AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- Sales Of CDs And CD Players Are Soaring
CDs appear to be having a resurgence. John Lewis said searches for CD players are up 96% since July, while another report on trends in music and film this year found that CD sales are up 16%. – The Guardian
- Major Culture Shift: Private Equity Is Buying Up Small Businesses
Deal by deal, ownership is being extracted from the thousands of communities where businesses were built to the handful of cities where capital is already concentrated. – The New York Times
- Another Posthumous Concert Hall Design By Frank Gehry
“Expected to open in January 2027 …, the Youth Orchestra Abu Dhabi will contain a 600-seat concert hall and 18 rehearsal rooms. The orchestra building, designed by Gehry before he died in December last year, will have a more pared-back appearance compared to the fluid, organic forms for which the architect is famed.” – Dezeen
- China’s First AI-Generated Feature Film Is Not A Smash Hit
“The film, the sci-fi thriller Sanxingdui: Future Past, was released last week and only grossed an estimated $198,000. … With 10,000-plus opening-day screenings, Future Past marks the first longform AI film to get a true wide release with reported box office numbers in a major territory.” – The Hollywood Reporter
- “Adapting And Settling”: SMU DataArts 2026 Report On State Of US Nonprofit Arts Sector
“While the sector may be moving past pandemic-era volatility, reduced earned revenue and persistent inflation over the last several years leave fewer resources available to the cultural organizations that bring music, theatre, art, and shared experiences to our communities. Even so, many organizations are maintaining a financial surplus.” – SMU DataArts
ISSUES
- “One Shared Collection”: MoMA, Pompidou Centre And Hong Kong’s M+ Announce Unprecedented Partnership
“At the heart of the alliance is an agreement that the institutions will treat their holdings as a shared collection. … This alliance differs from past models such as traveling exhibitions, co-organized shows, and collaborations on specific projects … in that it is a long-term commitment to building programs together from the ground up.” – ARTnews
- Hirshhorn Museum’s Sculpture Garden Reopens After Four-Year Revamp
“The 1.3-acre space was designed by artist and architect Hiroshi Sugimoto to better integrate with the National Mall, and it includes new works and spaces for education and programming. … It’s the biggest update to the museum since it opened in 1974, almost doubling the number of sculptures on display.” – Axios
- Italy’s Renowned Art Squad Is Training Colleagues In Africa To Fight Antiquities Trafficking
Italy‘s National School of Heritage and Cultural Activities and the École du Patrimoine Africain in Porto-Novo, Benin, are collaborating on a specialized training course, the first of its kind, with faculty from the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, popularly known as the Carabinieri Art Squad. – ARTnews
- New Details About Van Gogh’s Sister-In-Law Cast Fresh Light On His Struggles, And Her Centrality In Making Him Known
We might never have known about Van Gogh without Theo’s wife. “Jo didn’t seek to put herself at the center of this story, but she is there, nonetheless.” – Time
- Plan For An Ambitious New Design Museum In The Bay Area
The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, the nonprofit established by the family of design and art pioneers Ray and Charles Eames, is set to file a master plan with the city of Novato that will transform the 85.5-acre site into a global design museum, attracting some 200,000 visitors a year. – San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
MEDIA
- “Adapting And Settling”: SMU DataArts 2026 Report On State Of US Nonprofit Arts Sector
“While the sector may be moving past pandemic-era volatility, reduced earned revenue and persistent inflation over the last several years leave fewer resources available to the cultural organizations that bring music, theatre, art, and shared experiences to our communities. Even so, many organizations are maintaining a financial surplus.” – SMU DataArts
- On The Ballot: Philly Voters Will Decide Fate Of City’s Arts And Culture Office
For the first time, we have a chance to free Philly’s office of arts and culture from the whims of the mayor, and make it part of the city charter. – Broad Street Review
- A Humanities Course Has Become Harvard’s Hottest Ticket
Hum 10, as it’s commonly known, has become the surprise hit of Harvard’s academic lineup and something of a campus institution. Demand to get into the class has surged, fueled by word-of-mouth from “Hum Alums” who talk it up on social media. – The Wall Street Journal
- Neighbors Near LA’s Hollywood Sign Have Had Enough
They argue the city is responsible for nuisance conditions on public property in part because 15 years ago a councilman decided to clear some brush to create a viewing spot near their homes. That brought the crowds, they say, and the city has ignored years of complaints. – Los Angeles Times
- Former CEO Of Lucasfilm To Run 2028 L.A. Olympics Opening And Closing Ceremonies
“Hollywood veteran Kathleen Kennedy has been tapped to replace Peter Rice” — just appointed as Netflix’s chief content officer — “as head of ceremonies and content for LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, … four separate events that will be viewed by an audience of billions across the globe.” – The Hollywood Reporter
MUSIC
- A.S. Byatt’s Papers Are Now Open At The British Library
“The archive allows researchers to follow Byatt as she assembles the raw material of her fiction, tests ideas and repeatedly questions whether they will work.” – The Guardian (UK)
- Life Magazine Will Return To Print Just In Time For Thanksgiving
“Life magazine is making its long-awaited return to print on Nov. 23, exactly 90 years after its landmark 1936 debut, with a $45 quarterly publication that will forgo traditional print advertising as part of a broader push into digital content, video and live experiences.” – TheWrap (Yahoo!)
- One Of Italy’s Largest Daily Papers Expands Into The US, In English
La Stampa, a nationally- and regionally-focused outlet headquartered in Turin, is opening La Stampa USA as an online publication aimed at an Italian-American readership. The newsroom currently has five employees in New York and two in Washington DC and plans to hire contributors around the country. – Press Gazette (UK)
- How Politeness Has Shaped Our Language
Requests that were once directly stated as imperatives were now couched with indirectness as merely suggestions or questions: “Shut the window,” became “Could you please shut the window?” And, in addition to saying “thanks,” responding with an acknowledgment of that thanks, such as “you’re welcome,” became routine. – Time
- The Perils Of Voice-Acting Steamy Romance Books
The 45-year-old actor blames his upbringing for mispronunciations, like calling a “library” a “liberry.” Fans seized on the gaffe. “I was like, you know what? Touché,” Palmini said. “Even though you said you want to burn the book now because I said ‘liberry,’ I get it. Truly. Noted. ‘Library’ it is.” – The Wall Street Journal (MSN)
PEOPLE
- Sales Of CDs And CD Players Are Soaring
CDs appear to be having a resurgence. John Lewis said searches for CD players are up 96% since July, while another report on trends in music and film this year found that CD sales are up 16%. – The Guardian
- Major Culture Shift: Private Equity Is Buying Up Small Businesses
Deal by deal, ownership is being extracted from the thousands of communities where businesses were built to the handful of cities where capital is already concentrated. – The New York Times
- Another Posthumous Concert Hall Design By Frank Gehry
“Expected to open in January 2027 …, the Youth Orchestra Abu Dhabi will contain a 600-seat concert hall and 18 rehearsal rooms. The orchestra building, designed by Gehry before he died in December last year, will have a more pared-back appearance compared to the fluid, organic forms for which the architect is famed.” – Dezeen
- China’s First AI-Generated Feature Film Is Not A Smash Hit
“The film, the sci-fi thriller Sanxingdui: Future Past, was released last week and only grossed an estimated $198,000. … With 10,000-plus opening-day screenings, Future Past marks the first longform AI film to get a true wide release with reported box office numbers in a major territory.” – The Hollywood Reporter
- “Adapting And Settling”: SMU DataArts 2026 Report On State Of US Nonprofit Arts Sector
“While the sector may be moving past pandemic-era volatility, reduced earned revenue and persistent inflation over the last several years leave fewer resources available to the cultural organizations that bring music, theatre, art, and shared experiences to our communities. Even so, many organizations are maintaining a financial surplus.” – SMU DataArts
PEOPLE
- Sales Of CDs And CD Players Are Soaring
CDs appear to be having a resurgence. John Lewis said searches for CD players are up 96% since July, while another report on trends in music and film this year found that CD sales are up 16%. – The Guardian
- Major Culture Shift: Private Equity Is Buying Up Small Businesses
Deal by deal, ownership is being extracted from the thousands of communities where businesses were built to the handful of cities where capital is already concentrated. – The New York Times
- Another Posthumous Concert Hall Design By Frank Gehry
“Expected to open in January 2027 …, the Youth Orchestra Abu Dhabi will contain a 600-seat concert hall and 18 rehearsal rooms. The orchestra building, designed by Gehry before he died in December last year, will have a more pared-back appearance compared to the fluid, organic forms for which the architect is famed.” – Dezeen
- China’s First AI-Generated Feature Film Is Not A Smash Hit
“The film, the sci-fi thriller Sanxingdui: Future Past, was released last week and only grossed an estimated $198,000. … With 10,000-plus opening-day screenings, Future Past marks the first longform AI film to get a true wide release with reported box office numbers in a major territory.” – The Hollywood Reporter
- “Adapting And Settling”: SMU DataArts 2026 Report On State Of US Nonprofit Arts Sector
“While the sector may be moving past pandemic-era volatility, reduced earned revenue and persistent inflation over the last several years leave fewer resources available to the cultural organizations that bring music, theatre, art, and shared experiences to our communities. Even so, many organizations are maintaining a financial surplus.” – SMU DataArts
THEATRE
VISUAL
- Major Culture Shift: Private Equity Is Buying Up Small Businesses
Deal by deal, ownership is being extracted from the thousands of communities where businesses were built to the handful of cities where capital is already concentrated. – The New York Times
- How Our Brains Cope With Uncertainty
Systems fail; unanticipated difficulties occur; things break or rot. To cope with this reality, philosophical and religious traditions such as Buddhism and Stoicism have long focused on transience, unpredictability, and the inevitability of change and loss. – Scientific American
- Don’t Forget: Technology That Serves Creativity
We live in a golden age of digital creativity. Forget A.I.: you, yourself, can record an album from your sofa, or curate a photo-essay on the train. In that spirit, here are some of my favorite creative digital tools. – The New Yorker
- Why Is There So Much Beauty In The World?
“There’s too much beauty to be accounted for by simple utility,” argues Nicholas Humphrey. – MIT Press Reader
- The V&A’s Argument Against AI Slop
Why are humans so driven to make things? In our age of A.I. slop, the V. & A.’s devotion to physical objects is a tonic. And if two new buildings seem like overkill, think of all those data centers. – The New Yorker