AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- Disney Co. To Add Yet Another Billion Dollars To Its Content Budget
The entertainment behemoth is increasing its spending on content to $24 billion for fiscal 2026. Does this mean more work for underemployed creatives? Actually, most of that spending will be on broadcast rights for sports. – The Hollywood Reporter
- International Opera Awards 2025 To Dallas Opera, Glimmerglass, Asmik Grigorian, Nicholas Brownlee, Agnes Baltsa
Grigorian and Brownlee took male and female singer of the year honors; Theater an der Wien is company of the year; Agnes Baltsa was recognized for lifetime achievement. The Dallas Opera’s women conductors’ institute was awarded for equal opportunity; Glimmerglass took the musical theatre category for Sunday in the Park with George. – Opera Now
- The Book That Shaped The Modern Revival Of Wicca
In 1899, Charles Godfrey Leland published, with the help of Roma Lister, Aradia, or the gospel of the witches, which purported to record an ancient tradition of female-led sorcery in Italy. In the 1950s, “mother of Wicca” Doreen Valiente used the book to shape Wicca as it exists today. – The Public Domain Review
- Good morning:
Universities pull the plug on culture when ROI falls short—Bucknell shuts its press, signaling trouble for academic publishing (Inside Higher Ed). Chicago’s arts broker revamps grantmaking amidst political turbulence (WBEZ Chicago). Museums ponder bans on selfies; operational chaos trumping curatorial ideals (The Art Newspaper). New study shows AI music fools 97% of listeners—creators face existential uncertainty as technology outpaces regulation (Reuters). Has culture lost its creative edge in the 21st Century? Reboots rule and algorithms smother invention (The Economist). These stories and more in today’s ArtsJournal.
- University Decides ROI On Investment In Its University Press Is Insufficient And Closes It. Others To Follow?
Bucknell University Press is on track to shut down by the end of this fiscal year. Demise of the press is raising broader questions about the future of university publishing as higher education institutions across the country face financial hardship and pressure to prove their return on investment to an increasingly skeptical public. – InsideHigherEd
ISSUES
- Is It Time For Museums To Ban Selfies?
For some institutions, a ban on selfie-taking could be an operational choice, tied to staffing levels, available space, or the types of objects on display. – The Art Newspaper
- Preservationists Fight To Save New Deal-Era Murals In Building Called “The Sistine Chapel” Of Such Murals
The clock is ticking for Washington, D.C.’s 85-year old Wilbur J. Cohen building, described by preservationists as the “Sistine Chapel of New Deal Art” for the impressive art collection it holds, including works by Philip Guston and Ben Shahn. – Artnet
- Turmoil At Palm Springs Art Museum Over Hiring of New Director
Trustee Patsy Marino, who chaired the search committee, has resigned (along with two other trustees) over the elevation of chief curator Christine Vendredi to the directorship. The objection is not to Vendredi herself: no outside candidate was interviewed and the final decision was made, Marino says, behind her back. – Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
- George Lucas’s Museum Of Narrative Art Gets Official Opening Date
“After years of delays, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles will finally open its doors to the public on September 22, 2026. … Designed by architect Ma Yansong, the museum will be home to a collection of more than 40,000 works centering illustrated storytelling as a universal language.” – Artnet
- Masterworks Sold Shares In $1 Billion Of Art. Good Investment?
In just eight years, it has become one of the art market’s biggest buyers. Its collection of 500 artworks is now valued at more than $1 billion and its platform has drawn 70,000 investors. – The New York Times
MEDIA
- How Schools Across America Are Responding To AI Use
In the face of a revolutionary change that many educators believe will alter the career trajectories of school-aged kids and the instructional methods of their schools, a handful of districts across the country have responded with drastic measures to meet the moment. – Edutopia
- Ticket Prices Continue To Soar, But Lawsuits Abound
There are currently multiple class action lawsuits at various stages, as well as a Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit against the world’s largest concert promoter, Live Nation, which programs concerts at PPG Paints, Acrisure Stadium and PNC Park and owns the ticketing platform Ticketmaster. – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- World Cup Draw Will Take Over Kennedy Center For Three Weeks At No Charge: Report
The Dec. 5 draw, the World Cup’s highest-profile pre-tournament event, was expected to be held in Las Vegas. Trump reportedly swooped in at the 11th hour to offer use of Kennedy Center performance spaces and other facilities, for free, for almost three weeks, requiring cancellation or postponement of scheduled events. – The Washington Post (Yahoo!)
- Temple University To Open Downtown Philadelphia Campus Where UArts Used To Be
Temple, the Pennsylvania state university whose main campus is in North Philadelphia, will renovate Terra Hall, which had been a classroom building for the now-closed University of the Arts, and will move some of its art and music programs there starting in fall 2027. – The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
- San Diego City Council Promises Not To Cut Arts Funding In Next Budget
“Council members have declared city arts funding off limits for budget cuts next spring, even as they face a projected $111 million deficit. … While the move falls far short of a long-unfulfilled council pledge known as ‘penny for the arts,’ council members said it’s a strong message.” – The San Diego Union-Tribune (MSN)
MUSIC
- The Book That Shaped The Modern Revival Of Wicca
In 1899, Charles Godfrey Leland published, with the help of Roma Lister, Aradia, or the gospel of the witches, which purported to record an ancient tradition of female-led sorcery in Italy. In the 1950s, “mother of Wicca” Doreen Valiente used the book to shape Wicca as it exists today. – The Public Domain Review
- University Decides ROI On Investment In Its University Press Is Insufficient And Closes It. Others To Follow?
Bucknell University Press is on track to shut down by the end of this fiscal year. Demise of the press is raising broader questions about the future of university publishing as higher education institutions across the country face financial hardship and pressure to prove their return on investment to an increasingly skeptical public. – InsideHigherEd
- Spotify Launches A “Catch You Up” Feature For Audiobooks, To Summarize What You’ve Read So Far
The company likens the feature, called Recaps, to a “previously on” segment at the start of episodes in a TV series. – The Verge
- Striking British Library Workers Expose Dire Low Pay Consequences
According to their union, they are offered pay deals so dire that many of them work multiple jobs and live in substandard housing. Seventy-one per cent of respondents to a union survey find their salary insufficient to meet basic needs. – The Guardian
- Some US Bookstores Have Set Up Food Banks To Help Cut-Off SNAP Recipients
“With the (federal government) shutdown creating anxiety and uncertainty for those who depend on government aid, many independent bookstores took on a new role as hubs for food donations.” – The New York Times
PEOPLE
- Disney Co. To Add Yet Another Billion Dollars To Its Content Budget
The entertainment behemoth is increasing its spending on content to $24 billion for fiscal 2026. Does this mean more work for underemployed creatives? Actually, most of that spending will be on broadcast rights for sports. – The Hollywood Reporter
- International Opera Awards 2025 To Dallas Opera, Glimmerglass, Asmik Grigorian, Nicholas Brownlee, Agnes Baltsa
Grigorian and Brownlee took male and female singer of the year honors; Theater an der Wien is company of the year; Agnes Baltsa was recognized for lifetime achievement. The Dallas Opera’s women conductors’ institute was awarded for equal opportunity; Glimmerglass took the musical theatre category for Sunday in the Park with George. – Opera Now
- The Book That Shaped The Modern Revival Of Wicca
In 1899, Charles Godfrey Leland published, with the help of Roma Lister, Aradia, or the gospel of the witches, which purported to record an ancient tradition of female-led sorcery in Italy. In the 1950s, “mother of Wicca” Doreen Valiente used the book to shape Wicca as it exists today. – The Public Domain Review
- Good morning:
Universities pull the plug on culture when ROI falls short—Bucknell shuts its press, signaling trouble for academic publishing (Inside Higher Ed). Chicago’s arts broker revamps grantmaking amidst political turbulence (WBEZ Chicago). Museums ponder bans on selfies; operational chaos trumping curatorial ideals (The Art Newspaper). New study shows AI music fools 97% of listeners—creators face existential uncertainty as technology outpaces regulation (Reuters). Has culture lost its creative edge in the 21st Century? Reboots rule and algorithms smother invention (The Economist). These stories and more in today’s ArtsJournal.
- University Decides ROI On Investment In Its University Press Is Insufficient And Closes It. Others To Follow?
Bucknell University Press is on track to shut down by the end of this fiscal year. Demise of the press is raising broader questions about the future of university publishing as higher education institutions across the country face financial hardship and pressure to prove their return on investment to an increasingly skeptical public. – InsideHigherEd
PEOPLE
- Disney Co. To Add Yet Another Billion Dollars To Its Content Budget
The entertainment behemoth is increasing its spending on content to $24 billion for fiscal 2026. Does this mean more work for underemployed creatives? Actually, most of that spending will be on broadcast rights for sports. – The Hollywood Reporter
- International Opera Awards 2025 To Dallas Opera, Glimmerglass, Asmik Grigorian, Nicholas Brownlee, Agnes Baltsa
Grigorian and Brownlee took male and female singer of the year honors; Theater an der Wien is company of the year; Agnes Baltsa was recognized for lifetime achievement. The Dallas Opera’s women conductors’ institute was awarded for equal opportunity; Glimmerglass took the musical theatre category for Sunday in the Park with George. – Opera Now
- The Book That Shaped The Modern Revival Of Wicca
In 1899, Charles Godfrey Leland published, with the help of Roma Lister, Aradia, or the gospel of the witches, which purported to record an ancient tradition of female-led sorcery in Italy. In the 1950s, “mother of Wicca” Doreen Valiente used the book to shape Wicca as it exists today. – The Public Domain Review
- Good morning:
Universities pull the plug on culture when ROI falls short—Bucknell shuts its press, signaling trouble for academic publishing (Inside Higher Ed). Chicago’s arts broker revamps grantmaking amidst political turbulence (WBEZ Chicago). Museums ponder bans on selfies; operational chaos trumping curatorial ideals (The Art Newspaper). New study shows AI music fools 97% of listeners—creators face existential uncertainty as technology outpaces regulation (Reuters). Has culture lost its creative edge in the 21st Century? Reboots rule and algorithms smother invention (The Economist). These stories and more in today’s ArtsJournal.
- University Decides ROI On Investment In Its University Press Is Insufficient And Closes It. Others To Follow?
Bucknell University Press is on track to shut down by the end of this fiscal year. Demise of the press is raising broader questions about the future of university publishing as higher education institutions across the country face financial hardship and pressure to prove their return on investment to an increasingly skeptical public. – InsideHigherEd
THEATRE
VISUAL
- Has 21st Century Culture Lost Its Creativity?
Music without instruments and lyrics without meaning. Endless reboots, sequels and superheroes in the cinema. After a burst of magnificent TV dramas in the noughties, every glitzy new show is hailed as a must-see when most are mediocre. The algorithm has vanquished imagination. – The Economist
- We Have A Growing AI Slop Problem
Of course, with mass production comes surplus and, then, refuse. We containerize actual trash because otherwise debris gets on everything else and makes everything less good. AI is, arguably, doing the same on the internet. It’s clear we think of a lot of AI as trash, though we’re not doing much to clean it up. – Fast Company
- AI Chatbots Can Make You Smarter. Or They Can Make You Dumber. Here’s How To Avoid The Latter
Whether we like it or not, chatbots are here to stay. It’s not necessarily a problem, but it risks becoming one if people use chatbots in harmful ways. I’m going to help you avoid that. – Psyche
- How Our Brains Are Wired For Motivation
People with higher levels of dopamine are more likely to choose a harder task with a higher reward than an easier, low-reward task. Low dopamine doesn’t reduce focus, but it’s believed it provokes giving more weight to the perceived cost of an activity instead of the potential reward. – 3 Quarks Daily
- Instant Translation Is Like Magic. But Might We Be Losing Something?
As people embrace these transformative tools, they risk eroding capacities and experiences that embody values other than seamlessness and efficiency. – The Atlantic
