“In 1900 there were an estimated 500,000 such establishments; by the 1960s more than half had closed. Today, only about 30,000-40,000 remain and even they are reportedly shutting at a rate of two a day. … The reasons for the closures … are economic and sociological.” - The Guardian
Jacob Coxon, the engineer who recently resigned from Anthropic to protest its safety policies, says A.I. could “kill us all by the end of the decade.” But if A.I. is so outrageously dangerous, why should we accept modest proposals to “pace” its development? Why not call in the Turing cops, and pull the plug? - The...
“August Wilson and I were very close, but also we fell out a lot. Every time he and I had a debate, the word from the cast was always ‘They’re going to fire you.’ And instead of firing me, he would write another role for me.” - The New York Times
Their perception is that jobs that feel meaningful are being slashed by government or stolen by AI. As a result, she reported, members of Gen Z may just need to find meaning in their hobbies and interests outside of work and pursue jobs that allow them to fully check out at the end of the day....
Few cultural forms have commanded such a vast audience. As of February 2026, over 700 million viewers were registered across the micro-drama platforms’ monthly user bases, with daily screentime averaging two hours per person. - New Left Review
Good texts take time. The field of visitor studies even recommends workshopping texts with an audience. Curators working on relentless deadlines don’t have that kind of luxury. Yet the particular genre of bad text I am thinking of, paradoxically, seems worst at the most elite levels of the industry. - Artnet
For four weeks, MoMA is turning its large second-floor atrium over to choreographer Sarah Michelson, who has made a piece titled “nowhere.” “At the forefront of ‘nowhere’”, writes Gia Kourlas, “is a question that only seems simple: What is a dance?” - The New York Times
Arthurs’s departure is the latest in a series of big shakeups in recent months at the upper echelons of Toronto’s major arts institutions, including Hot Docs, the Art Gallery of Ontario and Factory Theatre. - Toronto Star
The Little Burgundy legend received numerous honours in his illustrious career. Among his accolades are numerous Juno and Félix awards. Jones was also appointed an officer of the Order of Canada in 1993 and awarded the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 2005. - Montreal Gazette
If we cannot even agree that classical music is indeed obscure to most people, how can we understand the current state of affairs so that we might do something about it? - San Francisco Classical Voice
In 2023, on Putin’s personal orders, the 15th-century icon of the Trinity by Andrei Rublev, Russia's most revered icon painter, was moved from Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery and is now at the Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery. Conservators said that, without museum-quality climate controls, the piece could be severely damaged. Well, guess what's happened. - Meduza (Moscow/Riga)
Descendants of Italian migrants generally express an intense pride in their heritage, and many continue to live by its sociocultural tenets in spite of decades, or more, of absence. It is as if time away from Italy, and geographical distance, only amplify a yearning for it. - Aeon
Scientists already know that confusing memories happens more often than forgetting them altogether. What’s less clear is how the brain gets confused. - The Conversation
The surest way for the Smithsonian to free itself from the unwanted attentions of the current administration or any future one would be to adopt a business model that doesn’t involve government funding. - The Wall Street Journal
“YouTube ... has evolved into a home for sophisticated STEM programming that can attract audiences in the tens of millions. They're the type of programs traditional media companies used to produce, but now individual creators have taken the baton.” - TheWrap (MSN)
“With the publication of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek in 1974, Ms. Dillard, just 28, was recognized as a major new voice in American letters. … In the years to come, she would publish essays, meditations on religion, poems, a theory of literature, two novels, journalism, (and) a best-selling autobiography.” - The New York Times
“San Francisco Opera has canceled all performances through Sunday, Sept. 20, as its orchestra musicians remain on strike, putting the opening stretch of the company's 2026-27 season on hold.” - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
Jherrard Hardeman says he got two years of high praise from management; then, last September, he was abruptly told by the CEO to resign and Eastman barred him from its premises. Only later, he says, did he hear “rumors” accusing him of inappropriate conduct with minors, a charge he strongly denies. - WROC (Rochester)
The overhaul, badly needed to ease overcrowding, remedy deferred maintenance, and improve security, is expected to cost well over €1 billion (US$1.2 billion). Christophe Leribault, who became the museum's director in February, went to Tokyo and Hong Kong to talk about the necessity of the project. - South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
Joseph-Beth Booksellers, which has two locations in metro Cincinnati, is the third independent retail business that B&N has acquired in three years. The chain bought Denver’s Tattered Cover in 2024 and the Bay Area's Books Inc. last year; both companies had filed for bankruptcy. - Publishers Weekly
Jacob Coxon, the engineer who recently resigned from Anthropic to protest its safety policies, says A.I. could “kill us all by the end of the decade.” But if A.I. is so outrageously dangerous, why should we accept modest proposals to “pace” its development? Why not call in the Turing cops, and pull the plug? - The New Yorker
Their perception is that jobs that feel meaningful are being slashed by government or stolen by AI. As a result, she reported, members of Gen Z may just need to find meaning in their hobbies and interests outside of work and pursue jobs that allow them to fully check out at the end of the day. - 3 Quarks...
Descendants of Italian migrants generally express an intense pride in their heritage, and many continue to live by its sociocultural tenets in spite of decades, or more, of absence. It is as if time away from Italy, and geographical distance, only amplify a yearning for it. - Aeon
Scientists already know that confusing memories happens more often than forgetting them altogether. What’s less clear is how the brain gets confused. - The Conversation
High-profile authors are obviously under pressure to offer novel frameworks, but rarely do these second acts feel like an about-face. Duckworth insists that “Situated” is not a reversal but an expansion of her earlier research; as an account of individual success, grit is “necessary but not sufficient,” and must be complemented by the larger picture. - The New Yorker
“In 1900 there were an estimated 500,000 such establishments; by the 1960s more than half had closed. Today, only about 30,000-40,000 remain and even they are reportedly shutting at a rate of two a day. … The reasons for the closures … are economic and sociological.” - The Guardian
An unnamed board member described Trump’s phone call as “fucking crazy” to CNN, while another source told the news outlet that Trump screamed throughout the call. - The New Republic
It’s not just that the festival itself has been happening for 40 years, or that people have been complaining that it’s not what it used to be for decades. It’s that Burners themselves are older, with 40% of them over 40 last year and only 10% of them in their 20s. - The Guardian
There are around 77,000 temples across the country, but as many as 17,000 no longer have a full-time resident priest as congregations have shrunk — particularly in rural districts experiencing rapid depopulation — and financial pressures have taken their toll. - Deutsche Welle
Scotland was the first to allow this: the law passed two years ago, and the first “visitor levies” were collected this summer in Edinburgh. Welsh localities will have the authority to charge this tax starting next year. Andy Burnham’s government just announced plans to extend this power to English local governments. - The Independent...
With certain fiscal collapse within weeks, the board seeks to determine what recognition and acknowledgement will comply with the Court’s decisions in Beatty v. Trump et al. and with its statutory obligations, and wishes to explore additional options to present that recognition in a concrete and public fashion. - Washington Post
If we cannot even agree that classical music is indeed obscure to most people, how can we understand the current state of affairs so that we might do something about it? - San Francisco Classical Voice
“San Francisco Opera has canceled all performances through Sunday, Sept. 20, as its orchestra musicians remain on strike, putting the opening stretch of the company's 2026-27 season on hold.” - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
Jherrard Hardeman says he got two years of high praise from management; then, last September, he was abruptly told by the CEO to resign and Eastman barred him from its premises. Only later, he says, did he hear “rumors” accusing him of inappropriate conduct with minors, a charge he strongly denies. - WROC (Rochester)
Finneas was slated to open for Sheeran on six South American dates in late November and early December. In a post on social media, he announced his decision to drop out after Macklemore was kicked off the tour on Monday. - Variety
“Musicians and management of the Philadelphia Orchestra have struck a tentative agreement on a new three-year labor deal. The pact … would, if ratified, put the base minimum salary of orchestra members at $200,008 annually by the end of the contract.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
At 7:25 p.m., leaders of the opera walked onstage and told the patrons settling into their seats for an 8 p.m. performance that the opera had been canceled. An outdoor performance set for Sunday at Golden Gate Park, part of the opening festivities, was also called off. - The New York Times
Good texts take time. The field of visitor studies even recommends workshopping texts with an audience. Curators working on relentless deadlines don’t have that kind of luxury. Yet the particular genre of bad text I am thinking of, paradoxically, seems worst at the most elite levels of the industry. - Artnet
In 2023, on Putin’s personal orders, the 15th-century icon of the Trinity by Andrei Rublev, Russia's most revered icon painter, was moved from Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery and is now at the Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery. Conservators said that, without museum-quality climate controls, the piece could be severely damaged. Well, guess what's happened. - Meduza (Moscow/Riga)
The surest way for the Smithsonian to free itself from the unwanted attentions of the current administration or any future one would be to adopt a business model that doesn’t involve government funding. - The Wall Street Journal
The overhaul, badly needed to ease overcrowding, remedy deferred maintenance, and improve security, is expected to cost well over €1 billion (US$1.2 billion). Christophe Leribault, who became the museum's director in February, went to Tokyo and Hong Kong to talk about the necessity of the project. - South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
“In a statement on behalf of the unionized staff, Local 2110 UAW said all three museums must raise their minimum pay rates, noting that average wages for their staff fall below … the minimum required for a single adult to afford to live in New York City.” - ARTnews
The burial chamber was found at Chan Chan, once the capital of the Chimú people, whose culture flourished on what’s now Peru’s northern coast from the early 10th century CE to 1470. Because the tomb was never looted, researchers will be able to learn more about Chimú society than ever before. - Smithsonian Magazine
Joseph-Beth Booksellers, which has two locations in metro Cincinnati, is the third independent retail business that B&N has acquired in three years. The chain bought Denver’s Tattered Cover in 2024 and the Bay Area's Books Inc. last year; both companies had filed for bankruptcy. - Publishers Weekly
The criminalization of left-wing literature and those who publish or distribute it, the booksellers said, should also concern mainstream bookstores, which should be able to carry “a broad range of viewpoints without fear of government scrutiny or interference. - Publishers Weekly
As AI-generated writing floods the internet, more people are trying to detect which creators are using such tools to spin up copy. That means writers penning all their own work—and people who acknowledge using chatbots for help—are trying to master something they never worried about before: how to sound human. - The Wall Street...
“Under the amended administrative code, books that discuss gender-transition procedures or ‘gender ideology,’ or that ‘promote’ the existence of more than two biological genders, must be removed from youth sections and relocated to sections for adults.” Noncompliant libraries will lose their state funding. - The Advocate
U.S. title output reached roughly four million in 2025, up about 32 percent in a single year, and around 3.5 million of those were self-published titles with ISBNs, up nearly 39 percent on the year before. Self-published books outnumbered traditionally published ones by more than five to one. - Rachel Alterberry
Few cultural forms have commanded such a vast audience. As of February 2026, over 700 million viewers were registered across the micro-drama platforms’ monthly user bases, with daily screentime averaging two hours per person. - New Left Review
“YouTube ... has evolved into a home for sophisticated STEM programming that can attract audiences in the tens of millions. They're the type of programs traditional media companies used to produce, but now individual creators have taken the baton.” - TheWrap (MSN)
Arkansas TV gained half as many new donors between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026 compared to the previous year. The percentage of repeat donors from the 2025 to 2026 fiscal years dropped from 87% to 78%. - Arkansas Advocate
Paramount floated shifting its home base to Tennessee or Texas in July, hoping to deter California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta from waging a legal battle to block Paramount’s $111-billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. - Los Angeles Times
“Apple TV’s new horror comedy Widow’s Bay led the way, ... winning a leading 14 trophies out of 19 nominations. … HBO’s medical drama The Pitt followed with seven awards out of 25 nominations, the most for any series this year. … In the limited series race, DTF St. Louis also led with seven...
For four weeks, MoMA is turning its large second-floor atrium over to choreographer Sarah Michelson, who has made a piece titled “nowhere.” “At the forefront of ‘nowhere’”, writes Gia Kourlas, “is a question that only seems simple: What is a dance?” - The New York Times
The Ratmanskys’ arrival coincided with one of the worst periods of the war, a time of constant attacks on the capital that sent them and others scurrying to bomb shelters multiple times a day. “It is difficult in every sense,” Tatiana said, “mental, physical.” - The New York Times
Architecture critic Inga Saffron observes that, if the company wants to be welcoming to the community and engage potential new fans, their new headquarters does exactly the wrong thing. - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
“Physical bodies and physical space. As an art form, dance requires little else, but in New York, the latter is especially hard to come by — even for the oldest dance troupe in the country.” No longer. - The New York Times
Brazilian dancer Nayara Lopes of Philadelphia Ballet spent this past season with FNB in Helsinki. In February, she was rehearsing the role of Cupid in Don Quixote when she was asked to wear white makeup for the staging. (As one might expect, she is now back in Philadelphia.) - Dance Magazine
“Nairobi’s street acrobats first began appearing in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they have since become normalized at traffic stops in and around the city, with acrobats taking advantage of gridlocks to perform in exchange for cash tips. It is how they earn a living.” - AP
“August Wilson and I were very close, but also we fell out a lot. Every time he and I had a debate, the word from the cast was always ‘They’re going to fire you.’ And instead of firing me, he would write another role for me.” - The New York Times
Arthurs’s departure is the latest in a series of big shakeups in recent months at the upper echelons of Toronto’s major arts institutions, including Hot Docs, the Art Gallery of Ontario and Factory Theatre. - Toronto Star
Whatever their circumstances, at the end of the day, all theaters have to program a season that affirms their mission. Each has to do it while working within its limitations—or joining forces with others to do something greater. - Washington City Paper
The current touring production, which dates from 2002, will close on August 15 of next year, allowing director Taymor and the rest of the creative team to reimagine and update elements of the staging. - Playbill
There was a lot of excitement when Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey (who co-starred in the Wicked films) confirmed they would headline a London revival of the musical next summer. Without them, the producers have evidently concluded there’s no way forward. - The Hollywood Reporter
Justin Vivian Bond “came back to see not only friends, but also her fans, who are increasingly Gen Z. ‘They’re learning about their queer elders, and their trans elders are really showing up for them.’” - The New York Times
The Little Burgundy legend received numerous honours in his illustrious career. Among his accolades are numerous Juno and Félix awards. Jones was also appointed an officer of the Order of Canada in 1993 and awarded the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 2005. - Montreal Gazette
“With the publication of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek in 1974, Ms. Dillard, just 28, was recognized as a major new voice in American letters. … In the years to come, she would publish essays, meditations on religion, poems, a theory of literature, two novels, journalism, (and) a best-selling autobiography.” - The New York Times
“More specifically, Lévêque is charged with sexual assault involving violence, coercion, threat, or surprise, as well as indecent assault on a minor under the age of 15 by a person in a position of authority. … The victims are listed as being between eight and 18 years old (at) the time.” - ARTnews
Prolific costume designer Bob Mackie, whose dynamic sparkling and fringed creations dressed pop culture superstars such as Cher, Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus, has died. - Los Angeles Times
Koons the pop culture figure is often at odds with Koons the artist, causing some deep ambivalence among the art establishment. He’s at once an esoteric conceptualist and a marketing genius rivaled only by Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí. - The New York Times
Cooper was “a luthier who crafted violins of such supple tone and exquisite range that they allowed players to bridge the gap between classical and American fiddle instrumentation, making him a favorite of musicians like Mark O’Connor and Alison Krauss.” - The New York Times
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Florida Studio Theatre invites applications for its Managing Director, a role for individuals with strong talent for running complex, multi-venue producing operations.
Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is seeking a talented theater professional to lead the planning and execution of the organization’s core programming as Artistic Director.
“Center officials say they could be unable to make payroll or pay routine maintenance contracts ‘within a matter of weeks’ and argue that publicly recognizing Trump could secure his help raising enough money to keep the institution afloat.” - Washington Post (Yahoo)
We know AI is going to change everything, but how? “We face a choice: delay and obstruct AI adoption in the name of social justice, or embrace it in a radically altered form.” - The Guardian (UK)
“Museum workers, the police and government officials are rattled. They worry about how to protect France’s cultural patrimony in an era of increasingly violent criminal gangs, some of whom have broken into museums in broad daylight.” - The New York Times
What could justify moving the fragile tapestry to Britain this year? Probably politics: “Foot by foot, fiber by fiber, this is the material proof of England’s entwinement with the continent 21 miles from its coast.” - The New York Times
The BBC’s charter, the legal document which enables the national broadcaster’s existence, must be renewed every ten years. That renewal results from a multi-year negotiation, with plenty of public participation, between the network and the national government — a process largely hidden from public view. - The Guardian
“Bunch's resignation comes at one of the most politically fraught moments in the Smithsonian's 180-year history. ... Trump has sought to purge what he calls ‘improper ideology’ from its museums, while his administration has threatened the institution's federal funding, tried to fire a museum director and challenged its authority over personnel and exhibitions.” - The Washington Post...
Venice only has two films directed by women this year - and one of those directors says that “the enduring cult of male genius is keeping down female film-makers.” - The Guardian (UK)
It’s "a nearly three-hour barn burner, racing from event to event with whirlwind kinetic energy. … Nolan’s reluctance to take a pause should, actually, give us pause. After all, Homer’s poem doesn’t just involve a lot of waiting. It is a postwar tale about waiting.” - Boston Globe
“It’s no longer strange to think that AI might be everywhere, edging out all forms of human interaction: bots talking to bots, all the way down.” This is … not great. - The Atlantic
