For years, economists and more than a few worried parents have argued over whether a liberal arts degree is worth the price. The debate now seems to be over, and the answer is “no.” - The New York Times
The list of such fundamental divisions is long, and it is synonymous with multicultural liberalism. For this, many democracies maintain two-party parliamentary systems. Goading one side to drop its claims in favour of the other, as the arts who univocally espouse left politics do, is anti-democratic. - The Critic
The state's cultural centers have "long encouraged new music, providing freedom and a sense of possibility that has made it the center of gravity for composers who work with a spirit of innovation." - The New York Times
And many Artforum employees "have signed a letter demanding that Velasco be reinstated, saying his termination 'not only carries chilling implications for Artforum’s editorial independence but disaffirms the very mission of the magazine.'" - The New York Times
The Province of Alberta has sacked the board and appointed an administrator to oversee and assess. The institution has suffered for years with poor leadership. - Rocky Mountain Outlook
So began an antiques whodunit—whose cast of characters includes an Oxford-based priest-cum-archaeologist, a handful of rare-gem dealers and some of the British Museum’s most august researchers—that has shaken the premise behind the museum’s most important reason for existing. - The Wall Street Journal
So, stop worrying about whether your attention span is too short, and start understanding distractedness as "a radical alternative to an internalised puritan work ethic." - The Guardian (UK)
Two months after a strike authorization vote, the contract ratification means the musicians play on, with a much better deal than management press releases last week would have suggested. - MSN (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Teachers are too afraid to teach the book or the reality. "If such policies continue, new generations of Americans will be deprived of the wisdom of history — all of history: the stirring, the cautionary, the truth." - The New York Times
This week, the Iowa City Community School District released a list of 68 books that it removed from schools to comply with the law. Among the titles: “Ulysses” by James Joyce, “Nineteen Minutes” by Jodi Picoult, “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood and “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison. - Washington Post
Nearly 60% of Americans say they have had to cut back on spending on live entertainment this year because of rising costs, according to a Wall Street Journal/Credit Karma survey of about 1,000 U.S. consumers conducted at the start of September. - Wall Street Journal
That number represents a six-point drop from the most recent survey in 2017, amplifying alarm bells that the arts community is struggling to regain its pre-lockdown audience. - Washington Post
"He’s very smart, really rigorous, and really inflexible," says former-boss-turned-colleague Rem Koolhaas of Joshua Ramus, "which in certain conditions is extremely useful." Says Harvard architecture dean Sarah Whiting, "Joshua is incredibly invested in how something gets pulled off ... the underbelly and the technical side." - The New York Times
Individual stores develop their own looks. "Any design agency would have a heart attack if they could see what we’re doing,” said CEO James Daunt. “We don’t have any architect doing our design at any stage. And certainly the identity people would have a complete crisis.” - The New York Times
Half the staff at Bandcamp, the online music platform known for championing independent artists and labels, have been laid off following the recent purchase of the company by music licensing startup Songtradr. - The Guardian
Weirdly: "People who do not know how librarians select material are much more likely to also believe librarians should be prosecuted for that material." - BookRiot
