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- Grand Rapids Ballet Lays Off Executive Director And Eliminates Position
“Grand Rapids Ballet has dismissed executive director Mary Jennings after less than two years in the role, replacing her with an interim CEO as the ballet rethinks its leadership strategy.” – Crain’s Grand Rapids Business
- Why Frederick Wiseman Was The All-Time Best Documentary-Maker
Between 1967 and 2023, he made forty-seven features (nearly one a year), many of them running considerably more than two hours. His body of work, considered in terms of number of features and of total running time, is one that probably no one in his generation or younger can match. – The New Yorker
- How Consolidation Has Wrecked Publishing
Here’s the problem: Those Big Five control over 80% of the trade publishing market. Indie publishers exist, but they need more support—a lot more support—than they’re getting. – The Honest Broker
- Judy Chicago Walks Away From “Nightmare” Google Project
The celebrated visual artist Judy Chicago has walked away from a major commission at Google’s headquarters project in the Loop, comparing an aspect of working with the tech giant as “a nightmare.” – Chicago Sun-Times
- California City Reports $1.5 Million Embezzled From Its Arts Funding Agency
“The statement from (Fresno Arts Council), which handled public grants set aside by the local parks and arts tax for the past few years, said the arts council began securing records and initiating ‘appropriate next steps’.” Meanwhile, the City Council has removed the granting process from Arts Council control. – The Fresno Bee (MSN)
- If The UK’s Biggest Institutions Are Struggling, There’s A Structural Problem
If the National Gallery – one of Britain’s leading attractions with over 4 million visitors a year – is struggling to balance its books, it indicates wider structural problems in the arts industry. – The Conversation
- Russia Produces Great Artists. Why Not Great Science?
Russia produces world‑class artists and brilliant scientific inventors, yet few globally successful technologies. Why? – Nightingale Sonata
- CBS’ Attempted Censorship Of Colbert Backfires Spectacularly – 10X Online Views As Typical Ratings
CBS lawyers tried to block Stephen Colbert’s interview with Texas legislator James Talarico, but Colbert posted it online instead—where it exploded, drawing far more viewers than TV. By defying CBS and the FCC’s new “equal time” rule, Colbert turned attempted censorship into a viral publicity gift. – The New Republic
- Algeria’s Most Famous Author Faces Legal Cases For Misusing A Terror Victim’s Story
Kamel Daoud’s Goncourt-winning novel Houris is about a woman whose throat was slit at age 5 during a terrorist massacre and who can now barely speak. An Algerian woman — whose psychiatrist was Daoud’s wife — has brought legal cases accusing the author of using her life story for the book without permission. – The Guardian
- Another San Francisco Institution Cancels Its Next Show Due To Money Troubles
Lamplighters Music Theatre, the Bay Area’s Gilbert and Sullivan specialists, has called off its spring 2026 production of Patience. Company leaders blame not only the rising costs and shrinking audiences many organizations have experienced post-pandemic, but also the expenses caused by the personnel law AB5. – San Francisco Chronicle (Yahoo!)
- Saudi Arabia Commissions World’s Largest Mural, Which It Hopes Will Be Visible From Space
The job — to create a painting 50,000 square meters large, roughly the size of nine football fields, in the Saudi capital, Riyadh — has gone to New York-based artist Domingo Zapata, who is reportedly getting an “unlimited budget.” – Page Six
- Louvre’s No. 2 Official Says Ticket Fraud Is “Inevitable” At Large Museums
“Which museum in the world, with this level of attendance,” said Louvre general administrator Kim Pham, “would not at certain moments have some issues of fraud?” (He would not, however, name another museum with a similar problem.) – AP
- How Will Academy Voters Decide Which Movie Should Win Best Casting Oscar?
“Yes, casting directors are finding the right person to carry the weight of the movie, but they are also responsible for nearly every face you see onscreen, creating the whole human environment of the film. Perhaps the casting award is most akin to the one honoring production design.” – The New York Times
- Oscar-Nominated Co-Writer Of “It Was Just An Accident” Released From Iranian Prison
Mehdi Mahmoudian, who wrote the screenplay for the Cannes-winning film alongside director Jafar Panahi, has been released on bail after 17 days. He was among a group of people arrested for signing a statement condemning Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for ordering the violent crackdown on protesters last month. – The Hollywood Reporter
- Actor Shia LaBeouf Arrested In New Orleans After Alleged Mardi Gras Fistfight
He is charged with two counts of simple battery following incidents in the midnight hours of Tuesday morning. This is, of course, by no means his first run-in with law enforcement. – AP
- Technical and Facility Director
Application Deadline: Monday, March 16, 2026, at 5 p.m. P.T.
Accepting Online Applications OnlyInformation on How to Apply
Salary
$93,246.40 – $125,881.60 AnnuallyLocation
Eugene, ORJob Type
Full-Time RegularJob Number
04377Department
Library, Recreation & Cultural ServicesDivision
Cultural Services DivisionOpening Date
02/17/2026Closing Date
3/16/2026 5:15 PM PacificGeneral Statement of Duties
The Technical and Facility Director leads the technical operations for the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, with responsibility for managing all technical theater operations staff, ensuring the highest levels of operational safety, overseeing theatrical equipment, and providing estimates and advances with all the Hult’s partners and commercial artists. As a member of the senior leadership team, the Technical and Facility Director participates in overall strategic planning and cross-departmental coordination. In addition, this position supervises the Facilities Manager, who is entrusted with facility project management, facility maintenance, and custodial services for the Hult Center for the Performing Arts.
Application Deadline: Monday, March 16, 2026, at 5 p.m. P.T.
Accepting Online Applications OnlyInformation on How to Apply
Classification: Manager 1
Salary: $44.83 – $60.52 hourly / $93,246.40 – $125,881.60 annually
The City of Eugene determines starting pay within the range based on relevant education and experience as provided by the applicant in their application materials. This process is consistent with the Oregon Equal Pay Act (OEPA).
Department, Division: Library, Recreation and Cultural Services, Cultural Services
Union Representation: Non-Represented, Exempt
Work Location: Hult Center, 1 Eugene Center, Eugene, OR 97401
Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with occasional weekends and evenings per business need
Benefits: The City of Eugene offers robust and competitive benefits. For more information, select the Benefits Tab, or view benefits summaries as well as see information about all employee benefits.
Living & Working in Eugene: Information about living in Eugene, how the City of Eugene operates, and more can be found on our website.Examples of Duties Performed –
- Duties may include but are not limited to the following
- Plans, prioritizes, assigns, supervises and reviews the work of staff and temporary workers involved in the operation and maintenance of the theater and theatrical equipment, Supervises the work of the Facilities Manager.
- Evaluates operations and activities of assigned responsibilities; recommends improvements and modifications; assists the Managing Director and supports the Facility Manager in long range theater facility and equipment operations planning.
- In consultation with the Hult Managing Director and Finance Manager, reviews and recommends ongoing capital and maintenance work related to stage and facility operations; responsible for directing the Facility Manager in the execution of maintenance and repair work.
- Coordinates with the City of Eugene Facilities Department and supervises the Facility Manager in the management of Hult Center Capital projects. Ensures projects are managed in compliance with codes, ordinances, regulations, and other requirements.
- Oversees, develops, and administers Hult Center facilities budget, including forecasting resources; submits justification for new equipment purchasing; monitors budget to actual revenues and expenditures and suggest adjustments.
- Direct and approve, including through direct report supervisor(s) the planning, prioritizing, assigning, supervising, training, and review of a diverse workforce within assigned work areas.
- Ensures implementation of and adherence to the City’s Affirmative Action and Diversity Work Plans. Coordinates the implementation of effective processes and models to produce division wide diversity initiatives. Facilitates staff development on such issues as diversity and creating a respectful working environment.
- Coordinates technical requirements for stage productions; oversee operational aspects of programs at the Hult Center.
- Participates in the preparation of bid specifications for theater and facility capital equipment; assists in purchasing and installation supervision of necessary equipment and systems.
- Ensures that equipment receives proper maintenance and is in safe operating condition; maintains equipment logs; maintains an inventory of replacement supplies.
- Supports facility booking initiatives by serving as the Hult Center liaison with promoters, production managers, commercial user groups, and various outside organizations using the Center; available for consultation with City personnel regarding performing arts and events technical and production requirements.
- Operates a variety of theater related equipment including lighting, sound, rigging and special effects equipment as needed. If the equipment to be operated is not within the skill set of the Technical and Facilities Director, they will ensure that there is skilled labor available
- Provides accurate and timely labor, materials, and equipment estimates for all commercial user groups, resident companies and local artists. operations invoices, show and event settlements, and advance cost estimates for user groups.
- Prepare and present narrative and statistical program performance reports and recommendations to supervisors, management, and executive-level positions.
- Models respectful working relationships and creates a workplace that supports all employees; supports City leadership in successfully responding to the changing needs of a diverse organization and the commitment to equity and human rights.
- Performs other duties, as required.
To view detailed information on the duties, knowledge, and abilities that may be expected for this position, please see the classification: Manager 1
Qualifications
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they are able to perform every task in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes with relevant transferable skills from a variety of sources and experiences. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.
When screening your application, the City will consider an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to meet minimum qualifications for this position.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience
Five years of professional experience developing, implementing, and managing programs, projects, related to technical theater production, including two years in a full supervisory role. Two years’ experience in the management of facility and/or maintenance operations is preferable
Education
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in theater, theater operations management, or a related field.
Background
Must pass a background check.
License
Valid Oregon driver’s license (or, the ability to obtain by date of hire); must pass driving records check and, if hired, maintain a driving record that meets the City’s standard. Oregon law requires that an out-of-state license holder must obtain a valid Oregon license (with appropriate endorsements) within 30 days of becoming domiciled in the state (ORS 803.355).
Certifications
Professional-level project management certification (PMP, CAPM, AgilePM, etc.) is preferred.
The ideal candidate will have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities
Knowledge
- Principles, practices, procedures and methods in performing arts, in practice and management, theater facility operations and maintenance, safe work practices, and production management.
- Current developments, techniques of theater set construction, theatrical rigging, and mechanical operations related to the performing arts industry.
- Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, polices and regulations that affect and impact the department and Center, including understanding of compliance requirements and implications.
- City policies, rules, and bargaining agreements, and their application to assigned staff, with an emphasis on equitable practices and inclusion.
- Operational and strategic planning principles and practices, including goal setting, performance measurement, and evaluation methodologies.
- Management theory and principles, including strategic planning, resource allocation, and organizational development.
- Principles and methods of supervision, staff training and team motivation.
- Budget, financial record keeping/reporting, calculations of user group labor and equipment estimates, and project management principles and methods.
Skills and Abilities
- Operating a variety of equipment related to theater operations; implementing operating safety standards, diagnosing problems and coordinating repairs Ensuring a work crew that is skilled and trained in operating all theater equipment in use.
- Coordinating and executing multiple tasks and/or projects to meet deadlines and addresses potential delays and problems in a professional and timely manner; ensures a calm demeanor at all times.
- Project management, time management, planning, negotiation, presentation and training.
- Understanding and interpreting advanced technical show and event riders from commercial touring shows.
- Relationship-building, consulting, and collaborative team building.
- Researching and analyzing a variety of information and data; making recommendations based on research findings; writing reports and creating spreadsheets; and presenting information.
- Providing courteous customer service and effectively working with the general public, the media, supervisors, co-workers, employees, union representatives, and employee organizations representing various diverse backgrounds.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to present information clearly and persuasively in public settings, negotiate effectively, and resolve conflicts diplomatically.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities to independently develop sound decisions, conclusions, and recommendations, including the ability to anticipate and mitigate risks.
- Budget preparation and administration skills, including forecasting resources, monitoring expenditures, conducting financial analyses, and making strategic recommendations.
- Multicultural workforce management skills to promote an equitable workplace environment, apply equitable program practices to diverse and complex City services, and foster inclusive leadership practices.
- Perform the physical activities required of this position.
Supplemental Information
Working Conditions
Work is performed primarily indoors. Position requires frequent sitting, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying, occasionally lifting up to 50 lbs. Exposure to dust/noise, slippery surfaces, toxic/caustic chemicals, and biological waste hazards. Requires use of hand/power tools, computer, radio, telephone, and general office equipment. Work requires working irregular and flexible hours with attendance at meetings and activities outside of regular working hours. Occasional operation of a motor vehicle on public roads. Will be required to wear personal protective equipment as needed for assigned tasks. Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this class with reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis and depends, in part, on the specific requirements for the job, the limitations related to the disability and the ability of the hiring department to accommodate the limitation.
Eligibility List
This posting may also be used to establish an eligibility list of applicants for future vacancies. Candidates that are placed on the eligibility list will be notified via email which will include the duration of the list and how notification of call up will occur.
Non-Represented Retirement Program
Upon eligibility, the City will contribute an employee contribution of 6%, as well as the employer contribution, to a retirement program administered by the Oregon Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). In addition, the City will pay a 3% contribution to a deferred compensation program if the employee contributes at least 1%.
From January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2034, most retirees may work for a PERS-participating employer for an unlimited number of hours while continuing to receive their pension benefit based on HB 2296. If you have questions about your specific situation, including any restrictions to hours, please refer to the PERS: Work After Retirement.
What to Expect from our Selection Process
Applicants are screened based upon their relevant knowledge, abilities, skills, experience, and training. The selection process varies according to the position and can include such things as screening of supplemental questionnaires, written or skill tests, ability or fitness tests, interviews, and assessment processes. In addition, background investigations and records checks may be required. Some positions also require applicants to have a psychological evaluation and/or physical examination and a drug test prior to employment. Marijuana use is evaluated consistent with current state law regulations. PLEASE NOTE: Once the posting closes, the process can take 4-6 weeks to complete.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The City of Eugene is committed to a respectful work environment. We value the cultural, educational, and life experiences of each employee. We believe that a diverse workforce enables us to deliver culturally responsive services to all members of our community. As part of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion we desire to welcome, respect, and create a sense of belonging for a wide range of identities and experiences in our workforce. Women, people with disabilities, and persons of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
The City of Eugene complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Any applicant with a qualified disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act may request accommodation by contacting an employment coordinator at (541) 682-5061.
In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the City of Eugene will request all eligible candidates who accept employment with the City to provide documentation to prove they are eligible for employment in the United States. NOTE: The City of Eugene does not participate in the E-Verify program; therefore, candidates requiring E-Verify for employment authorization will not be eligible for employment with the City.
Employer
City of Eugene
Address
City of Eugene
500 East 4th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon, 97401
Phone
(541) 682-5061
Website
www.eugene-or.govMORE
- Good Morning
A heavy day for losses. Robert Duvall, who disappeared into roles so completely that you forgot you were watching acting, has died at 95 (Washington Post). Frederick Wiseman, who spent six decades turning the camera on American institutions — hospitals, courts, high schools, ballet companies — and letting them speak for themselves, has died at 96 (AP). And Michael Silverblatt, whose KCRW interviews were so deeply prepared that authors were sometimes astonished by how well he knew their own work, is gone at 73 (Los Angeles Times). Three artists who understood that the job is to pay attention.
In the land of the living, CBS lawyers killed a Colbert interview with a Texas state legislator while the guest was already in the studio (NYT). He responded in a very Colbert way, getting massive view of YouTube. (Can we call this the “Carr Effect” after FCC chair Brendan Carr?) And the San Antonio Philharmonic has cancelled the rest of its season — no music director, no venue, no concerts (San Antonio Current).
Meanwhile, Lucinda Childs is 85 and still making dances. “My favorite thing,” she says, “is to make things” (NYT).
All of our stories below.
- Architect Oscar Niemeyer’s Final Building Was A Diner In Leipzig
The great Brazilian modernist, best-known for the futuristic government buildings in Brasilia, had recently turned 103 when he drew the first sketch for what’s now called the Niemeyer Sphere. When he died almost a year later, he hadn’t finalized the design, but there were enough sketches and specifications to complete it. – The Guardian
- Stephen Colbert Says CBS Censored Talarico Interview On His Late Night Show
Colbert said that CBS lawyers had told him “in no uncertain terms” that an interview he had planned for Monday’s show with State Representative James Talarico of Texas would not air on the show, even though the lawmaker was already in Mr. Colbert’s studio. – The New York Times
- A Rare Edition Of Shakespeare’s First Folio Was Stolen And Damaged. Now That It’s Been Recovered, Should It Be Repaired?
When in 2010, Durham University got back the Folio which had been stolen in 1998, the book’s leather cover, boards and end papers were gone, as were an engraving, a eulogy by Ben Jonson, and the final page of Cymbeline. The volume has never been repaired, and there are good reasons why. – BBC (Yahoo!)
- Michael Silverblatt, A Radio Interviewer Who Really Knew His Subjects’ Work, Dies At 73
Michael Silverblatt, the longtime host of the KCRW radio show “Bookworm” — known for interviews of authors so in depth that they sometimes left his subjects astounded at his breadth of knowledge of their work — has died. – Los Angeles Times (Yahoo)
- In Australia, Arts Education Enrollment Is Plummeting
A comprehensive review of national data shows a steady decline in arts subject enrolments at senior secondary level and a parallel contraction of creative arts degree courses in higher education since 2018. – Limelight
- The Anatomy Of (Enduring) Class Struggle
Despite years of Eat-the-Rich–type discourse, we seem to struggle with how money and power operate without falling into either conspiratorial exaggeration (the fantasy of Satan-worshipping elites ritualistically drinking baby blood is centuries old) or fawning admiration for the taste and sophistication of the rich and famous. – The American Scholar
- A Verbatim Play Reimagines One Of The Most Notorious TV Debates Of The AIDS Era
In Kramer/Fauci, director Daniel Fish stages a transcript of the 1993 C-SPAN debate between Larry Kramer, the legendarily combative writer and AIDS activist, and the more mild-mannered Dr. Anthony Fauci, then the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. – The New York Times
- Arguments For Why People Are Wothwhile
When we speak of dignity, worth, or the respect owed to persons, we are not engaging in idle abstraction. These concepts do real work. They justify constraints on what the powerful may do to the vulnerable. – 3 Quarks Daily
- Why Do We Have An Instinctive Attraction To Music?
People have relished music for so long that we have evidence, from forty thousand years ago, of humans making a flute-like instrument out of a vulture bone. We feel that even wordless music reflects our moods. – The New Yorker
- How Universities Became Centers Of Liberal Thought
In the past thirty or so years, the academy has replaced the church as the center of the liberal moral imagination, providing the sense of a community bound by ethics, a firmament of texts and knowledge that should inform action, and a meeting space for like-minded people. – The New Yorker
- “Train Dreams” And “Adolescence” Lead 2026 Independent Spirit Awards
Train Dreams, Clint Bentley’s feature about an isolated logger in the early-20th-century Pacific Northwest, led the film categories with three wins. In the television categories, Adolescence, a British crime drama about a 13-year-old boy accused of stabbing a classmate to death, took four of the six prizes. – The Hollywood Reporter
- The Cultural Debate About Wall Texts
“When curators withhold information about the works and the artists, they are reinforcing their own curatorial approach, which is a contradiction. Decontextualizing and dehistoricizing is practically a colonialist act.” – Hyperallergic
- What Musical Variations Can Teach Us About Divergent Creativity
It’s hard to imagine creativity without divergent thinking. How are you being exploratory? How are you being adventurous? A theme and variations is a very overt demonstration of that process, because the whole idea is to generate novel versions of the same source. – The New York Times
- America’s Post-Modernist Architecture Legacy
Postmodernism began as a critique of modernism’s exhausted promises. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, many designers no longer treated modernism as radical or socially redemptive. Urban renewal projects accelerated the demolition of historic neighborhoods, and landmark preservation battles raised urgent questions about what the United States valued and, ultimately, protected. – Arch Daily
- At 85, Choreographer Lucinda Childs Is Still Busy
“I’m not, um, young,” she says. “And I do have help. I don’t go in without somebody there who can help to translate and who understands my movement. But my favorite thing is to make things.” – The New York Times
- Head Of Arts At London’s Barbican Centre Is Out After Only 18 Months
Devyani Saltzman was named director of arts and participation in February 2024; she was one of seven senior leaders installed after the Barbican replaced the managing director model. News of her departure comes about a month after the arrival of new CEO Abigail Pogson, and Saltzman is not being replaced. – The Guardian
- San Antonio Philharmonic Cancels Remainder Of Its Season
“After the loss of its musical director, the cancelation of multiple concerts and a dispute locking it out of what was touted to be its permanent performance space, the San Antonio Philharmonic has scrapped the remainder of its season, according to an email sent to its musicians.” – San Antonio Current
- Chicago Symphony Is Deemed “World’s Busiest Orchestra” — What Exactly Does That Entail?
Basically, it means the CSO shows more scheduled performances than other orchestras in the comprehensive concert listings on the classical-music website Bachtrack. However, both Bachtrack’s editors and CSO management say that it’s not as simple as that description sounds. – Chicago Tribune
