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  • Ian Williams Wins $100,000 2019 Giller Prize

    “Reproduction” is set in Brampton and explores the nature of family — both blood relatives and chosen family. The writing, as reviewers expect from Williams, is beautiful — he’s written many volumes of poetry, and been shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry prize in 2013. This was his debut novel, proving he’s an equal master in both forms. – Toronto Star

    I Like Traditional Opera. But What Does That Really Mean?

    “Over the years I’ve had many opportunities to question people gently about their personal identification and tastes in operas and opera productions. And it turns out that traditionalists don’t like only traditional productions. Whatever it is they like, they just call it traditional, and vice versa.” Irish Times

    LA’s MoCA Is Making Admission Free. It’s Not So Easy, It Turns Out

    MOCA revealed plans to go free at its annual benefit in May, a switch made possible with a $10-million gift from board President Carolyn Powers. So why did the change take eight months to make? Free, it turns out, is complicated. – Los Angeles Times

    How Margaret Atwood Became A Global Superstar

    It’s remarkable that Atwood, who turned eighty in November, has reached this crest after spending six decades writing into an ever-shifting cultural landscape. When she was starting out, writers, for the most part, didn’t get published in Canada. Canadian literature as a concept didn’t even exist. – The Walrus

    Today’s Portraits “See” Their Subjects In A Non-Traditional Way

    Phil Kennicott: “The work done by these contemporary portraits is more fundamental. They are about seeing other people, rather than saving them. We are challenged simply to accept their existence as part of our world, no lesser or greater in importance than our own existence, which is the first and most daunting ethical challenge faced by every human being.” – Washington Post

    Police Raids Across Europe Seize 10,000 Antiquities, Make 23 Arrests

    “The large number of arrests and objects seized hints at the massive scale and global reach of the international trade in illicit artifacts,” says Tess Davis, executive director of the Antiquities Coalition, an American nonprofit dedicated to fighting cultural theft. “It demonstrates that such cultural racketeering is not limited to conflict zones in Iraq and Syria, but threatens any country with a rich heritage.” – Artnet

    What The Rise Of Tweets And Emojis Did Has (And Hasn’t) Done To Literature

    “Not even 20 years ago we mostly read about things in lag, on thin slices of tree, whereas now we do — well, this, whatever this is. Yet instead of technology superannuating literature once and for all, it seems to have created a new space in our minds for it.” – The New York Times Book Review

    Public Art in Erie

    My work in the Pennsylvania city came in the middle of a long-term project of commissioning murals for the city. In October one was completed that impressed me so much I had to share it here. – Doug Borwick

    Wall Street’s Charging Bull Sculpture Is Being Moved. The Artist Is Unhappy

    “I feel very disappointed about the way my sculpture is treated, with nothing but contempt and not the appreciation that should be, since Charging Bull became one of the most visited attractions of New York City,” said Arturo Di Modica. – Artnet

    West Virginia Public Library Removes Gay Storybook; Author And Publisher Hit Back

    “Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack was pulled from West Virginia’s Upshur County public library earlier this week, according to local press reports, after a local church minister called it … ‘an intentional leading of children into sin.’ … [Haack said that] anyone concerned the book could ‘turn someone gay’ should remember ‘all the gay adults who grew up only reading about straight romances.'” – The Guardian

    We’re Facing A Collapse Of Information

    We are currently facing a new systemic collapse, one that has built far more swiftly but poses potent risks for all of humanity: the collapse of the information ecosystem. We see it play out every day with the viral spread of misinformation, widening news deserts and the proliferation of fake news. This collapse has much in common with the environmental collapse of the planet that we’re only now beginning to grasp, and its consequences for life as we know it are shaping up to be just as profound. – The Guardian

    Meet The World’s Oldest Living Drag Queen

    Even at age 89, Walter Cole dons a sequined gown and frizzy wig four nights a week to perform as Darcelle XV. And he does it at his own bar, which he opened with his first wife a few years after coming home to Portland from the Korean War. (It was his second wife that convinced him to try drag.) – American Theatre

    New Study: Here’s How AI Will Impact Your Job (And Whether You’ll Still Have One)

    “Fully 740 out of the 769 occupational descriptions Michael Webb analyzed contain a capability pair match with AI patent language, meaning at least one or more of its tasks could potentially be exposed to, complemented by, or completed by AI.” But less than a fifth (just under 18 percent) of U.S. jobs, 25 million or so, are threatened by high exposure to AI. – CityLab

    K-Pop, Bollywood, And Turkish Soap Operas: Why American Pop Culture No Longer Rules The World

    “These are all cultural products set firmly in the realm of values. They are not concerned with which billionaire son inherits his father’s empire, but rather focus on ordinary people struggling to live lives of dignity with the force of the world against them. They are concerned with principles, with how one defeats temptation, greed, and avoids dishonor. … [And] you can listen to a K-pop song with your grandmother in the room, no lyrics have to be beeped out.” – The New York Times

    This Year’s Classical Nominations For Grammys

    Andrew Norman’s “Sustain” earned Grammy nominations in two key categories: contemporary classical composition, where composer Norman will square off against Julia Wolfe, Caroline Shaw and Wynton Marsalis, among others; and orchestral performance, where the nomination went to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Gustavo Dudamel, who performed “Sustain” as part of the orchestra’s landmark centennial season. – Los Angeles Times

    One Of The Secret Weapons In The Struggle Against Apartheid: Zulu Radio Dramas

    The cliché is that the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s apartheid-era Radio Bantu churned out nothing but propaganda to bolster the government’s racial separation policies. That was true of the news broadcasts, yes, but the serials and stand-alone dramas in isiZulu were very different. – The Conversation

    A Deaf, Mixed-Race Dancer Finds Her Dream Role In ‘For Colored Girls …’

    Ntozake Shange didn’t write the role of the Lady in Purple in her “choreopoem” for a deaf performer, but she happily approved casting Alexandria Wailes in the current New York revival. Gia Kourlas talks with Wailes about integrating American Sign Language with choreographed movement and how dancing has helped her communicate all her life. – The New York Times

    Princess Who Saved Cambodian Classical Dance, Norodom Buppha Devi, Dead At 76

    The daughter of the late King Sihanouk. she began dancing at age 5; by age 16, she was a leader of the royal dance company and a mainstay of Cambodian cultural diplomacy. She fled the country when the Khmer Rouge took control in 1975; in the 1990s, she returned and, with the 10% of dancers who survived the killing fields, set about to revive the art form. – Reuters

    After 19-Year-Ban, Opera Returns To Turkmenistan

    The country’s first post-Soviet president, the autocratic and eccentric Sapurmurat Niyazov, banned opera in 2001 as “incompatible with Turkmen mentality.” His successor (and former dentist), Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, maintained the ban until this week, when Pagliacci was presented as part of a joint Italian-Turkmen cultural festival. – Yahoo! (AFP)

    The Met Museum’s New Director Is Moving It In A More Multi-Discipline, Multiethnic Direction

    Says Max Hollein, “Art cannot solely be perceived in regard to its beauty and craftsmanship. You also have to evaluate it in light of its political messages. … If you have one of the greatest collections you almost have an obligation to recontextualize it in regard to the narratives it provides. I want to make sure it’s not only one voice but multiple voices.” – The New York Times

    $80 Million: Chicago Storefront Theater’s Contribution To Local Economy

    “What of the storefronts, those famous Chicago institutions where a full house can mean 80 people and where artists frequently toil for little or even no compensation? Can they claim a significant economic impact?” Oh yes, writes Chris Jones. – Chicago Tribune

    Conviction Of Picasso’s Former Electrician And Wife For Hoarding Stolen Art Confirmed

    “Pierre and Danielle Le Guennec were first given two-year suspended terms in 2015 after being convicted of possession of stolen goods over the huge trove of works by Picasso, including nine rare Cubist collages and a work from his famous Blue Period. That verdict was upheld in 2016 by a higher court but then quashed by the Cour de Cassation, which ordered a retrial. The former electrician, 80, and his wife, 76, were not in court Tuesday when they were found guilty for a third time.” – Yahoo! (AFP)

    Alone Among Australia’s Big Arts Festivals, Adelaide Refuses To Engage With Country’s Past And Present

    “Perth and Sydney have recognised [their responsibilities] by commissioning diverse local artists working in diverse forms. These festivals are engaging with their place in contemporary culture by supporting local artistic communities, and reflecting stories of their cities back to their audiences. Meanwhile, Adelaide has continued down a well worn path … [of] proven successes from Europe, with a preference for male auteurs.” – The Conversation

    Madison School District – Executive Director of Madison Center for the Arts

    Madison School District in Phoenix, AZ seeks Executive Director for The Madison Center for the Arts. Apply now for this great opportunity!

    Position Title: Executive Director of Madison Center for the Arts
    Length of Work Yr: 12 months
    Salary Range: Director $89,176 – $114,580 Placement based on education and experience
    Department: Administrative Services
    Reports To: Deputy Superintendent
    Revised By: Human Resources Date: 10/29/2019
    Approved: 10/22/19

    SUMMARY:
    The Executive Director provides leadership, holds the vision, develops the programming, and oversees the management of all aspects of the Madison Center for the Arts. The Executive Director works closely with internal and external stakeholders and is the “face” of the organization. The Executive Director oversees the articulation and fulfillment of the educational promise of the theater through program development, as well as effective management of its operations.

    ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
    Responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

    • Manages theater staff.
    • Manages relationships with district Executive Team and Governing Board.
    • Manages relationships with principals, teachers, staff, PTOs, parents and students.
    • Works in partnership with the Madison Educational Foundation director.
    • Works in partnership with the Madison Food Service director.
    • Manages external relationships with community, major donors/sponsors, partners, potential funders, and other key relationships.
    • Develops and manages educational programming plans and programs.
    • Develops and manages annual presenting season.
    • Oversees and manages implementation of the business plan and other plans.
    • Oversees management of theater finances and financial planning.
    • Supports the fundraising activities of the Madison Educational Foundation.
    • Supports the catering and concessions activities of the Madison Food Services.
    • Supervises assigned personnel, conducts annual performance appraisals and makes recommendations for appropriate employment actions
    • Performs other duties as assigned

    QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
    To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    Must possess a M.A. in Arts Administration and/or M.A. in Education (with related arts experience).

    Knowledge and Experience

    • Minimum five (5) years performing arts center experience and/or arts educational programming.
    • Executive leadership, preferably in a complex organizational environment
    • Arts educational program development and management.
    • Arts presenting.
    • Building and maintaining community partnerships and strategic alliances.
    • Managing and supervising others.
    • Public Speaking.

    Skills and Abilities:

    • Organizational leadership and executive management skills
    • Budgeting, financial reporting and financial planning
    • Selection and management of arts presenting
    • Fluency in office productivity software
    • Oral and written communication skills
    • Social media skills preferred
    • Spanish language proficiency preferred

    LANGUAGE SKILLS:
    Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or governmental regulations. Ability to write simple correspondence in English. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence in English. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedural manuals. Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format. Ability to speak effectively with other employees and/or students in English. Ability to present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, other employees and/or students in English. Ability to speak and present effectively before vendors, administration and staff. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of administrators, managers, employees, clients, customers, and/or the general public. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to administrators, top management, public groups/community, and Governing Board.

    REASONING ABILITY:
    Ability to apply simple understanding to carry out detailed but basic written and/or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a variety of concrete variables in standardized situations. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret a variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete.

    OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES: Ability to work in a friendly manner and maintain effective working relationships with staff and the community. Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and board policies.

    PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

    WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
    none

    EVALUATION:
    Evaluated annually pursuant to District policy and administrative regulations/procedures.

    Playing On Broadway… But What, Actually, Is Broadway?

    The Times Square area was never the exclusive preserve of theatergoers, but Broadway culture elevated the neighborhood’s rough and raffish character. Today, not even all Broadway theaters have Broadway theater happening inside them. – Los Angeles Times

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