AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- Four London Theatres Listed As At Risk Of Closure
Borough Hall, Streatham Hill Theatre, Tottenham Palace Theatre, and the Intimate Theatre have been deemed “at risk of closure, redevelopment, or demolition.” Three of them are being eyed for conversion into churches or other sites of worship. – The Standard (London)
- Smithsonian Chief Rebuts Trump Administration Report Accusing American History Museum Of Extremism
In a staff-wide email, Lonnie Bunch wrote that “there will always be room for improvement,” but the report “is not a fair characterization of … the National Museum of American History. At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy, and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.” – The Washington Post
- Ukrainian Troops Get Handbook On Protecting Cultural Property
“The handbook sets out Ukrainian soldiers’ main obligations under international humanitarian law, the different levels of protection afforded to cultural property, the precautions to be integrated into operational planning, and the procedures for identifying, reporting and documenting attacks against heritage.” – The Art Newspaper
- “The Pitt”, “Hacks”, “Widow’s Bay” Dominate 2026 Emmy Nominations
“The Pitt leads all nominees with a total of 25, followed by Hacks with 24 (a record for a comedy series for noms in a single year) and Widow’s Bay with 19 (leading all new shows).” Connor Storrie scored the only nomination he was eligible for — for guest-hosting Saturday Night Live. – The Hollywood Reporter
- Trump’s Name Must Stay Off Kennedy Center While Appeals Proceed, Rules Panel
“A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit … rejected the administration’s argument that the removal was damaging the arts institution’s finances.” – The Guardian
ISSUES
- British Businessman Fined In First Russia Art Sanctions Conviction
“The U.K. banned the export of luxury items such as cars, jewelry, art, and antiques valued over £250 ($330) to Russia in April 2022. Breaching the law is considered a criminal offense,” but the businessman was fined $37,000 instead. – Artnet
- Kahlo Foundation Creates A New Prize For Emerging Mexican Artists
“Through the process of opening the museo and welcoming the globe into Frida’s world, there has been one constant refrain: Más amor, más família, más Mexico – more love, more family, more Mexico,” said the artist’s grandniece. – ARTnews
- NYC’s New Museum Finds Its New Director In-House
“Ending months of speculation, the New Museum said today that it has selected Massimiliano Gioni, its artistic director, to be its next director. Gioni has been with the New York standby since 2006, and will take the helm in August. Its previous leader, Lisa Phillips, announced her retirement last September.” – Artnet
- Thieves Steal $5.1 Million Worth Of Crystal And Jewelry From Lalique Museum In France
“Three thieves targeted the Lalique museum in Wingen-sur-Moder in northeastern France at around 5:30 am on Sunday, … (and) made off with 27 pieces of jewelry worth an estimated €4.5 million ($5.1 million), prosecutors said Monday.” – AFP (Yahoo!)
- Velázquez Portrait Rediscovered By Detroit Institute Of Arts Director
“Salvador Salort-Pons, the director of the Detroit Institute of Arts, recently revealed the discovery of a portrait by Diego Velázquez made during the artist’s earliest years as a court painter to King Philip IV. Salort-Pons, a specialist in Velázquez, published his findings in the current issue of ARS Magazine.” – ARTnews
MEDIA
- Smithsonian Chief Rebuts Trump Administration Report Accusing American History Museum Of Extremism
In a staff-wide email, Lonnie Bunch wrote that “there will always be room for improvement,” but the report “is not a fair characterization of … the National Museum of American History. At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy, and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.” – The Washington Post
- Ukrainian Troops Get Handbook On Protecting Cultural Property
“The handbook sets out Ukrainian soldiers’ main obligations under international humanitarian law, the different levels of protection afforded to cultural property, the precautions to be integrated into operational planning, and the procedures for identifying, reporting and documenting attacks against heritage.” – The Art Newspaper
- Trump’s Name Must Stay Off Kennedy Center While Appeals Proceed, Rules Panel
“A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit … rejected the administration’s argument that the removal was damaging the arts institution’s finances.” – The Guardian
- Aboard A Cruise Ship With 20 Celebrity Impersonators
“Near the exit, with his blue eyes and sensible sandals, was Boy George, who swanned over to double-cheek kiss Sharon, then peck the forehead of Martha Stewart, and — skipping over Jeff Bezos — the tip of Fran Drescher’s nose. Sinatra (A), by the banquette, had just politely pumped the hand of Sinatra (B) …” – N+1
- ABC, Fighting Back Against The FCC, Says That ‘The View’ As A News Show Is Long-Settled Law
“The F.C.C.’s focus on The View plays on longstanding grudges held by the president against the show and some of its hosts, and thrusts a talk show started by the ABC journalist Barbara Walters as a breezy kaffeeklatsch into a molten national debate.” – The New York Times
MUSIC
- Man Sentenced For Theft Of Rare Chinese Manuscripts From UCLA Library
Jeffrey Ying, a 39-year-old resident of Fremont, Cal., gets a year of house arrest and three years of probation for a scheme in which he reserved and checked out, under false names, several 17th-century manuscripts, then returned fake dummy copies. – San Francisco Chronicle (Yahoo!)
- The UK’s New Children’s Laureate Is Neither White Nor Dead
Patrice Lawrence “has a practical vision for her laureateship. ‘To change policy you need evidence,’ she says. ‘We say stories work, let’s show how they work.’” – The Guardian (UK)
- In Pamplona With The Bulls As Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” Turns 100
“Hemingway is etched into the landscape of Pamplona. Hotels and bars have busts of him or signs up that he was once there. Outside the Pamplona bull ring, … a huge banner hangs in honor of the novel, including a quote that shows how the festival left the writer speechless.” – AP
- How The Dynasties Of Imperial China Wrote Their Histories (It’s Complicated)
The Emperors’ courts did, in fact, document their history carefully, according to a procedure which was followed more-or-less faithfully from the first century BCE onward. That’s not to say that the result was either comprehensive or impartial. – Aeon
- We Need To Talk, Again, About That Possibly AI-Generated Award-Winning Short Story
“While nothing that he writes is of much interest, Nazir himself is shaping up to be an oddly appealing character. He’s a cultural chancer.” (And wow, Commonwealth Prize jury, what were you doing?) – Slate
PEOPLE
- Four London Theatres Listed As At Risk Of Closure
Borough Hall, Streatham Hill Theatre, Tottenham Palace Theatre, and the Intimate Theatre have been deemed “at risk of closure, redevelopment, or demolition.” Three of them are being eyed for conversion into churches or other sites of worship. – The Standard (London)
- Smithsonian Chief Rebuts Trump Administration Report Accusing American History Museum Of Extremism
In a staff-wide email, Lonnie Bunch wrote that “there will always be room for improvement,” but the report “is not a fair characterization of … the National Museum of American History. At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy, and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.” – The Washington Post
- Ukrainian Troops Get Handbook On Protecting Cultural Property
“The handbook sets out Ukrainian soldiers’ main obligations under international humanitarian law, the different levels of protection afforded to cultural property, the precautions to be integrated into operational planning, and the procedures for identifying, reporting and documenting attacks against heritage.” – The Art Newspaper
- “The Pitt”, “Hacks”, “Widow’s Bay” Dominate 2026 Emmy Nominations
“The Pitt leads all nominees with a total of 25, followed by Hacks with 24 (a record for a comedy series for noms in a single year) and Widow’s Bay with 19 (leading all new shows).” Connor Storrie scored the only nomination he was eligible for — for guest-hosting Saturday Night Live. – The Hollywood Reporter
- Trump’s Name Must Stay Off Kennedy Center While Appeals Proceed, Rules Panel
“A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit … rejected the administration’s argument that the removal was damaging the arts institution’s finances.” – The Guardian
PEOPLE
- Four London Theatres Listed As At Risk Of Closure
Borough Hall, Streatham Hill Theatre, Tottenham Palace Theatre, and the Intimate Theatre have been deemed “at risk of closure, redevelopment, or demolition.” Three of them are being eyed for conversion into churches or other sites of worship. – The Standard (London)
- Smithsonian Chief Rebuts Trump Administration Report Accusing American History Museum Of Extremism
In a staff-wide email, Lonnie Bunch wrote that “there will always be room for improvement,” but the report “is not a fair characterization of … the National Museum of American History. At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy, and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.” – The Washington Post
- Ukrainian Troops Get Handbook On Protecting Cultural Property
“The handbook sets out Ukrainian soldiers’ main obligations under international humanitarian law, the different levels of protection afforded to cultural property, the precautions to be integrated into operational planning, and the procedures for identifying, reporting and documenting attacks against heritage.” – The Art Newspaper
- “The Pitt”, “Hacks”, “Widow’s Bay” Dominate 2026 Emmy Nominations
“The Pitt leads all nominees with a total of 25, followed by Hacks with 24 (a record for a comedy series for noms in a single year) and Widow’s Bay with 19 (leading all new shows).” Connor Storrie scored the only nomination he was eligible for — for guest-hosting Saturday Night Live. – The Hollywood Reporter
- Trump’s Name Must Stay Off Kennedy Center While Appeals Proceed, Rules Panel
“A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit … rejected the administration’s argument that the removal was damaging the arts institution’s finances.” – The Guardian
THEATRE
VISUAL
- Who Makes Choices When We ‘Choose’?
“The brain initiates voluntary action unconsciously: our conscious sense that we have decided to act is actually the result of this brain activity.” It’s possible that our only choice is in deciding not to do something. – 3 Quarks
- The Effective-Altruism Movement Is About To Make A Comeback, Powered By AI Titans And Their Money
“Since the (Sam Bankman-Fried/FTX) scandal, the movement’s organizations have shied away from the limelight and become extremely concerned with PR. For several years, their growth has been severely curtailed. But they survived. And the new AI money has given EA a chance to come back larger than ever before.” – New York Magazine
- Do We Listen/See/Read Differently When The Name Of The Artist Is Changed?
Why should a name matter so much? Psychologists have a term that might help explain what’s happening here: prestige bias. Developed by the cultural evolution theorists Joseph Henrich and Francisco J Gil-White, the concept describes the human tendency to preferentially attend to, learn from, and value the outputs of high-status individuals. – Psyche
- When Innovation Scrambled Everything At The Turn Of The 20th Century
At the time, Americans did not understand that they were living through the largest energy transition in human history. Instead, they perceived a series of disconnected events. Unable to discern or conceptualize an underlying cause, they often declared the transformations around them were “kaleidoscopic.” – MIT Press
- Research: Learning From Short-Form Video Doesn’t Stay With You
Using social media applications to digest bite-sized educational content actually reduces a person’s ability to remember the information, according to new research. – Psypost