The number of regular churchgoers in Germany has plunged over the past quarter-century, during which time roughly a thousand churches have been deconsecrated. Yes, some are torn down and the land repurposed, but others have been converted into apartments, cafés, medical offices, bicycle shops, soccer courts, and, of course, performance venues. - Deutsche Welle

“You are seated, waiting for the show to begin. Through your special glasses, you can see … four actors (entering). They come close to your chair and look directly at you. ‘Don’t panic,’ Ian McKellen tells you. But Ian McKellen isn’t really there. Neither are the other three actors.” - The New York Times

A gallery specialising in art once owned by members of the Third Reich’s leadership, including works personally owned by Adolf Hitler, has prompted conversations about how Nazi-era art circulates, how it should be contextualised and who engages with it. - The Art Newspaper

Unlike creators, a performer does not have the benefit of a personal product (or several) that persist over time like a symphony or novel or painting. - Nightingale Sonata

When I am photographing humans, I want to hear about their lives and aspirations. I care about their aesthetic sensibilities, what they are wearing, how they want to present themselves. Photographing an object feels different. I still savor the aesthetics of my subject, but my appreciation extends back to the object’s creator.  - The New Yorker

Nobody currently with the museum who was interviewed for this article would agree to be named, but some former members went on the record, as did Suda herself — extensively. Perforce the story is told largely (though not entirely) from her side, but it is quite a tale. - Philadelphia Magazine

It now contrasts with portraits of other former presidents, including Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, which all hang alongside wall text highlighting events during their time in office. Clinton’s notes his impeachment. - Washington Post

“This isn’t A.I.’s problem. This is our political system’s problem. If you get a massive increase in productivity, how does that wealth get shared around?” If A.I. abundance does materialize, that will be a central question. - The New Yorker

The truth is—and this may come as a surprise to some of you—the English language does not exist. English is an entirely borrowed language. There was Anglo-Saxon, and overlays of Norse from the Vikings, then the French invasion brought some upper-class words. - Harper's

The 85-year-old contemporary dance pioneer has accepted a five-year appointment with the company. She will begin with restaging her 2015 work Canto Ostinato and will develop a full-length work, scheduled to premiere in 2027, to “honor a milestone birthday of one of (her) most enduring musical collaborators,” presumably Philip Glass. - BroadwayWorld

“I want it to be a theatre where theatre people can come and see a show and that generates a kind of warmth,” he says. “You’ll often find actors in the bar afterwards.” - The Times (UK)

In contemporary European literature, a book these days is often the beginning of a familial feud. With thinly disguised autobiographical accounts of family strife undergoing a sustained boom across the continent, it can increasingly lead to family reunions in courtrooms. - The Guardian

Search traffic to news sites has already plunged by a third in a single year globally, with the rise of AI overviews and chatbots, as well as changes to the search algorithms that have been the lifeblood of some media companies since the rise of the internet. - The Guardian

“The real reason I’ve left (the U.S.) is deeper than politics: it’s the culture. The culture creates the politics. … The relentless commercialisation, rising tides of xenophobia, the strident acrimony of social discourse, the violence, and the increasingly hysterical tenor of life in the USA have simply worn us down.” - The Saturday Paper (Australia)

“Clements joined the Guardian arts team in August 1993, succeeding Edward Greenfield as the paper’s chief music critic. His appointment was clinched by a personal recommendation to the editor from the late Alfred Brendel. … For the next 32 years, Clements ranged across all fields of classical music … and often beyond.” - The Guardian

“(He) rose to prominence in 1968 with the publication of … Chariots of the Gods, … (which) was followed by more than two dozen similar books, spawning a literary niche in which fact and fantasy were mixed together against all historical and scientific evidence.” He became the first winner of the Ig Nobel Prize. - AP

“While the museums offered severance, the layoffs were announced without warning on a (Friday) afternoon Zoom call, according to former employees. Museum representatives (said) that the staff cuts stemmed from reduced funding and were approved by the museum’s executive committee of the board.” - ARTnews

“PBS News Weekend signed off Sunday, ‘at least for the foreseeable future,’ anchor John Yang said. ... Starting Saturday, PBS will air the weekly show Horizons on science and technology issues. The new show Compass Points will focus on foreign affairs Sunday.” - AP

In response to the festival board’s earlier intervention to disinvite Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah, more than 180 writers and speakers cancelled their appearances at the February-March event and half the board resigned. Now the remaining board members have quit and the festival has been called off. - The Guardian

Last week the museum was partially closed due to the ongoing walkouts over inadequate pay, staffing and building maintenance, but public access to the biggest attractions, such as Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, was maintained. Work stoppages on Monday shuttered the entire building. - ARTnews