ArtsJournal: Arts, Culture, Ideas

This Week’s AJ Highlights

Good morning. Lots of consequential stories this week. One I find particularly intriguing is this story from Harvard Business Review. It takes on the notion of success in the digital age being defined by the ability to scale. Because creating copies of digital products costs practically nothing, the ability to sign up hundreds of millions of users/subscribers/viewers costs very little. Many of our ideas about scaling rest on foundational economic ideas of Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations, such as the division of labor and specialization. Smith opens with a description of a pin factory in France, where he argues that the division of labor has enabled unprecedented efficiency and increased production with scale. But in the digital age, efficiency and increased production have different meanings. So why is being able to scale still foundational to our definition of success?

Here are more highlights from this week:

  1. Berlin Announces Major Cuts to Its (Substantial) Arts Funding Budget “Overall, Berlin is slashing its cultural funding budget by around €120 million ($127 million), or about 12%. For weeks now, theatres and other organizations have warned of insolvency, operational restrictions, and job losses.”DPA (Yahoo!)
  2. African Musicians Express Concerns Over AI’s Impact on Music Ownership “Musicians from Africa are voicing worries about the use of artificial intelligence in music creation, particularly regarding ownership rights and cultural appropriation. They question how original creators will be credited when AI utilizes music from countries like Ghana or Nigeria.”BBC
  3. Restoration of Rembrandt’s “Night Watchman” Begins in Public
    “Restorers at the Rijksmuseum are working in a specially designed glass chamber in full view of the public, combining transparency with cultural preservation.”ARTnews
  4. Shen Yun Investigated Over Alleged Labor Violations Involving Underage Performers “New York State is investigating Shen Yun for allegedly using underage student performers in extensive work schedules with minimal pay, raising concerns about labor rights and exploitation within the arts industry.”The New York Times
  5. Notre-Dame Restoration Has a $148 Million Surplus “Unexpected fundraising success for Notre-Dame’s restoration reveals surplus funds, raising questions about the allocation of excess resources in large-scale cultural preservation projects.”France24

Jump down to see all the stories we collected this week.

Doug

Latest Stories

Salman Rushdie Explains Why AI Isn’t A Threat To Fiction Writers (Yet)

“The problem AI (has is) that it (can’t) make up its own jokes, the writer said. ‘It has no sense of humour – you don’t want to hear a joke told by ChatGPT. If there’s a moment when there’s a funny book written by ChatGPT I think we’re screwed.’”...

How a Giant 13-Ton Piece Of Public Art Was Rescued In Minneapolis

Inspired by the mid-20th-century discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, an ancient collection of biblical and historical writings, “Scroll” stood 27 feet high and 22 feet wide. Its frame was covered with 54 copper sheets. - The Star Tribune

Philly Gets A Brand-New Festival Of Nouveau Circus

“The new 10-day event, the Philadelphia Contemporary Circus Festival, features more than 24 exhibitions, workshops, and artist showcases throughout Old City and Camden, … (offering) offers audiences a look into circus operatic singers, acrobat-led theater dramas, and comedic oral histories led by, of course, a ‘professor clown.’” - The Philadelphia Inquirer...

Premium

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (USA) seeks Director of Marketing and Communications

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (USA) invites applications and nominations for the position of Marketing Director, available in the summer, 2025.

President/CEO- OPERA America

OPERA America seeks an accomplished, innovative, & collaborative strategist to lead this essential national service organization as President/CEO advocating for the opera field

Dayton Live: Chief Financial Officer

Dayton Live seeks a visionary CFO to drive innovation and growth through thoughtful management of finance, strategy, and operations.

Classifieds

Opera Colorado: Director of Advancement

Opera Colorado seeks a dynamic, experienced, and strategic communicator and fundraiser to lead the next chapter of the company’s growth.

Folger Shakespeare Library seeks Director of Learning & Education Programs

The Director of Learning and Education Programs will lead the strategic development and implementation of educational programs that support local, national, and digital engagement with Shakespeare and the early modern world.

Executive Director – Goh Ballet

Goh Ballet Canada is seeking an accomplished and visionary Executive Director to lead its strategic and operational initiatives, ensuring the ongoing success and sustainability.

Artis–Naples seeks Vice President, Marketing & Sales

The Vice President, Marketing and Sales (VP-MS) leads all earned revenue activities at Artis—Naples, overseeing approximately $18 million in earned revenues.

Programs Director – The Hermitage Artist Retreat

The Hermitage Artist Retreat is embarking on a search to find their next Programs Director.

City of Boston, Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture seeks Chief of Arts & Culture

The Chief of Arts and Culture (Chief) of MOAC will be a visionary, collaborative, and dynamic leader responsible for shaping and championing the City's cultural identity

Managing Director – Profile Theatre Company

Profile Theatre, one of Portland’s most acclaimed cultural institutions, seeks a collaborative, entrepreneurial, and inclusive leader to serve as its Managing Director.
function my_excerpt_length($length){ return 200; } add_filter('excerpt_length', 'my_excerpt_length');