The pandemic and the shift toward remote working have hit Los Angeles as hard as they have other cities. That includes performing and visual arts, whose attendance numbers are (mostly) not back to 2019 levels. Yet several downtown cultural institutions are keeping hope alive, investing in major expansions. - The New York Times
Audio describers need to locate the gaps and silences in a show, so that their descriptions are woven around music and dialogue. It is a fine art timing the description to avoid distracting the user. - ArtsHub
Artist Kirsha Kaechele, who created the installation at Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art (and is married to its founder/funder), argues that the experience of men denied entry is part of the artwork. But one of those men sued, alleging discrimination, and a state tribunal agreed with him. - The Guardian
It started in 2022 with the Art Institute of Chicago and the Newberry Library; it has continued with, among others, the Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and a number of libraries in the suburbs. - Chicago Sun-Times
"When it turned out that my offense amounted to “exclusionary non-verbal facial cues” (it was never clear if these were the student’s words or the administrator’s), I was relieved, a little frustrated, but mainly confused: I hadn’t slept for a week because a student felt like I looked at them the wrong way?" - Hedgehog Review
Third places have "eight features including neutrality, leveling qualities, accommodation, a low profile, and a sense of home. In short, it’s a place that is welcoming, not fancy, free of social hierarchies, free of dues, and imparts no obligation to be there. That perfectly describes American libraries, one of our greatest institutions." - 3 Quarks Daily
Their offerings are aimed at a general audience and are a particular favourite of young families and those after an eye-catching selfie backdrop. What happens to our engagement with a painting when it is experienced in this way? - Apollo
Jackson's production company "believes Robson and Safechuck’s actual target is a series of nude photographs of Jackson included in the records,” or so they claim. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
One musician says, "Every time I go over there, I'm losing money. … We’re never making money, it's not a possibility. I'm lucky enough that I'm signed now and I've made two albums so I have the money to lose in America.” - BBC
“Festival organizers say they are still recouping losses from COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns while they contend with inflation. ... 'The sponsors and the grants are not increasing at the same pace as the expenses. So there's a huge problem there. It's a basic mathematical problem.’” - CBC
After an outcry, Facebook apologized for blocking links to the independent Kansas Reflector - then expanded the crackdown to other news sites. A spokesperson blamed “a mistaken security issue” and then “wouldn’t elaborate on how the mistake happened and said there would be no further explanation." - Kansas Reflector
The city was a beacon of artistic freedom. Then came October 7. Now, "a climate of fear and recrimination has put Berlin’s status as an international cultural capital in greater hazard than at any time since 1989." - The New York Times
The Magic Kingdom expansion is one part of a $60 billion investment Disney has said it’s planning for its parks, cruises and experiences over the next decade. - CNN
"Nashville’s Finance Director, Kevin Crumbo, … has not given a timeline for the payments. ... Until the 2023 grants are paid, Metro Arts (says it's) putting the upcoming grant review cycle on hold. … Moreover, Crumbo is hesitant to fund the next round of grants, saying he lacks confidence in Metro Arts leadership." - WPLN (Nashville)
