals Are the Message
“Bright, colorful murals are turning up all over town on the walls of office buildings, warehouses, condos, corner stores, laundromats, and even public schools, sports stadiums and a police station. … Often, the work carries a strong social message on subjects from environmental degradation to poverty and wealth, immigration, education, gender, and racial and ethnic diversity. … Sometimes, the messages shout. Sometimes, they are more like a whisper. Here is a selection.” – The New York Times
In the #MeToo Era, Museums Celebrate Women
“Women of Progress: Early Camera Portraits, an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, [is] one of several major exhibitions in the nation’s capital that celebrate women — from the battle for voting rights, spurred by the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, to artworks by feminist icons who embody the challenging issues of their epochs.” – The New York Times
Ed Bereal Brings Edgy to Bellingham
“Over the decades, the artist has only become more confrontational, exploring such themes as gun violence, racism, police brutality and corporate greed.” – The New York Times
An Art Program in Los Angeles Proposes Ways to Address Homelessness
“The Goethe-Institut has partnered with the Los Angeles Poverty Department in organizing Worlds of Homelessness, a weeklong interdisciplinary series of events featuring artists, architects, advocates, and performers.” – Hyperallergic
For Teresita Fernández, Personal Is Political
“Twenty years of her works will come together for the first time in Miami, where she was born after her parents emigrated from Cuba. … The artist has never wanted to limit the interpretation of her deeply researched and layered work. But in recent years she has been more forthcoming about its personal and political content.” – The New York Times
Square Dancing: Should It Be The American National Folk Dance?
“That question took us on a journey from Appalachian front porches, to dance classes across our nation, to the halls of Congress, and finally a Kansas City convention center. And along the way, we uncovered a secret history of square dancing that made us see how much of our national identity we could stuff into that square, and what it means for a dance to be of the people, by the people, and for the people.” (audio) – Radiolab
Oxford University Student Union Votes To Abolish Clapping In Favor Of “Jazz Hands”
“British Sign Language clapping is used by the National Union of Students since loud noises, including whooping and traditional applause, are argued to present an access issue for some disabled students who have anxiety disorders, sensory sensitivity, and/or those who use hearing impairment aids.” – Oxford Student Union
Expanding MoMA, Expanding Art
James Russell: “MoMA has long built its origin story of Euro-American Modernism around its great holdings, but that story no longer consists of a single, mainly male, heroic narrative. Instead, the visitor discovers many stories braided together that now include many riveting works by women and people of color. These choices better recognize modernism (small m) as a global cultural and social force that at its best is democratizing and inclusive.” – CityLab
20 Comedy Sketches That Helped Define The Last 20 Years
“The past two decades have been especially defining for the medium. The Internet, social media, politics, social mores, and public discourse on race and gender have altered dramatically; sketch comedy has not only reflected that, but has also helped propel those changes forward.” – Washington Post
Ingo Maurer, Who Raised Design Of Light Bulbs To An Art, Dead At 87
“‘Bad light makes you unhappy,’ Maurer once said. He repeatedly proclaimed his love for the light bulb, which became his trademark. While other designers saw it as something to keep hidden under the lampshade, Maurer centered his designs on the bulb itself.” – Deutsche Welle
YouTube’s Content Moderation System Is Wiping Out Evidence Of War Crimes In Syria, Say Advocates
Yes, it’s a tricky issue: the video platform, along with Facebook, is facing pressure from many sides to remove violent and extremist content; review and removal by humans is slow (and traumatizing for those doing the work), but algorithms are a blunt instrument. In a Video Op-Ed, Syrian activist and archivist Hadi Al Khatib argues that those algorithms are erasing documentation of violence that will be important to history and, potentially, to pursuing justice. – The New York Times
Museums Reject “Dirty” Money? How About We Nationalize Them?
It would be easy to say that all money under capitalism is corrupt so what can we possibly do? Well, I do know one thing we could do. We could nationalize the art museums. – The Guardian
Artist Manager Jasper Parrott On Managing Artists In The Digital Age
“Finding performances online is a very impoverished view of the inspirational value of making live art. Art should be live. I know this myself because I’ve grown up throughout the whole period. I actually very seldom listen to music online or on recordings because, to me, the essence of the whole experience, the core value of creative activity, is a live experience. Therefore, the more of that you have, the more that is sustainable and the more that society believes in that whole principle, the better the society is. That’s my personal conviction.” – Van
Why The Recent Backlash Against Superhero Movies?
Maybe that’s been happening on a global level. Maybe still we need more of it. There are always arguments for and against processing reality through genre escapism and there are always “healthy” and “unhealthy” examples of it. It’s not black and white. – The Guardian
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Wins Million-Dollar Berggruen Prize for Culture and Philosophy
Billionaire philanthropist Nicolas Berggruen said she was chosen from a group of 500 who had been nominated for the prize, narrowed down to a list of five finalists. In an interview, Berggruen, who was not involved in the selection, said Ginsburg was not the “traditional philosopher” the institute has chosen in the past. – Washington Post
The Nine-Year-Old Theatre Fan Who Has Something To Say About How To Behave At A Show
Sadie is the unlikely new Emily Post of the theatre community. In June, just before leaving for sleepaway camp, she put Magic Marker to paper and laid out what she calls her Broadway Rules, and the manifesto made the rounds. Her ten do’s and don’ts include some items that seem obvious (“Stay in seat until intermission,” “Listen to the Ushers”) as well as a few that rarely make it into etiquette primers (“NEVER sing along,” “No ‘gas passing.’ ”) – The New Yorker
Why Australian Movies Are Less Popular Now Than 30 Years Ago
The Australian film box office numbers show a simple fact: Aussie films are less popular in Australia today than they were 30 to 40 years ago. – Spectator
How Disney Became A Live-Theater Powerhouse
It started with Beauty and the Beast on Broadway in 1994, followed up three years later by The Lion King. Yet Disney Theatrical Group didn’t become a corporate behemoth churning out pale copies of movie franchises. (Whatever you may think of The Lion King, you can’t call it pale.) Peter Marks talks with Disney Theatrical Group chief Thomas Schumacher about the secrets of that success. – The Washington Post
Reopening Of DC’s National Children’s Museum Delayed Yet Again
“The once-beloved institution that has been closed for four years has delayed the [planned Nov. 3] reopening of its new Pennsylvania Avenue space. … Some of the delay was caused by unforeseen problems in the federally owned building that had to be fixed, according to a museum official, and the additional work was slow to be approved by federal officials.” – The Washington Post
Thanks To Seven-Week Strike, Chicago Symphony’s Ticket Sales Fell By $5 Million And Deficit Grew By 22%
The musicians’ walkout in March and April of this year was the key factor in the increase in the CSO’s deficit from $900,000 in 2017-18 to $1.1 million in 2018-19. On the other hand, operating expenses fell by $3.5 million (also due largely to the strike), contributions went up by $1.3 million, and the endowment grew by 3.6% to $314 million. – Chicago Tribune
Here’s One Major Ballet Company Whose Entire New Season Is By Female Choreographers
The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s artistic director, Patricia Barker, “says she realized that a season devoted to women’s works shouldn’t be seen as a huge undertaking, but something that could and should be commonplace. ‘It’s just as easy to hire a female choreographer as a male one.'” – Pointe Magazine
UK Musicians Union Says Harassment, Sexism Is Rampant In The Industry
In a survey conducted by the union – which represents more than 31,000 musicians, 90% of whom are freelancers – 48% of respondents said they had experienced workplace harassment. More than four in five (85%) did not report it. – The Guardian
US Publisher Cancels Naomi Wolf Book After Accuracy Issues
In June, days before the book was expected to go on sale in the United States, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt postponed the publication and recalled copies from retailers, an unusual and costly move. The publisher said at the time that “new questions have arisen that require more time to explore.” Now, it has pulled the book altogether. – The New York Times