AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- Theater Audiences Are Slowly Coming Back In Philadelphia (As Long As They Can Get To The Theater)
About 71% of theaters there have seen audience numbers improve since the COVID shutdowns, though only 41% are back to pre-2020 levels. The major problem right now is that 30% of theatergoers in the city, and 22% in the region, use mass transit, which is undergoing savage cuts. – The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
- The Lion King’s Longest-Running Rafiki Retires After 25 Years
Tshidi Manye has played the mandrill shaman who sings “Circle of Life” in roughly 9,000 performances, a large majority of them on Broadway. – The New York Times
- Austin Opera seeks Associate Technical Director
The Associate Technical Director will report to the Director of Production and manage various production operations at Austin Opera. The Associate Technical Director will help plan technical aspects of Austin Opera’s new performance venue, the Butler Performance Center, and oversee technical operations when it opens in Spring 2026. They will also play a critical role in managing Austin Opera productions at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
This position is ideal for an experienced stage technician who is highly organized, detail-oriented, and thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. For a full position description and application instructions, please visit https://austinopera.org/about/join-austin-opera/
- Austin Opera seeks a Venue Manager
The Butler Performance Center Manager will play an important role in the opening and ongoing management of Austin Opera’s Sarah and Ernest Butler Performance Center. They will partner with the General Director & CEO, Chief Advancement Officer, and Director of Marketing to create a rental program for various rentable spaces in the company’s new HQ, including a 180-seat theater, four rehearsal spaces, a conference center, and outdoor event space. Once the Center opens, the Butler Performance Center Manager will manage all rental inquiries and front-of-house operations.
The Butler Performance Center Manager will attract and cultivate rental clients, oversee the rental event calendar, manage the rental department budget, negotiate and secure rental contracts, oversee front-of-house management, concessions inventory and sales, and other event management services for rental events, and coordinate with internal departments to deliver high-quality customer service experiences that align with Austin Opera’s values.
This motivated and organized individual must have impeccable attention to detail and a proactive approach to management. In facilitating the needs of a variety of clients and events, this position has a high level of interaction with professional touring artists as well as community-based partners, volunteers, and performers with a wide range of experience levels. Ensuring that every client has a positive and safe experience at Austin Opera is the highest priority.
For a full position description and application instructions, please visit: https://austinopera.org/about/join-austin-opera/
- Artistic Director – Trinity Repertory Company working with Management Consultants for the Arts
Trinity Rep is currently seeking its sixth Artistic Director to lead the organization into a new chapter, as it prepares to complete a major capital campaign and implement transformative capital improvements to its theater and public spaces next year. Trinity Repertory Company, is seeking an innovative, dynamic, visionary, and collaborative Artistic Director to guide its next chapter. The Artistic Director will shape and champion the creative vision of the organization, fostering and leading a culture of artistic excellence and innovation.
In close partnership with the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership, the Artistic Director will serve as a public-facing leader, responsible for curating the artistic program, nurturing the artistic staff and Resident Artistic Company, strengthening the theater’s educational programs, leading an ongoing capital campaign and expanding its civic and cultural impact. Management Consultants for the Arts has been engaged to facilitate this search. A full position description may be found here: https://www.mcaonline.com/searches/artistic-director-trinity
The annual salary range for the Artistic Director starts at $200,000 and includes a generous benefit package commensurate with other organizations of its size, including health insurance, dental insurance, voluntary supplemental benefits (dental, vision, pet insurance, accident, etc.), 401(k), vacation, sick time, personal time, and paid holidays. The hiring decision will be made by a search committee of Trinity Rep’s Trustees and staff members. They hope to make a final decision in early 2026.
Organizational Profile
As one of the most storied regional theaters in the country, Trinity Repertory Company (Trinity Rep) plays a vital role in shaping the cultural landscape of Rhode Island, the greater New England region, and the national field. Celebrated for its bold productions, commitment to new work, and achievements in education, Trinity Rep is the official State Theater of Rhode Island and a beloved cultural pillar within Providence. Each year, the company welcomes tens of thousands of audience members and engages deeply with its community through actor training, education, and community engagement. More information can be found on their website: https://www.trinityrep.com/
ISSUES
- How Are We Defining Art Movements In The 21st Century?
Gone for the most part are the -isms that defined artistic movements in the 20th century: Cubism, Surrealism, Fauvism, Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism. Manifestos too are increasingly rare. – ARTnews
- Van Gogh Museum Says It May Have To Close Without More Money From Dutch Government
“The museum … needs a refurbishment to preserve its more than 200 paintings and nearly 500 drawings by Vincent van Gogh, but two years of negotiations with the (Dutch culture) ministry over funding have reached an impasse.” – The New York Times
- Did Three Malevich Paintings Really Turn Up Under A Retiree’s Bed When She Moved?
So says the owner of the works, Yaniv Cohen, who claims he was given them by his wife’s grandmother, whose father acquired them secretly from Malevich in Odesa early in the Stalin era. That’s supposedly why there’s no previous record of the works’ existence. Scholars are unconvinced by this explanation. – BBC (MSN)
- Rethinking The US Art Market
In the space of just a few weeks, four prominent U.S. galleries announced they would cease operations in their current forms. – Artsy
- Egypt Changes The Visitor Experience Around The Pyramids
In April, the government announced the pilot launch of the pyramids area development project, leading to changes at the world’s most famous archaeological site. – Smithsonian
MEDIA
- The Last Days Of Arts Criticism?
Arts criticism has been vanishingly difficult to break into for ages, no one’s idea of a growth industry. But publications have managed to make a dire situation worse; it’s now reached the point where long-tenured veterans are having their jobs erased in a misguided rethinking of what criticism even actually is. – The Guardian
- Philadelphia Is About To Suffer Massive Transit Cuts. What Will That Mean For The Arts There?
With funding stalled in the state legislature, transit agency SEPTA instituted a 20% service cut in the city last week and will make drastic reductions in regional rail next week. Philadelphia arts organizations say many employees and at least 20% of their patrons use transit. Will they simply stop coming? – The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
- Edinburgh International Festival Sees Best Ticket Sales In A Decade
“2025’s EIF season, themed ‘The Truth We Seek’, sold 88% of available tickets. The figure is up by 29% on last year, when EIF sold 59% of its ticket capacity, and 34% up on the 2023 festival.” – Arts Professional (UK)
- Why Is The University Of Chicago Taking A Step Back From Humanities?
The move to scale back humanities doctoral programs is either a prudent acknowledgment of the cratered job market for tenure-track professorships… or it is a cynical effort, under cover of the Trump administration’s assaults, to transfer resources away from “impractical,” unprofitable, and largely jobless fields. – The Atlantic
- Edinburgh International Festival Says Demand To Give Up Baillie Gifford As Sponsor “Threatens Our Ability To Function”
“The festival said (the) demand for it to end its commercial partnership with the Edinburgh-based fund manager ‘ultimately reduces the very spaces where difficult conversations, human stories, and critical ideas can be explored’.” – The Scotsman
MUSIC
- Chicago Reader Saved From Closure By Owner Of Seattle Alt-Weekly The Stranger
The 54-year-old paper, one of the US’s oldest alt-weeklies, made major layoffs and narrowly avoided shutting down in January. The Reader has now been acquired by Seattle-based Noisy Creek, which owns The Stranger as well as The Portland Mercury. – WTTW (Chicago)
- Anthropic Settles Class Action Copyright Suit Brought By Authors
Anthropic has reached a preliminary settlement in a class action lawsuit brought by a group of prominent authors, marking a major turn in of the most significant ongoing AI copyright lawsuits in history. – Wired
- Simon & Schuster CEO Is Stepping Down To Launch New Imprint
Jonathan Karp became CEO in 2020 and steered the publishing house through COVID, an antitrust case and a change in ownership. He’s moving on to launch the imprint Simon Six, which will release just six books a year. (In 2005, he started a similar imprint, Twelve — one book each month — at Hachette.) – AP
- The Secret To Teaching Students To Read?
After a few Fridays, I noticed that one of the most inveterate nonreaders was not only listening, but also looking at his book, even mouthing along. – Washington Post
- Memoir Of Jeffrey Epstein’s Most Prominent Accuser Will Be Published Posthumously
Virginia Giuffre spent several years completing Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice with co-author Amy Wallace. On April 1, shortly after a serious automobile collision, Giuffre wrote to Wallace asking that the book be released “in the event of my passing”; she committed suicide later that month. – AP
PEOPLE
- Theater Audiences Are Slowly Coming Back In Philadelphia (As Long As They Can Get To The Theater)
About 71% of theaters there have seen audience numbers improve since the COVID shutdowns, though only 41% are back to pre-2020 levels. The major problem right now is that 30% of theatergoers in the city, and 22% in the region, use mass transit, which is undergoing savage cuts. – The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
- The Lion King’s Longest-Running Rafiki Retires After 25 Years
Tshidi Manye has played the mandrill shaman who sings “Circle of Life” in roughly 9,000 performances, a large majority of them on Broadway. – The New York Times
- Austin Opera seeks Associate Technical Director
The Associate Technical Director will report to the Director of Production and manage various production operations at Austin Opera. The Associate Technical Director will help plan technical aspects of Austin Opera’s new performance venue, the Butler Performance Center, and oversee technical operations when it opens in Spring 2026. They will also play a critical role in managing Austin Opera productions at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
This position is ideal for an experienced stage technician who is highly organized, detail-oriented, and thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. For a full position description and application instructions, please visit https://austinopera.org/about/join-austin-opera/
- Austin Opera seeks a Venue Manager
The Butler Performance Center Manager will play an important role in the opening and ongoing management of Austin Opera’s Sarah and Ernest Butler Performance Center. They will partner with the General Director & CEO, Chief Advancement Officer, and Director of Marketing to create a rental program for various rentable spaces in the company’s new HQ, including a 180-seat theater, four rehearsal spaces, a conference center, and outdoor event space. Once the Center opens, the Butler Performance Center Manager will manage all rental inquiries and front-of-house operations.
The Butler Performance Center Manager will attract and cultivate rental clients, oversee the rental event calendar, manage the rental department budget, negotiate and secure rental contracts, oversee front-of-house management, concessions inventory and sales, and other event management services for rental events, and coordinate with internal departments to deliver high-quality customer service experiences that align with Austin Opera’s values.
This motivated and organized individual must have impeccable attention to detail and a proactive approach to management. In facilitating the needs of a variety of clients and events, this position has a high level of interaction with professional touring artists as well as community-based partners, volunteers, and performers with a wide range of experience levels. Ensuring that every client has a positive and safe experience at Austin Opera is the highest priority.
For a full position description and application instructions, please visit: https://austinopera.org/about/join-austin-opera/
- Artistic Director – Trinity Repertory Company working with Management Consultants for the Arts
Trinity Rep is currently seeking its sixth Artistic Director to lead the organization into a new chapter, as it prepares to complete a major capital campaign and implement transformative capital improvements to its theater and public spaces next year. Trinity Repertory Company, is seeking an innovative, dynamic, visionary, and collaborative Artistic Director to guide its next chapter. The Artistic Director will shape and champion the creative vision of the organization, fostering and leading a culture of artistic excellence and innovation.
In close partnership with the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership, the Artistic Director will serve as a public-facing leader, responsible for curating the artistic program, nurturing the artistic staff and Resident Artistic Company, strengthening the theater’s educational programs, leading an ongoing capital campaign and expanding its civic and cultural impact. Management Consultants for the Arts has been engaged to facilitate this search. A full position description may be found here: https://www.mcaonline.com/searches/artistic-director-trinity
The annual salary range for the Artistic Director starts at $200,000 and includes a generous benefit package commensurate with other organizations of its size, including health insurance, dental insurance, voluntary supplemental benefits (dental, vision, pet insurance, accident, etc.), 401(k), vacation, sick time, personal time, and paid holidays. The hiring decision will be made by a search committee of Trinity Rep’s Trustees and staff members. They hope to make a final decision in early 2026.
Organizational Profile
As one of the most storied regional theaters in the country, Trinity Repertory Company (Trinity Rep) plays a vital role in shaping the cultural landscape of Rhode Island, the greater New England region, and the national field. Celebrated for its bold productions, commitment to new work, and achievements in education, Trinity Rep is the official State Theater of Rhode Island and a beloved cultural pillar within Providence. Each year, the company welcomes tens of thousands of audience members and engages deeply with its community through actor training, education, and community engagement. More information can be found on their website: https://www.trinityrep.com/
PEOPLE
- Theater Audiences Are Slowly Coming Back In Philadelphia (As Long As They Can Get To The Theater)
About 71% of theaters there have seen audience numbers improve since the COVID shutdowns, though only 41% are back to pre-2020 levels. The major problem right now is that 30% of theatergoers in the city, and 22% in the region, use mass transit, which is undergoing savage cuts. – The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
- The Lion King’s Longest-Running Rafiki Retires After 25 Years
Tshidi Manye has played the mandrill shaman who sings “Circle of Life” in roughly 9,000 performances, a large majority of them on Broadway. – The New York Times
- Austin Opera seeks Associate Technical Director
The Associate Technical Director will report to the Director of Production and manage various production operations at Austin Opera. The Associate Technical Director will help plan technical aspects of Austin Opera’s new performance venue, the Butler Performance Center, and oversee technical operations when it opens in Spring 2026. They will also play a critical role in managing Austin Opera productions at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
This position is ideal for an experienced stage technician who is highly organized, detail-oriented, and thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. For a full position description and application instructions, please visit https://austinopera.org/about/join-austin-opera/
- Austin Opera seeks a Venue Manager
The Butler Performance Center Manager will play an important role in the opening and ongoing management of Austin Opera’s Sarah and Ernest Butler Performance Center. They will partner with the General Director & CEO, Chief Advancement Officer, and Director of Marketing to create a rental program for various rentable spaces in the company’s new HQ, including a 180-seat theater, four rehearsal spaces, a conference center, and outdoor event space. Once the Center opens, the Butler Performance Center Manager will manage all rental inquiries and front-of-house operations.
The Butler Performance Center Manager will attract and cultivate rental clients, oversee the rental event calendar, manage the rental department budget, negotiate and secure rental contracts, oversee front-of-house management, concessions inventory and sales, and other event management services for rental events, and coordinate with internal departments to deliver high-quality customer service experiences that align with Austin Opera’s values.
This motivated and organized individual must have impeccable attention to detail and a proactive approach to management. In facilitating the needs of a variety of clients and events, this position has a high level of interaction with professional touring artists as well as community-based partners, volunteers, and performers with a wide range of experience levels. Ensuring that every client has a positive and safe experience at Austin Opera is the highest priority.
For a full position description and application instructions, please visit: https://austinopera.org/about/join-austin-opera/
- Artistic Director – Trinity Repertory Company working with Management Consultants for the Arts
Trinity Rep is currently seeking its sixth Artistic Director to lead the organization into a new chapter, as it prepares to complete a major capital campaign and implement transformative capital improvements to its theater and public spaces next year. Trinity Repertory Company, is seeking an innovative, dynamic, visionary, and collaborative Artistic Director to guide its next chapter. The Artistic Director will shape and champion the creative vision of the organization, fostering and leading a culture of artistic excellence and innovation.
In close partnership with the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership, the Artistic Director will serve as a public-facing leader, responsible for curating the artistic program, nurturing the artistic staff and Resident Artistic Company, strengthening the theater’s educational programs, leading an ongoing capital campaign and expanding its civic and cultural impact. Management Consultants for the Arts has been engaged to facilitate this search. A full position description may be found here: https://www.mcaonline.com/searches/artistic-director-trinity
The annual salary range for the Artistic Director starts at $200,000 and includes a generous benefit package commensurate with other organizations of its size, including health insurance, dental insurance, voluntary supplemental benefits (dental, vision, pet insurance, accident, etc.), 401(k), vacation, sick time, personal time, and paid holidays. The hiring decision will be made by a search committee of Trinity Rep’s Trustees and staff members. They hope to make a final decision in early 2026.
Organizational Profile
As one of the most storied regional theaters in the country, Trinity Repertory Company (Trinity Rep) plays a vital role in shaping the cultural landscape of Rhode Island, the greater New England region, and the national field. Celebrated for its bold productions, commitment to new work, and achievements in education, Trinity Rep is the official State Theater of Rhode Island and a beloved cultural pillar within Providence. Each year, the company welcomes tens of thousands of audience members and engages deeply with its community through actor training, education, and community engagement. More information can be found on their website: https://www.trinityrep.com/
THEATRE
VISUAL
- What If The Moral Arc Of The Universe Bends Toward… Chaos And Confusion?
Reality, as we now understand, does not tend towards existential flourishing and eternal becoming. Instead, systems collapse, things break down, and time tends irreversibly towards disorder and eventual annihilation. – Aeon
- What Does It Really Mean The “Reasonable” People Can Disagree?
To say that “reasonable people can disagree” can encourage suspension of judgment in response to important matters of personal and social concern. – 3 Quarks Daily
- How To Talk (And Creatively Solve Problems) With A Chatbot
ChatGPT, as ever, was upbeat, inexhaustible, and, crucially, unfazed by failure. It made suggestions. It asked its own questions. Some avenues were promising; others were dead ends. – The New Yorker
- Can We Please Reframe What An AI World Will Mean To Us?
Rather than asking AI to hurl itself over the abyss while hoping for the best, we should instead use AI’s extraordinary and improving capabilities to build bridges. What this means in practical terms: – The Atlantic
- How AI Is Coming To Own Culture
Algorithmic culture taps into the casual randomness with which we apportion our care; it takes advantage of the fact that what we bump into today might obsess us tomorrow. Its webs, meanwhile, are woven by machines that are owned by corporations. – The New Yorker
