Criticism in the broadest sense is a key tactic for maintaining a nonrigid, noncomplacent orientation toward the world. You’re always stepping back and looking at everything afresh, never taking anything for granted, never turning a blind eye to your own complicities and flaws—ideally, anyway. - ArtForum
Arts funding, under the current government, is a zero-sum game. There’s no new money, beyond a tiny, 2% rise in the ACE budget. If the Tories really wanted to “level up” funding for the arts they would increase provision in Bolsover without knocking someone else back. - The Guardian
During an 11-week national tour, each member of the company was responsible for approximately seven tonnes of carbon emitted. The average per-capita emission in Australia over a year is about 21 tonnes (far above the global average of 4.5 tonnes). - The Guardian
Theresa May first proposed the festival in 2018 to showcase the liberated UK as a creative powerhouse. Yet, by 2022, nobody was in a festive mood, many of the artists (mostly Remainers and fiercely anti-Tory) considered themselves Robin Hoods, and most people don't even know Unboxed exists. - The House (UK)
The program would be somewhat akin to Amazon Prime, which offers advantages such as free shipping, discounts at Whole Foods and a complementary streaming video service for a monthly or annual fee, the people said. Internally, some executives have referred to Disney’s initiative as “Disney Prime." - The Wall Street Journal
"Ministers had hoped that the festival would attract 66 million people, but with just over two more months to go, four of the events have so far only drawn 238,000 visitors, according to official figures." The problem: people perceive it as a Festival of Brexit. - The Guardian
Its inaugural edition happened in 2019, when four artists and students in a visual arts class were selected to cover the 400-square-foot blank “canvases” with images of sanitation workers, recycling, and flowers. Almost 100 artists applied, and Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia at the time called the designs “truly … works of art.” - Hyperallergic
I can think of no recent novel or film that provoked passionate debate. Public arguments people do have about art — about appropriation and offense, usually — have grown stale and repetitive, almost rote. - The New York Times
Chioggia, about 15 miles away from St. Mark's Square, has been stuck in the shadow of its famous neighbor, whose highfalutin' sophisticates have always tweaked chiogiotti as rustic ruffians. But it's a pretty town, and one pleased to welcome visiting cruise passengers (for now). - The New York Times
"As (Liz) Truss continues to gain support in the Conservative Party leadership contest against former chancellor Rishi Sunak, she has reportedly confirmed that Dorries is likely to stay where she is." A source said that Dorries "has a lot of unfinished business on her desk." - Yahoo! News
A group of 24 college professors got together to attempt to think this difficult question through. They couldn't agree. - The Chronicle of Higher Education
These niche-famous people are the types who are living out the latest chapter in what it means to be in this particular corner of Manhattan at this particular moment and feeling certain, as most people want to feel when they are young and ambitious and freshly arrived, that it is the absolute center of the world. - The New...
Even as the company limits the number of visitors and keeps attendance at its U.S. theme parks below prepandemic levels, they are generating record sales and profits. - The Wall Street Journal
It's especially, but not only, an issue for men. "People want to look like an action star, but may not be aware that every frame of those films has some sort of special effect involved, which might include changing the way they look on screen, too." - The Guardian (UK)
It's been a long few weeks of controversy for Michael Melling, the head of CTV News, who recently ousted host Lisa LaFlamme, after reports surfaced that firing was because she had stopped dyeing her hair. - CBC
