Today’s AJ highlights: Contraction of the institutional arts world continues. The Metropolitan Opera has announced layoffs and pay cuts for top executives to balance its books (The Guardian ). This financial pressure is mirrored in the theater world; the Williamstown Theatre Festival has canceled its upcoming summer season to “rethink its future” and is considering moving to a biennial model (The Washington Post (MSN) ). Even the Sundance Film Festival is in a state of profound transition, preparing for its final run in Park City following the death of founder Robert Redford and a planned move to Boulder, Colorado (AP ).
Political and ideological battles are also intensifying at the institutional level. In Alabama, a state library board has withheld funding from a library that refused to relocate The Handmaid’s Tale to the adult section (The Daily Beast ). Meanwhile, reports indicate that New Deal-era murals are being targeted for removal, with critics labeling the Depression-era public art programs as “too woke” (Hyperallergic ). The Pakistani government continues the expulsion of Afghan musicians who fled the Taliban (The New York Times ).
On the industry front, the definition of success is being rewritten. While some declare the “starchitect” era over in favor of collaborative models (Dezeen ), the publishing world is finding a massive boost in “Romantasy”—women-centered fantasy fiction that prioritizes magic and meaningful relationships (The Conversation ). In the visual arts, the Philadelphia Art Museum is reportedly considering redoing its recent “botched” rebrand f(Hyperallergic ).
Finally, we look at the fallout of a major museum breach: new footage of the Louvre jewelry robbery shows perpetrators using disc cutters to open display cases while staff members were unable to intervene (Artnet ).
All our stories below.
