Douglas McLennan
Doug is the editor of ArtsJournal
How Sacramento Artists Are Redefining The Creative Economy
Across the country, arts funding models are shifting. Where once large institutions absorbed the majority of public and philanthropic support, new approaches are emphasizing...
Why Have Movie-Makers Been So In Love With Apocalyptic New York?
More than elsewhere, New York “is a city premised on destruction,” said Dana Polan, the Martin Scorsese Professor of Cinema Studies at New York...
Chicago’s Latino Theatre Companies Make Plays About America As ICE Patrol Outside
“We unfortunately are operating with a little bit of fear, as we continue to be the prominent immigrant community theater company in Chicago, let...
Survey: How Much AI Are Publishers Actually Using?
The most common qualms, BISG reports involve “inadequate controls around the use of copyrighted material (86 percent), hallucinations (84 percent), AI-generated books flooding platforms...
London’s Visual Art Scene Is Upside Down Right Now
“Outside, the headlines about Britain are all gloom and doom. Yet Frieze is more energetic than it has been for several years,” said Lars Nittve,...
Architects Raise Alarm Over Trump’s White House Demolition
The speed with which the president is moving ahead with building the ballroom, which is expected to cost more than $200 million and to...
When George Orwell Became Just A Part Of The Landscape
Orwell’s name has too often been flattened into an adjective, and 1984 into mere speculative fiction. - The Atlantic
AI Video Is An Attack On Reality
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s leader, had proclaimed it “the most powerful imagination engine ever built.” The truth is that using it made me want to...
AI Slop Is Eating The Internet
Synthetic content is not exactly new, but lately it has become a load-bearing part of the internet. - The Atlantic
Are Today’s Younger Generations More Narcissistic?
Is there really any truth to the idea that narcissism is on the rise or is it just a popular myth? - Psyche
Ticketmaster Says It Does More To Dissuade Scalping Than Anyone
Not surprisingly, independent venue and touring organizations were quick to criticize the claims made in the letter. - Variety
The Essential Theatre AI Can’t Mimic
No technological breakthrough will ever nullify the wisdom of these playwrights. The shadow of death sentences us to live in endless search of elusive...
Experiential Art Is Having A Moment. Will It Last?
As big money has rolled into the sector, so too has a desire from companies to rely on solid gold intellectual property to bring...
The Israel Philharmonic Says It’s Just About Music And Apolitical. Is It?
That may be an ideal, but the reality is more complicated. The orchestra receives a subsidy from the government, typically reported to be around...
Visual Artists Demand Compensation For Work That AI Has Trained On
The group is calling for retrospective settlements for previous unauthorised use, for transparent disclosure of training datasets and for fair licensing agreements to ensure...
Clandestine Project In London Shares Museum Membership Cards With Poor Artists
Being the director of a major museum in London is no easy task, but I think we can separate the dire situation of the...
How Gamification Is Killing Hobbies
Birding is not the only hobby with an app problem. So many leisure pursuits now have their own gamified digital platforms: Untappd for beer enthusiasts. Strava for runners. Ravelry for...
Britain’s Cinemas Were Closing. Community Volunteers Stepped In
The cinema, which is a charity, has a bustling roster of volunteers to help keep it running. They have eight paid staff and 60-70...
What Ireland’s Basic Income Plan For Artists Accomplished
The basic income for the arts (BIA) initial pilot ran from 2022 to 2025 and helped 2,000 artists. The results of an independent study found that it...
A New AI-First School In San Francisco
Alpha School’s website suggests a futuristic learning model: AI tools make it so that students only need to spend two hours a day on...
Nineteen Percent Drop In International Students At US Universities This Fall
After India (down 45%), the arrivals figures from the US International Trade Administration (ITA), highlighted considerable declines from other major source countries, with China...
End Of An Era: MTV Is Shutting Its Music Channels. Is The Music Video...
The specific shuttering of the brand’s music platforms does call into question the position of the music video in today’s industry, and whether the...
Museums Are Banding Together To Survive Trump Attacks
The cultural community is now reeling and searching for answers. Many institutions have shown resilience, and sprouts of resistance are emerging. But the community...
Tech Groups Sue Texas Over Online Censorship Law
When app stores determine that a user is under 18, “the law prohibits them from downloading virtually all apps and software programs and from...
On The Eve Of America’s 250th Birthday, Museums Ponder How To Tell The Nation’s...
“I am hoping that people will take away from the whole range of exhibitions that we’re doing that democracy was achieved as a result...
