AJ Four Ways:
Text Only (by date) | headlines only
- Kennedy Center’s Architect: No Experience Required
Good Morning,
The Kennedy Center’s $257 million renovation has gone to a Minneapolis firm of about 50 people whose most ambitious listed project is a high school, and the center won’t say why (The Washington Post).
The Phoenix Symphony suspends its season Nov. 1 after years of deficits, laying off 66 musicians, and a new $6.5 million gift is now in legal jeopardy (Arizona Republic). The city spent $7 million on its hall this month, and the musicians want to see the budget.
MoMA, the Centre Pompidou and Hong Kong’s M+ will treat their holdings as one collection curated across three continents (ARTnews). The Pompidou, closed for restoration until 2030, gets a long-term gallery at MoMA in 2028.
Two House Republicans want the Smithsonian’s exhibit-review process after Cooper Hewitt, its design museum, showed models of homes destroyed by US-made munitions in Iraq, Syria and Gaza (ARTnews). Congress provides most of the Smithsonian’s funding.
All of our stories below.
- What It’s Like To Be A Professional Scare Actor During Halloween Season
Lyndon Laveaux is one of around 400 scare actors working at the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor in Long Beach. He plays the Captain, the undead master of ceremonies. “I just love it,” he says. “It’s like an adult summer camp and I appreciate the fans, I appreciate this community.” – Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
- Horror Books And Bookstores Are Proliferating
Horror book sales are up 39 percent this year over last, according to Circana BookScan. The market is growing: 5.1 million books were sold in 2025, up from 3.2 million in 2021. – The New York Times
- Despite Taliban’s Prohibition, Masters Hope To Keep Traditional Afghan Music Alive
“For many, music is in their blood. It has flowed through their families for generations, and the thought of never playing again is unbearable. Every so often, some pull out their instruments and play in secret. A knock at the door could mean danger. Still, they play.” – AP
- American Pavillion At The Venice Biennale Is $1M Short. Art Transport Now A Problem
Despite months of controversy, the United States managed to get Alma Allen‘s enormous sculptures to Venice for this year’s Biennale. Getting them home, however, is proving more difficult. – ARTnews
- House Republicans Demand Details Of Smithsonian Museum Curation
“The Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency is concerned that the Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian) does not properly review proposed exhibits in its museums,” says a letter to outgoing Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch III, penned by subcommittee chairman Tim Burchett of Tennessee along with Georgia’s Brian Jack. – ARTnews
- The Shockingly Fantastic Imagery Of The Met’s New “Lincoln” Opera
At a moment when film or TV versions of novels often end up, at best, as decent airplane watches, opera, as the excellent Lincoln in the Bardo illustrates, has the potential to create something bolder and more bizarre. – The Atlantic
- The Kennedy Center’s Perplexing Choice Of Architect For $257M Renovations
The firm — which employs just 50 people, including eight architects, according to an industry database — generally does work that is a fraction of the scale and expense of the job. One if its most ambitious projects, according to its online portfolio, was a high school renovation completed in 2016 that cost about $40 million. – Washington Post
- Meet The People Who Choose The Poems In New York Subway Cars
Anyone who has taken the subway has likely come across Poetry in Motion, which pairs poems with artwork. … Tina Vaz, the head of the MTA’s Arts & Design team, and Matt Brogan, the executive director of the Poetry Society of America, are the big decision makers behind the Poetry in Motion program. – Literary Hub
- Inside The Books Of The Mega-Galleries
Even for the biggest blue-chip galleries, selling art is a tough business. – Artnet
- $6.5M Donation To Phoenix Symphony In Jeopardy
A new $6.5 million donation to the financially troubled Phoenix Symphony is in legal jeopardy after the orchestra announced last week it would suspend its season. – Arizona Republic
- Northern Arkansas Has Become A Cultural Destination. The Culture Is Changing
Bentonville’s population has nearly doubled. The town is bursting with new activity: award-winning restaurants, shopping, boutique hotels, condominiums, offices and arguably the most sophisticated bike trail network in the country. But prices are bursting too: A single-family home now hovers around $490,000. The average rent has nearly tripled, to $2,000 a month from about $800. – The New York Times
- Orlando Ballet Artistic Directors Jorden And Lisa Morris Announce Retirement
Jorden Morris, a choreographer and former principal dancer at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, joined Orlando Ballet as in 2020 Artist-in-Residence and was named Artistic Director at the end of 2021. Lisa Thorn Morris, currently associate artistic director, joined the company in 2015 and served in several leadership roles. – WESH (Orlando)
- Music Giant UMG Posts Big Revenue Growth
According to UMG, its Q3 growth was primarily driven by “subscription revenue growth, including pricing benefits from Streaming 2.0 agreements”, “strong physical sales”, “higher ad-supported streaming revenue”, and “increased Music Publishing digital revenue”. – Music Business Worldwide
- Sales Of CDs And CD Players Are Soaring
CDs appear to be having a resurgence. John Lewis said searches for CD players are up 96% since July, while another report on trends in music and film this year found that CD sales are up 16%. – The Guardian
- Major Culture Shift: Private Equity Is Buying Up Small Businesses
Deal by deal, ownership is being extracted from the thousands of communities where businesses were built to the handful of cities where capital is already concentrated. – The New York Times
- Another Posthumous Concert Hall Design By Frank Gehry
“Expected to open in January 2027 …, the Youth Orchestra Abu Dhabi will contain a 600-seat concert hall and 18 rehearsal rooms. The orchestra building, designed by Gehry before he died in December last year, will have a more pared-back appearance compared to the fluid, organic forms for which the architect is famed.” – Dezeen
- China’s First AI-Generated Feature Film Is Not A Smash Hit
“The film, the sci-fi thriller Sanxingdui: Future Past, was released last week and only grossed an estimated $198,000. … With 10,000-plus opening-day screenings, Future Past marks the first longform AI film to get a true wide release with reported box office numbers in a major territory.” – The Hollywood Reporter
- “Adapting And Settling”: SMU DataArts 2026 Report On State Of US Nonprofit Arts Sector
“While the sector may be moving past pandemic-era volatility, reduced earned revenue and persistent inflation over the last several years leave fewer resources available to the cultural organizations that bring music, theatre, art, and shared experiences to our communities. Even so, many organizations are maintaining a financial surplus.” – SMU DataArts
- “One Shared Collection”: MoMA, Pompidou Centre And Hong Kong’s M+ Announce Unprecedented Partnership
“At the heart of the alliance is an agreement that the institutions will treat their holdings as a shared collection. … This alliance differs from past models such as traveling exhibitions, co-organized shows, and collaborations on specific projects … in that it is a long-term commitment to building programs together from the ground up.” – ARTnews
- Chair Of Oberlin’s Studio Art Department And His Wife Murdered, Allegedly By His Son
Pipo Nguyen-Duy, 64, and his wife, Tran Thi Phong, 54, were found shot to death in their home near the Ohio college. Daniel Jones aka Asia Nguyen-Duy, Pipo’s son, is being held on $3 million bail. – ABC News
- Hirshhorn Museum’s Sculpture Garden Reopens After Four-Year Revamp
“The 1.3-acre space was designed by artist and architect Hiroshi Sugimoto to better integrate with the National Mall, and it includes new works and spaces for education and programming. … It’s the biggest update to the museum since it opened in 1974, almost doubling the number of sculptures on display.” – Axios
- Elke Sommer, Exotic Blonde Beauty Of 1960s And ‘70s Hollywood, Has Died At 85
“With expressive almond eyes and golden locks, often styled in a beehive, Sommer worked with some of the biggest stars of the time, including Paul Newman in The Prize, Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther film A Shot in the Dark, and James Garner and Dick Van Dyke in The Art of Love.” – AP
- Patrick Stewart, 86
The death, from Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, was announced on social media. – The New York Times
- Vincent’s Ear, Jo’s Diaries, and a Missing Premiere
Good Morning,
Minnesota Opera pulled its Halloween premiere of The Many Deaths of Laila Starr until late 2027 because its orchestra had authorized a strike, and president Ryan Taylor wouldn’t gamble on opening night. The union had refused his no-strike deal, and calls the postponement a lockout (MPR News).
Philadelphia’s arts office was closed by one mayor, reopened by another, and slated for elimination by a third. On November 3, voters decide whether to write it into the city charter (Broad Street Review).
Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, a five-time Oscar nominee, now faces a lawsuit from Simon Stephenson, writer of Pixar’s Luca, who wants a court order barring further exploitation of the film. His evidence includes a shared mistake: both scripts write “Under Black” for scene cards (The Hollywood Reporter).
Van Gogh cut off his ear the day he likely learned his brother Theo was engaged to Jo Bonger. She inherited 400 of his paintings, some stored under beds, and spent 30 years promoting his work (Time).
All of today’s stories are below.
- Horror Movies Exploit A Weakness In Human Visual Perception To Deliver Some Powerful Scares
A cognitive psychologist explains the phenomenon of inattentional blindness and how filmmakers take advantage of it. – The Conversation
- Reaching More People, But Having Less Influence
Are we becoming better at reaching people, but worse at helping them decide what is worth their time and money? – BachTrack
- Public Spaces In Transit Hubs Are Being Used As Dance Studios
“Around the world, transit hubs and other public spaces are becoming makeshift dance venues, used for rehearsals, battles, and filming content for social media. But these de facto studios offer more than just free rehearsal space. They’re also becoming centers of gravity for the dance community.” – Dance Magazine
- On The Ballot: Philly Voters Will Decide Fate Of City’s Arts And Culture Office
For the first time, we have a chance to free Philly’s office of arts and culture from the whims of the mayor, and make it part of the city charter. – Broad Street Review
- How Our Brains Cope With Uncertainty
Systems fail; unanticipated difficulties occur; things break or rot. To cope with this reality, philosophical and religious traditions such as Buddhism and Stoicism have long focused on transience, unpredictability, and the inevitability of change and loss. – Scientific American
- Italy’s Renowned Art Squad Is Training Colleagues In Africa To Fight Antiquities Trafficking
Italy‘s National School of Heritage and Cultural Activities and the École du Patrimoine Africain in Porto-Novo, Benin, are collaborating on a specialized training course, the first of its kind, with faculty from the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, popularly known as the Carabinieri Art Squad. – ARTnews
- YouTube Is On A Roll: Revenue Grows Nine Percent
YouTube ad revenue grew 9% in the third quarter to hit $11.2 billion, but parent Alphabet‘s stock dropped after overall financials undershot Wall Street expectations. – Deadline
- Don’t Forget: Technology That Serves Creativity
We live in a golden age of digital creativity. Forget A.I.: you, yourself, can record an album from your sofa, or curate a photo-essay on the train. In that spirit, here are some of my favorite creative digital tools. – The New Yorker
- Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
The Old Globe is seeking an Associate Director of Marketing and Communications to join its Marketing team, responsible for single ticket revenue, audience acquisition, retention, and campaign performance. The Associate Director of Marketing and Communications will execute marketing plans across paid digital and print media, direct mail, promotions, and other opportunities. This role directly supervises the Social Media Manager, Public Relations Associate, Promotions Partners Associate, and Marketing Assistant.
Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
- Execute single-ticket marketing plans for each production, defining audience targets, campaign positioning, channel strategy, and timing to achieve ticket revenue goals.
- Create clear campaign briefs for the Creative Director, specifying target audiences, messages, required assets, formats, and deadlines.
- Monitor ticket sales, revenue pacing, inventory, average ticket price, and campaign performance; recommend timely adjustments and provide concise and regular updates on results, risks, and actions.
- Manage paid advertising campaigns and agency/vendor relationships across digital, print, outdoor, and any other required channel.
- Evaluate campaign results against revenue, cost of sale, conversion, and audience-acquisition goals.
- Lead audience development and partnerships that expand reach and ticket sales.
- Set priorities for Production Partners, Community Nights, business partnerships, influencer collaborations, and outreach executed by the Promotions Partners Associate.
- Partner with the Marketing Operations & CRM Manager and the database and systems specialist on audience segmentation, targeted lists, campaign tracking, attribution, and reporting.
- Develop promotional offers and advertising agreements; secure Director approval for significant discounts, cash expenditures, ticket-inventory exchanges, or comp commitments.
- Supervise the Social Media Manager, Public Relations Associate, Promotions Partners Associate, and Marketing Assistant.
- Align team priorities and deadlines with production marketing and ticket sales goals.
- Monitor competitors, market conditions, audience behavior, and production-specific opportunities to inform campaign decisions.
The Old Globe is actively committed to fostering a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion, & access in all areas of our operation. By making intentional, actionable steps, we strive to make The Old Globe a place where theatre makers, employees, volunteers, audience members, and community members of all identities and backgrounds belong. The Old Globe welcomes candidates who demonstrate a commitment to these goals. We strongly encourage people with the following identities to apply: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, people living with disabilities, and those from other historically and presently marginalized groups. Multilingual candidates are also strongly encouraged to apply.
The successful candidate will have the following skills and abilities:
- 5+ years of progressively responsible marketing experience; live entertainment or performing-arts experience strongly preferred.
- Strong understanding of performing-arts marketing, ticket sales, paid advertising, audience segmentation, and direct-response campaigns.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret sales and campaign data, manage budgets, and translate findings into actions that improve revenue and cost of sale.
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple productions, competing deadlines, and staff priorities.
- Excellent writing, presentation, vendor-management, and cross-departmental collaboration skills.
- Experience with Tessitura or a comparable ticketing/CRM system and digital advertising platforms strongly preferred.
- Salary range $90,000 – $108,000. This is a full-time position with benefits including 401(k) after first year employment. Must be able to pass applicable background check. Multilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Please apply here: https://www.theoldglobe.org/TheOldGlobeInternalJobOpportunities
- Why Is There So Much Beauty In The World?
“There’s too much beauty to be accounted for by simple utility,” argues Nicholas Humphrey. – MIT Press Reader