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- The Artist Taking Broken Things And Making Them Beautiful
“Toporkoff has found that she prefers working with mouth-blown glass because of its depth of color and texture and natural imperfections like bubbles and ripples. She sources the glass from Saint-Just Glassworks in the Loire region of France.” – The New York Times
- Dustin Hoffman Took Up Acting For A Very Normal College Student Reason
“My friend said, ‘Take acting, it’s like gym. Nobody flunks. You know, the worst you can get in gym is a C.’” – Today Show
- The ‘Blue Wave’ On Tuesday Swept A Fair Number Of Artists To Power
“Next year’s massive reconfiguration of power … brings with it a number of elected officials with creative backgrounds, some of whom even incorporated music, dance and art into their campaigns and promises to constituents.” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)
- A Ransomware Attack Takes Down The Queens Public Library
“Unfortunately, it’s part of the world that we live in right now. So the Queens Public Library is a victim of the type of world that we’re living in, where people are launching cyber attacks against various types of entities, large corporations, and now Queens Public Library.” – LitHub
- Why John Luther Adams Moved To An Arid Spot In Australia
“Adams, 73, is attracted to extremes. The more awe-inspiring, the better. It’s what has nourished his singular sound, which doesn’t so much represent as become the natural world.” – The New York Times
- If The News Doesn’t Have Cute Animals Or Political Threats, How Does It Get Eyeballs Online?
Arts reporters, take note: “The best-performing videos were ones with behind-the-scenes footage from investigations or collaborations. Putting reporters on camera — in the field or at their desks — worked.” – Nieman Lab
- Now That Russell Brand Has (Finally) Been Convicted Of Rape And Assault, Some Publishers Are Pulling His Books
However: “Tony Lyons, the publisher at Skyhorse, which published Brand’s How to Become a Christian in 7 Days under its new Tucker Carlson Books imprint this year, said in an email that the company ‘had no plans to withdraw Russell Brand’s books.’” – The New York Times
- True Crime Podcasts Are Known For Exploiting Victims. Can A Famous Survivor Host Make A Difference?
Elizabeth Smart: “I want this to be an empowering experience for them. I want them to feel pride in sharing their story.” – Slate
- The Creator Of Ireland’s First Micro-Series On How ‘The Black Leprechaun’ Works
Éyum Priscilla: The comedy “is a story about embracing every part of who you are and finding the confidence to claim your place in the country you’ve always called home.” – Irish Times
- Do Booker-Nominated Authors Know How To Write A Booker-Nominated Novel?
The Guardian asks them, with some decent results. “Iris Murdoch once said, ‘One should sit quietly and let the thing invent itself,’ and I took that as a mantra, letting the book emerge. It turns out that can be quite messy.” – The Guardian (UK)
- What Botero’s Remakes Tell Us About Western Art History
“A Colombian artist being so enamoured by European artists invites questions about visibility – and whose art is deemed significant.” – BBC
- While We Wait For The Julianne Moore Film, Why Not Watch These Theatre Movies?
The Debut doesn’t come out until December 11. But there are many others in the “subgenre of theater-centric movies in which the characters are mostly amateurs creating stage magic (they hope).” – The New York Times
- A Record Label Stripped Child Labor Protections From Girls In A K-Pop Group
“The contracts banned the performers from having an ‘insincere attitude’ and engaging in ‘inappropriate romantic relationships.’ They also struck standard child protection language which protected ‘basic human rights,’ including the group members’ right to education.” – The Guardian (UK)
- Why Are Parts Of The Christian Internet So Fussed Over Gerwig’s New Narnia Movie?
Sexism, basically. Yet: “Critics of Gerwig’s casting of Streep forget that many of us heard tales of Narnia first in our mother’s voice. … This powerful, unknowable god first spoke to us in a loving voice which guided and comforted us, even when we might be afraid.” – Reactor
- In A State That Does Not Fund Public Education Well, Artists Band Together To Bring The Arts To Rural Schools
“The work could especially help the approximately 100 districts in the state where some, if not all, schools are only offering classes Monday through Thursday, primarily because of funding restrictions.” – Oregon ArtsWatch
- The Vancouver Symphony Gets A New CEO
Keith Cerny, who’s from the U.S. and most recently was the CEO for the Fort Worth Symphony, is a classically trained pianist, conductor, and economist. – Vancouver Sun
- The Romantasy Diaper Controversy
You know what often comes after years of (hot) sex, at least for some couples? That’s right: Babies. But do they, and their needs, belong in the hottest book series on the market? – Slate
- This Tapestry Artist From Kazakhstan Has Been Long Overdue For International Recognition
“Batima Zaurbekova is among Kazakhstan’s most celebrated artists. Beyond its borders, however, her name is far less known. The gap says less about her work than about who has been doing the looking—and framing.” – Artnet
- The Phoenix Symphony Will Resume Concerts This Week
One of the business leaders helping get the music flowing again: “Getting our musicians on stage again was our top priority. … Now we must build a financial and operating model that allows the Symphony to thrive, not simply survive from one season to the next.” – Arizona Republic (MSN)
- Michael Mittelstaedt shares a groundbreaking documentary on regenerative farming
Michael Mittelstaedt, Division Director of Film and New Media at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, shares their groundbreaking documentary about regenerative farming.
- Judge Halts Trump’s 250-Foot Arch Hours After Approval
Good Morning,
A federal judge barred construction of the 250-foot arch President Trump wants at Memorial Circle, by Arlington National Cemetery, less than two hours after a planning commission approved it 8–4 (NPR). Work is on hold for 14 days; the government had planned to start digging at once.
The New York Times is negotiating to buy Letterboxd, the film-lovers’ social network, for $330 million, more than 20 times its projected earnings (IndieWire). Its owner bought a majority stake in 2023 at a $50 million valuation.
Philippe Jaenada won France’s Prix Goncourt on Tuesday and told radio he used ChatGPT three times in the novel, including one sentence he revealed only to the jurors (The Guardian). In September the prize dropped another author’s debut over suspected AI use.
The Boston Symphony premiered “already and not yet,” a score by Tod Machover, the MIT Media Lab composer, in which AI answers the players (Los Angeles Times). Critic Mark Swed says it works because it treats the AI as stupid and the musicians as creative.
A Georgia O’Keeffe painting known only from a 1931 photograph turned up behind fur coats in a late aunt’s closet (Artnet). Bought for $3,800 in 1963, it is estimated at $3 million at Christie’s on November 17.
All of our stories below.
- How Did Bob Newhart Go From Failed Chicago Accountant To One Of America’s Best-Loved Comedians?
In the days when most leading comics were firing off one-liners like Henny Youngman and Rodney Dangerfield, Newhart was one of the first solo performers to do anecdotes and sketches of people’s interactions. And he got plenty of material from his days as an accountant and at the Illinois State Compensation Board. – WBEZ (Chicago)
- AI May Be Changing The Ways People Think
Some psychiatrists and philosophers interested in AI-human relationships suspect that AI psychosis may just be the most visible example of a much broader phenomenon: the subtle reshaping of ordinary human belief by conversational AI. – Big Think
- Balanchine’s “Nutcracker” Presented In Quasi-VR Projection Onto Domed Screen
The immersive video company Cosm filmed multiple New York City Ballet performances, using 13 cameras shooting from 84 positions. The footage was edited to produce what Cosm calls shared reality (“virtual reality without the clunky glasses”). The result will be shown this year in Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles. – The New York Times
- Strand Bookstore To Repay $1.5M COVID Relief Funds
The century-old Strand Bookstore has agreed to pay the federal government nearly $1.5 million to resolve a claim that it was not eligible for a pandemic-relief loan it obtained because the store’s owner is married to a member of Congress. – The New York Times
- Film Industry Students Unsettled By Shrinking LA Job Market
“Some of us can see a lot of doom and gloom,” said Miranda Banks, a professor of film, television and media studies. “But this generation has their eye on the power of human creativity in a way that I’m not sure any of us in other generations have been so attuned to.” – Los Angeles Times
- LiveNation Reports $10.1B Revenue In Third Quarter
The $10.1 billion figure marks a 19 percent increase from 2025, while the company reported $892 million in operating income, a 13 percent jump from last year. Fan attendance overall grew 19 percent to 61 million people, Live Nation said, with international attendance growing 29 percent. – The Hollywood Reporter
- Broadway’s “Buena Vista Social Club” Will Close In January And Transfer To London
“The musical, inspired by the titular Cuban band, took home five Tony Awards in 2025, including a special Tony for its onstage band. While the show is closing in January, producers say it is on track to recoup before closure. … In 2027, the musical will open in London’s West End.” – The Hollywood Reporter
- Art Is Good For Your Health? Can’t We Do Better?
In other words, the key sell for engaging with art in this case is that there is science – a real expertise! – backing it up, to reassure those on the fence that it’s not all a clanging, nebulous waste of time. – The Guardian
- National Capital Planning Commission Approves Construction Of Trump Arch
The motion to approve the project passed by an 8-4 vote after listening to over 100 public remarks largely against the project after a nearly 9-hour meeting. – The Hill
- Livestream Of Trump Arch Public Testimony Meeting Crashed
The livestream went down during public testimony largely against the project and after a tense exchange with Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). NCPC tech experts were looking into the issue, Reuters reported. – The Hill
- Other U.S. Cities Are Boosting Arts Funding, But Chicago’s Will Remain Flat
“The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events is set to receive about $62.5 million next year in the proposed budget. That’s up less than 1% from the arts budget that passed City Council last year.” – WBEZ (Chicago)
- Federal Judge Blocks Construction Of Trump Arch In Late Night Ruling
Just before midnight Friday, District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan issued an order — finalized and made public minutes later – barring the government from any construction work for 14 days, granting a request filed days earlier by the governments of D.C. and Virginia. – NPR
- Library Use Going Up As Economy Stresses
It is something of a truism in the library world that, when economic conditions worsen, people use libraries more. Patrons and librarians across the U.S. tell NPR they’re seeing that pan out now. – NPR
- A Bold Orchestra Experiment With AI
Machover’s brilliant new half-hour orchestral score asks AI for agency. It does so by treating the technology as stupid, musicians as creative artists and the audience as capable of opening its collective mind. It handles democracy not as a done deal, but a series of scary questions — and doesn’t trust the heartless machines for answers. – Los Angeles Times