AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- Good Morning
This week’s Highlights: The mass-market paperback, a century-old staple of democratic reading, is set to vanish from the U.S. market by the end of 2025 (Publishers Weekly), while the art world reckons with a year defined by gallery closures and downsizing, signaling the end of an era of easy expansion (ARTnews).
In entertainment, the industry is obsessed with two very different, highly specific projects: a fierce bidding war has erupted for the TV rights to an unpublished novel about 1960s “Tupperware erotica” (The Guardian), while the Hallmark Channel is stripping down its wholesome image with a reality competition featuring ten shirtless men vying to become the network’s next Christmas movie star (The Washington Post (Yahoo!)).
High culture is attempting a radical pivot. The Metropolitan Opera is actively courting TikTok influencers to bring “delight and surprise” to Lincoln Center, a strategy that is proving surprisingly effective (The New York Times). We also get a look under the hood of a massive creative feat: how a linguist constructed the entire Na’vi language for the Avatar films from scratch (Deutsche Welle).
New research suggests that music can actually change the taste of food, with heavier cutlery and specific sounds enhancing flavor (Nautilus). But some sensory experiences are under threat: the world’s supply of frankincense is running low due to climate change and overharvesting (BBC), and Rome is about to start charging tourists to visit the Trevi Fountain (Euronews).
All our stories, organized by topic, below.
- Welcome to Twenty Twenty-Six
<a href="https://www.artsjournal.com/herman/2025/12/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-six.html" title="Welcome to Twenty Twenty-Six” rel=”nofollow”>
Heavy winter snows whitened the trees. They turned the branches into filigrees shivering in the wind. - Good Morning
Today’s highlights: The visual art market faces a “dominant vibe” of endings rather than expansion, with a wave of gallery closures and downsizings signaling a correction for an oversaturated industry (ARTnews ).
In performance and media, specific disruptions are making headlines. The Kennedy Center’s Christmas Eve jazz concert was abruptly canceled after its host withdrew in protest of the venue’s renaming (AP ). In Chicago, classical station WFMT has baffled listeners by declining to renew the contract of 82-year-old host Bill McGlaughlin, a fixture of the station for two decades (Symphony Magazine ).
Finally: On January 1, thousands of works from 1930—including iconic films and music—will finally enter the public domain (NPR ). And in Egypt, the massive solar boat of King Khufu is being reassembled in public view at the new Grand Egyptian Museum (AP ).
All of today’s stories below:
- AI that turns Museums into Conversations: The Digital Twin
Museums still operate as if interpretation is a one-way stream, produced by experts and consumed by the public. Instead, imagine an exhibition that doesn’t just speak, but listens and responds. - Ancient Pharaoh’s Boat Is Being Reassembled In Public View
The vessel belonged to King Khufu (aka Cheops), builder of the Great Pyramid — near which the boat was discovered in 1954 and excavated in 2014. The 137-foot-long structure, made of 1,540 wooden pieces, is being reassembled in the exhibition hall of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened earlier this year. – AP
ISSUES
- Ancient Pharaoh’s Boat Is Being Reassembled In Public View
The vessel belonged to King Khufu (aka Cheops), builder of the Great Pyramid — near which the boat was discovered in 1954 and excavated in 2014. The 137-foot-long structure, made of 1,540 wooden pieces, is being reassembled in the exhibition hall of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened earlier this year. – AP
- The Most Important Archaeological Discoveries Of 2025
“While there were some new finds like the oldest blue pigment discovered in Europe, a rare hieroglyphic decree identified in Egypt, and an elite Moche residence unearthed in Northern Peru, a number of archaeological studies took a deeper dive into previously known sites and artifacts.” – ARTnews
- The Market Fantasy That Has Undermined The Art World From Within
The current erosion of the art market is not a cyclical contraction; it is the result of oversaturation and a speculative economy in which artworks have functioned as fictitious capital, reinforced by a liquidity crisis where overextended galleries frequently find themselves prioritizing rising commercial overhead over timely payments to artists. – ARTnews
- Can AI Help Put Back Together A Cimabue Ceiling Fresco Shattered In An Earthquake?
A joint project headed by the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria in Perugia, which has officially worked with the Basilica’s guardians for the past decade, and the engineering department of Perugia University aims to determine whether AI can help reconstruct the shattered section. – The Art Newspaper
- Why Did So Many Art Galleries Close This Year?
Overall, when it came to galleries, the dominant vibe was one of endings more than beginnings—and it continued a building drumbeat. Those who closed or significantly downsized in 2025, after all, joined others that have expired in previous years. – ARTnews
MEDIA
- The Books, Recordings, Culture Entering Public Domain January 1
Under U.S. law, the copyright on thousands of creations from 1930 — including films, books, musical compositions and more — will expire at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, 2026, meaning they will be free to use, share and adapt after nearly a century. – NPR
- The World’s Supply Of Frankincense Is Running Low
Like maple syrup, frankincense is harvested by tapping the sap of a tree, in this case several varieties of the Boswellia tree, which grows in the Horn of Africa. Those trees — all wild; for whatever reasons, nobody farms Boswellia — are threatened by climate change, pest infestation, local conflict, and, above all, overharvesting. – BBC
- Folks Lined Up Around The Block For What Might Be Philly’s Last-Ever Wanamaker Light Show
“They came to the Wanamaker Building on Christmas Eve … out of love for the ghosts of Christmas past — and to share a cherished tradition with children who had yet to see (it). They came because it’s going away, and no one knows for sure when it will be back.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
- Florida Officials Tried To Stop “A Drag Queen Christmas” In Pensacola. Didn’t Work.
“The state attorney general has spent nearly two months lobbying Pensacola officials to cancel the show, to no avail. Instead, the 1,600-capacity tour stop is sold out.” – The Guardian
- After Two Years Shut Down Due To War, Christmas Celebrations In Bethlehem Are Back
The traditional birthplace of Jesus is in the West Bank, and the livelihoods of thousands of people in the Palestinian town depend on visiting tourists and pilgrims. The war in Gaza brought activity in Bethlehem to a halt, and with a ceasefire signed, those pilgrims and tourists are gradually returning. – AP
MUSIC
- Why Canadian Fiction Needs To Stop Talking To Itself
In Canada, the literary world tends to be inward-looking. It’s obvious why. For three-quarters of a century, the official position has been that if Canadians don’t support Canadian culture, no one will—and that some stage management is required. – The Walrus
- Yet-To-Be-Published “Tupperware Erotica” Novel Sparks Bidding War For TV Rights
“Wet Ink, a novel (about a 1960s housewife using Tupperware parties to smuggle erotic stories) by the 33-year-old London-based author Abigail Avis, is not scheduled to be published until the spring 2027, but industry insiders said a fierce auction between six major production companies had already taken place.” – The Guardian
- Your Spotify Wrapped Doesn’t Really Know You. But Your Reading Does
Listening to music can be a passive experience — one enjoyed in tandem with folding laundry, or driving a car. To really learn about ourselves and how our year has been, we might want to turn elsewhere, to a habit with more intention. I’m talking, of course, about reading. – Los Angeles Times
- 2025 Was A Very Tough Year For Libraries. These Are The Top Stories
Federal funding, the freedom to read, perpetual or temporary access to print and digital collections, and AI innovations saw new and unpredictable developments on a weekly basis. – Publishers Weekly
- Authors Sue AI Companies Over Copyright (Again)
The group of authors, which includes two-time Pulitzer Prize winner John Carreyrou, are among those who opted out of the proposed $1.5 billion settlement of the lawsuit against Anthropic, announced in September. – Publishers Weekly
PEOPLE
- Good Morning
This week’s Highlights: The mass-market paperback, a century-old staple of democratic reading, is set to vanish from the U.S. market by the end of 2025 (Publishers Weekly), while the art world reckons with a year defined by gallery closures and downsizing, signaling the end of an era of easy expansion (ARTnews).
In entertainment, the industry is obsessed with two very different, highly specific projects: a fierce bidding war has erupted for the TV rights to an unpublished novel about 1960s “Tupperware erotica” (The Guardian), while the Hallmark Channel is stripping down its wholesome image with a reality competition featuring ten shirtless men vying to become the network’s next Christmas movie star (The Washington Post (Yahoo!)).
High culture is attempting a radical pivot. The Metropolitan Opera is actively courting TikTok influencers to bring “delight and surprise” to Lincoln Center, a strategy that is proving surprisingly effective (The New York Times). We also get a look under the hood of a massive creative feat: how a linguist constructed the entire Na’vi language for the Avatar films from scratch (Deutsche Welle).
New research suggests that music can actually change the taste of food, with heavier cutlery and specific sounds enhancing flavor (Nautilus). But some sensory experiences are under threat: the world’s supply of frankincense is running low due to climate change and overharvesting (BBC), and Rome is about to start charging tourists to visit the Trevi Fountain (Euronews).
All our stories, organized by topic, below.
- Welcome to Twenty Twenty-Six<a href="https://www.artsjournal.com/herman/2025/12/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-six.html" title="Welcome to Twenty Twenty-Six” rel=”nofollow”> Heavy winter snows whitened the trees. They turned the branches into filigrees shivering in the wind.
- Good Morning
Today’s highlights: The visual art market faces a “dominant vibe” of endings rather than expansion, with a wave of gallery closures and downsizings signaling a correction for an oversaturated industry (ARTnews ).
In performance and media, specific disruptions are making headlines. The Kennedy Center’s Christmas Eve jazz concert was abruptly canceled after its host withdrew in protest of the venue’s renaming (AP ). In Chicago, classical station WFMT has baffled listeners by declining to renew the contract of 82-year-old host Bill McGlaughlin, a fixture of the station for two decades (Symphony Magazine ).
Finally: On January 1, thousands of works from 1930—including iconic films and music—will finally enter the public domain (NPR ). And in Egypt, the massive solar boat of King Khufu is being reassembled in public view at the new Grand Egyptian Museum (AP ).
All of today’s stories below:
- AI that turns Museums into Conversations: The Digital TwinMuseums still operate as if interpretation is a one-way stream, produced by experts and consumed by the public. Instead, imagine an exhibition that doesn’t just speak, but listens and responds.
- Ancient Pharaoh’s Boat Is Being Reassembled In Public View
The vessel belonged to King Khufu (aka Cheops), builder of the Great Pyramid — near which the boat was discovered in 1954 and excavated in 2014. The 137-foot-long structure, made of 1,540 wooden pieces, is being reassembled in the exhibition hall of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened earlier this year. – AP
PEOPLE
- Good Morning
This week’s Highlights: The mass-market paperback, a century-old staple of democratic reading, is set to vanish from the U.S. market by the end of 2025 (Publishers Weekly), while the art world reckons with a year defined by gallery closures and downsizing, signaling the end of an era of easy expansion (ARTnews).
In entertainment, the industry is obsessed with two very different, highly specific projects: a fierce bidding war has erupted for the TV rights to an unpublished novel about 1960s “Tupperware erotica” (The Guardian), while the Hallmark Channel is stripping down its wholesome image with a reality competition featuring ten shirtless men vying to become the network’s next Christmas movie star (The Washington Post (Yahoo!)).
High culture is attempting a radical pivot. The Metropolitan Opera is actively courting TikTok influencers to bring “delight and surprise” to Lincoln Center, a strategy that is proving surprisingly effective (The New York Times). We also get a look under the hood of a massive creative feat: how a linguist constructed the entire Na’vi language for the Avatar films from scratch (Deutsche Welle).
New research suggests that music can actually change the taste of food, with heavier cutlery and specific sounds enhancing flavor (Nautilus). But some sensory experiences are under threat: the world’s supply of frankincense is running low due to climate change and overharvesting (BBC), and Rome is about to start charging tourists to visit the Trevi Fountain (Euronews).
All our stories, organized by topic, below.
- Welcome to Twenty Twenty-Six<a href="https://www.artsjournal.com/herman/2025/12/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-six.html" title="Welcome to Twenty Twenty-Six” rel=”nofollow”> Heavy winter snows whitened the trees. They turned the branches into filigrees shivering in the wind.
- Good Morning
Today’s highlights: The visual art market faces a “dominant vibe” of endings rather than expansion, with a wave of gallery closures and downsizings signaling a correction for an oversaturated industry (ARTnews ).
In performance and media, specific disruptions are making headlines. The Kennedy Center’s Christmas Eve jazz concert was abruptly canceled after its host withdrew in protest of the venue’s renaming (AP ). In Chicago, classical station WFMT has baffled listeners by declining to renew the contract of 82-year-old host Bill McGlaughlin, a fixture of the station for two decades (Symphony Magazine ).
Finally: On January 1, thousands of works from 1930—including iconic films and music—will finally enter the public domain (NPR ). And in Egypt, the massive solar boat of King Khufu is being reassembled in public view at the new Grand Egyptian Museum (AP ).
All of today’s stories below:
- AI that turns Museums into Conversations: The Digital TwinMuseums still operate as if interpretation is a one-way stream, produced by experts and consumed by the public. Instead, imagine an exhibition that doesn’t just speak, but listens and responds.
- Ancient Pharaoh’s Boat Is Being Reassembled In Public View
The vessel belonged to King Khufu (aka Cheops), builder of the Great Pyramid — near which the boat was discovered in 1954 and excavated in 2014. The 137-foot-long structure, made of 1,540 wooden pieces, is being reassembled in the exhibition hall of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened earlier this year. – AP
THEATRE
VISUAL
- In Praise Of The Intelligence Of Aphorisms
Aphorisms are different. They are the antithesis of the half-baked hot take and nothing like the machine-made flattery that’s now permeating so many informational environments. A platitude is a placebo for the mind; an aphorism is a wake-up call. – The Atlantic
- Are Our Grandparents Being Captured By Their Phones?
“I am constantly begging my mom to put her phone down, every time I see her she is just mindlessly scrolling. I swear her attention span is GONE,” one person wrote. – The Atlantic
- AI Voice Clones Are Amazing. But Also Troublesome In Defining Identity
Technology may blur boundaries, but it also reveals who holds the power. When male creators use AI to simulate female voices and personas, are they expanding artistic possibilities or perpetuating a new form of gender appropriation, ventriloquism and misogyny? – The Conversation
- We Know So Little About How Our Senses Interact. Why Does Music Make Food Taste Different?
When we sit down for a meal, all of our senses come to the table, and some of them have unexpected effects. Heavier cutlery, for example, makes a meal more pleasurable, he has found, and flavors in space are often duller. Foods that sound better taste better, too. – Nautilus
- Our Collapsing Attention And The Difficulty Of Story-Telling
When all time is flattened into the present, narrative form begins to erode. Instant communication collapses tenses into an interminable “now,” and live streams keep us there. Finally, storytelling demands leisure, or at least a relaxed mind, since immersion requires the mental margin to forget ourselves and linger in the unfolding. – LA Review of Books
