AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- Artistic Director – Syracuse Stage working with Management Consultants for the Arts
Syracuse Stage, Central New York’s premier professional theatre, seeks its next Artistic Director, who will join Managing Director Carly DiFulvio Allen to lead this storied organization. The company welcomes applications from talented individuals passionate about developing and stewarding Syracuse Stage’s artistic vision and curating theatre seasons of extraordinary quality that engage, entertain, and inspire the Syracuse community. Syracuse Stage has engaged Management Consultants for the Arts to lead the search, and interested candidates may apply for this position by visiting this link: https://www.mcaonline.com/searches/artistic-director-syracuse-stage
The annual salary range for the Artistic Director role at Syracuse Stage starts at $180,000 and includes a full benefits package commensurate with other organizations of its size, including:
- Medical/dental/vision insurance plans;
- Life Insurance, AD&D Coverage and long-term disability coverage;
- 403(b) plan;
- Paid vacation, holidays, sick leave, and personal days.
Founded in 1974, Stage has produced more than 300 plays in 48 seasons including a number of world, American, and East Coast premieres. Each season 60,000 patrons enjoy an adventurous mix of new plays and bold interpretations of classics and musicals featuring exceptional theatre artists. As the nonprofit, professional theatre in residence at Syracuse University, Stage has been integral to the success of the Department of Drama, one of the leading undergraduate theatre programs in the country. While embedded in the University, Stage is a separate 501(c)(3) organization, governed by its own Board of Directors.
- The Story Behind The Abrupt Departure Of Arena Stage’s Artistic Director
Former employees describe the tenure of artistic director Hana S. Sharif, who resigned last month, as “three years of terror.” – Notus
- Oops! Isn’t that the Declaration of Independence?
Good Morning,
Start with the day’s best story: a volunteer at Britain’s National Archives, working through an uncatalogued box, found a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence — the only known example outside the US (BBC). The timing is almost too good. America just turned 250, and the question of who keeps the national story and who gets to tell it is suddenly everywhere. Playing skunk at the party, the White House issued a 162-page attack on the Smithsonian’s American History museum for insufficient patriotism (The New York Times). Artists are running the more useful version of that argument: asking what the Statue of Liberty actually stands for (Hyperallergic), while critics and scholars survey 250 years of building to ask what makes architecture American at all (Architectural Record).
In ideas: our craving for the handmade isn’t nostalgia, argues one essayist. It’s a bid for agency in a world of infinite cheap copies (Aeon).
And in San Francisco, a gloriously trashy Dracula ballet packed the house with audiences in corsets and top hats (San Francisco Chronicle). “Rocky Horror” redux? It’s an audience strategy.
All of our stories below.
Doug
- Physical Media Are Dying. The Meaning Of “Buying” Something Has Changed
There is growing opposition to the rent-or-license model that has become increasingly common in pop culture, gaming, and streaming. In California, a law that took effect in 2025 requires digital stores to be clearer when consumers are buying a revocable licence rather than full ownership. – Fast Company
- Huge Shakeup In UK TV: Sky To Buy ITV
ITV confirmed to shareholders on Monday morning that it will sell to its pay-TV rival, meaning a crown jewel of British broadcasting becomes part of the NBCUniversal entertainment empire. – Deadline
ISSUES
- The Art World Really Is Unsustainable Now
It is extraordinarily difficult for most brick-and-mortar stores in any industry to survive, and that is especially true for art galleries. These large art shows may create a lot of foot traffic, but that doesn’t always translate to robust on-site sales for the galleries. – The New York Times
- The Best Architecture Of America’s 250 Years
From California bungalows to New York skyscrapers, from forest retreats to streamlined headquarters, what makes an architecture American, let alone the most significant example of such? – Architectural Record
- The MAGA-Reviled Smithsonian Museums Saved Many Lives On The Fourth
Did someone hit a big flashing “irony” button for our timeline? – The New York Times
- The Empty, Vacuous Promises Of The New LACMA
“There is nothing emancipatory, nor original, about creating a luxury venue that privileges sensibility over scholarship, allure over accessibility, and fine dining over gallery square footage.” – E-Flux
- Ordering Up, And Then Touching, The Objects At The V&A East Storehouse
“When you open these cardboard frames up and look at the edges of the paper and see they’re stained and old, you can really picture Beatrix Potter’s hand. … It’s such a privilege to be this close and be trusted.” – The New York Times
MEDIA
- Trump White House Launches Scathing Attack On Smithsonian Over Its Portrayal Of History
The 162-page report, by the White House’s Domestic Policy Council, represents a sweeping attack on the museum’s presentation of American history. It is the latest step in the Trump administration’s campaign to pressure the Smithsonian into conforming to what President Trump has described as “patriotic” history.
- The Consequences Of Losing Physical Media
“For decades, the premise behind buying games, VHS tapes, DVDs, and other media was simple. You handed over money, and in return you got the game, show, or movie to keep. That bargain is now breaking down.” – Fast Company
- Trump’s White House Excoriates The Smithsonian National Museum Of American History
“The White House condemned the [museum] for what it said was a failure to celebrate the nation’s heritage, arguing it had become a political tool intent on denigrating the American story.” No First Amendment red flags here at all. – The New York Times
- Can Anyone Save Wikipedia?
Elon Musk and a MAGA army, not to mention AI, not to mention (other) authoritarian governments, are sure coming for the little nonprofit that could. – The New York Times
- Turkish Comedian Imprisoned For Insulting Erdogan
“A Turkish court on Friday ordered a comedian jailed pending trial on charges of insulting religious values and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after his stand‑up routine included references to him as a ‘dictator.’” (This is what the some might call Erdogan “not beating the charges.”) – Seattle Times (AP)
MUSIC
- Tell LitHub Your Favorite A24 Movie, And You’ll Get A Book Recommendation
For instance: “If The Brutalist, then Claire Messud’s This Strange Eventful History.” – LitHub
- Language For A Writer Who Some Days Barely Has Enough Energy To Lift Her Head
Susanna Clarke: “A narrative makes illness seem rational – and it gives the sufferer a measure of control – or at any rate the illusion of it. This is particularly true of the sort of chronic illness in the face of which poor doctors are often at a loss. – The Guardian (UK)
- A Volunteer Has Just About The Coolest Experience Ever In A Random Archive
True, the person writing this was a history major, but still: “A rare surviving copy of the Declaration of Independence has been discovered at The National Archives in Kew, the only known example of its kind outside the US.” Discovered by a volunteer. – BBC
- How AI Is Changing Human Language
Supposed AI tells – “are also characteristic of human writing, which, after all, the large language models (LLMs) that produce them were trained on.” – The Guardian (UK)
- The Fanfiction Community Is At Internal War Over Generative AI
“Fandom communities are still mostly relying on vibes. Most fanfics aren’t judged by a tool like the AO3 skin, but by tells’ that could include anything from specific sentence structures — like the notorious ‘it’s not X, it’s Y’ — to overuse of flowery metaphors.” – The Verge (Archive Today)
PEOPLE
- Artistic Director – Syracuse Stage working with Management Consultants for the Arts
Syracuse Stage, Central New York’s premier professional theatre, seeks its next Artistic Director, who will join Managing Director Carly DiFulvio Allen to lead this storied organization. The company welcomes applications from talented individuals passionate about developing and stewarding Syracuse Stage’s artistic vision and curating theatre seasons of extraordinary quality that engage, entertain, and inspire the Syracuse community. Syracuse Stage has engaged Management Consultants for the Arts to lead the search, and interested candidates may apply for this position by visiting this link: https://www.mcaonline.com/searches/artistic-director-syracuse-stage
The annual salary range for the Artistic Director role at Syracuse Stage starts at $180,000 and includes a full benefits package commensurate with other organizations of its size, including:
- Medical/dental/vision insurance plans;
- Life Insurance, AD&D Coverage and long-term disability coverage;
- 403(b) plan;
- Paid vacation, holidays, sick leave, and personal days.
Founded in 1974, Stage has produced more than 300 plays in 48 seasons including a number of world, American, and East Coast premieres. Each season 60,000 patrons enjoy an adventurous mix of new plays and bold interpretations of classics and musicals featuring exceptional theatre artists. As the nonprofit, professional theatre in residence at Syracuse University, Stage has been integral to the success of the Department of Drama, one of the leading undergraduate theatre programs in the country. While embedded in the University, Stage is a separate 501(c)(3) organization, governed by its own Board of Directors.
- The Story Behind The Abrupt Departure Of Arena Stage’s Artistic Director
Former employees describe the tenure of artistic director Hana S. Sharif, who resigned last month, as “three years of terror.” – Notus
- Oops! Isn’t that the Declaration of Independence?
Good Morning,
Start with the day’s best story: a volunteer at Britain’s National Archives, working through an uncatalogued box, found a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence — the only known example outside the US (BBC). The timing is almost too good. America just turned 250, and the question of who keeps the national story and who gets to tell it is suddenly everywhere. Playing skunk at the party, the White House issued a 162-page attack on the Smithsonian’s American History museum for insufficient patriotism (The New York Times). Artists are running the more useful version of that argument: asking what the Statue of Liberty actually stands for (Hyperallergic), while critics and scholars survey 250 years of building to ask what makes architecture American at all (Architectural Record).
In ideas: our craving for the handmade isn’t nostalgia, argues one essayist. It’s a bid for agency in a world of infinite cheap copies (Aeon).
And in San Francisco, a gloriously trashy Dracula ballet packed the house with audiences in corsets and top hats (San Francisco Chronicle). “Rocky Horror” redux? It’s an audience strategy.
All of our stories below.
Doug
- Physical Media Are Dying. The Meaning Of “Buying” Something Has Changed
There is growing opposition to the rent-or-license model that has become increasingly common in pop culture, gaming, and streaming. In California, a law that took effect in 2025 requires digital stores to be clearer when consumers are buying a revocable licence rather than full ownership. – Fast Company
- Huge Shakeup In UK TV: Sky To Buy ITV
ITV confirmed to shareholders on Monday morning that it will sell to its pay-TV rival, meaning a crown jewel of British broadcasting becomes part of the NBCUniversal entertainment empire. – Deadline
PEOPLE
- Artistic Director – Syracuse Stage working with Management Consultants for the Arts
Syracuse Stage, Central New York’s premier professional theatre, seeks its next Artistic Director, who will join Managing Director Carly DiFulvio Allen to lead this storied organization. The company welcomes applications from talented individuals passionate about developing and stewarding Syracuse Stage’s artistic vision and curating theatre seasons of extraordinary quality that engage, entertain, and inspire the Syracuse community. Syracuse Stage has engaged Management Consultants for the Arts to lead the search, and interested candidates may apply for this position by visiting this link: https://www.mcaonline.com/searches/artistic-director-syracuse-stage
The annual salary range for the Artistic Director role at Syracuse Stage starts at $180,000 and includes a full benefits package commensurate with other organizations of its size, including:
- Medical/dental/vision insurance plans;
- Life Insurance, AD&D Coverage and long-term disability coverage;
- 403(b) plan;
- Paid vacation, holidays, sick leave, and personal days.
Founded in 1974, Stage has produced more than 300 plays in 48 seasons including a number of world, American, and East Coast premieres. Each season 60,000 patrons enjoy an adventurous mix of new plays and bold interpretations of classics and musicals featuring exceptional theatre artists. As the nonprofit, professional theatre in residence at Syracuse University, Stage has been integral to the success of the Department of Drama, one of the leading undergraduate theatre programs in the country. While embedded in the University, Stage is a separate 501(c)(3) organization, governed by its own Board of Directors.
- The Story Behind The Abrupt Departure Of Arena Stage’s Artistic Director
Former employees describe the tenure of artistic director Hana S. Sharif, who resigned last month, as “three years of terror.” – Notus
- Oops! Isn’t that the Declaration of Independence?
Good Morning,
Start with the day’s best story: a volunteer at Britain’s National Archives, working through an uncatalogued box, found a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence — the only known example outside the US (BBC). The timing is almost too good. America just turned 250, and the question of who keeps the national story and who gets to tell it is suddenly everywhere. Playing skunk at the party, the White House issued a 162-page attack on the Smithsonian’s American History museum for insufficient patriotism (The New York Times). Artists are running the more useful version of that argument: asking what the Statue of Liberty actually stands for (Hyperallergic), while critics and scholars survey 250 years of building to ask what makes architecture American at all (Architectural Record).
In ideas: our craving for the handmade isn’t nostalgia, argues one essayist. It’s a bid for agency in a world of infinite cheap copies (Aeon).
And in San Francisco, a gloriously trashy Dracula ballet packed the house with audiences in corsets and top hats (San Francisco Chronicle). “Rocky Horror” redux? It’s an audience strategy.
All of our stories below.
Doug
- Physical Media Are Dying. The Meaning Of “Buying” Something Has Changed
There is growing opposition to the rent-or-license model that has become increasingly common in pop culture, gaming, and streaming. In California, a law that took effect in 2025 requires digital stores to be clearer when consumers are buying a revocable licence rather than full ownership. – Fast Company
- Huge Shakeup In UK TV: Sky To Buy ITV
ITV confirmed to shareholders on Monday morning that it will sell to its pay-TV rival, meaning a crown jewel of British broadcasting becomes part of the NBCUniversal entertainment empire. – Deadline
THEATRE
VISUAL
- The End Of A Cultural Era: “Hockey Night In Canada” Is No More
Some called for defunding the national public broadcaster and others bemoaned the failures of successive federal governments to properly invest in the CBC. Many other Canadians, however, mourned the loss while simultaneously breathing a sigh of relief. – The Conversation
- The Knowing Beyond Knowledge
“What is the sense that something escapes the conditions of knowledge? It is, I think, the sense, or fact, that our primary relation to the world is not one of knowing it.” – The Point
- What AI Is Doing To Art
Art forms that once expressed creators’ personal visions are reduced to fulfilling the audience’s cravings. In theory, I understand why some people say AI is just another creative tool, like the camera or the keyboard. In practice, that tool is filling our world with the ugly, frictionless, disposable content we’ve quickly come to call “slop.” – The Atlantic
- What’s Going On With Omnipresent ‘Traditional’ And ‘Handcrafted’ Discussion?
Two words: Skills nostalgia. – Aeon
- What, Truly, Does The Statue Of Liberty Stand For?
Many, many artists have thoughts. – Hyperallergic
