ISSUES

Other Industry Leaders Say Not To Worry About AI, At Least If You’re A Designer

In Britain, “the head of the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers said many people working in his industry were nervous about AI. He said design companies were more likely to use AI as ‘the intern in the office’ than as a replacement for skilled staff.” - The Guardian (UK)

Bill Gates, Yes, That Bill Gates, Sounds A Strong Alarm Over AI

“He laid out five broad areas of concern: jobs, biotechnology, cyberattacks, psychosocial harms and whether humans will be able to maintain control over the systems they are building.” - Los Angeles Times (MSN)

Are Actors Who Support Gaza Getting Blacklisted In Hollywood?

Susan Sarandon certainly thinks so. “Sarandon said resistance to hiring outspoken critics of Israel ⁠remained particularly strong among major studios.” - The Guardian (UK)

The ‘Cult Of Male Directors’ Must End

Venice only has two films directed by women this year - and one of those directors says that “the enduring cult of male genius is keeping down female film-makers.” - The Guardian (UK)

When The Quebecois Version Of ‘The Simpsons’ Was Shut Down Last Year, The Protests Were Immediate And Intense

Dubbing is important in Québec; “The characters spoke in regional Quebec accents, including joual, the colloquial dialect associated with working-class Montreal, while U.S. people and places were swapped out for local references.” - CBC

The Wealthy Friends Interfering In Mexico’s Frida Kahlo Legacy

“If it were not so tragic for Mexican art, the story would make an excellent detective novel. All the characters and ingredients are there.” - Le Monde English

Is The Internet Dead?

“It’s no longer strange to think that AI might be everywhere, edging out all forms of human interaction: bots talking to bots, all the way down.” This is … not great. - The Atlantic

Grim New Video Games Are Out, From The Governing Party Of The United States

The games, reflecting the political goals of the president, resemble gaming classics. Tetris is unhappy with "Build the Wall," a little too close to Tetris itself. Then there’s one like Snake, where gamers “patrol the Rio Grande and capture figures representing migrants.” - Salon

Trying To Revitalize A Tiny ‘Lost’ Town With Traditional Arts In North Carolina

“In the wake of Helene and the subsequent inland migration, the is teaching so-called Old World skills — like fiber arts and clay throwing — as essential tools in the modern age.” - The New York Times

How City Arts Funding In Chicago Stacks Up Against That Of Other Big U.S. Cities

“Across the country’s five largest cities, Chicago was the only one to cut the funding for its local arts agency during its most recent budget cycle. And while its spending dwarfs that of the larger Los Angeles, and trails only behind New York per capita, the pressure is mounting to do more.” - WBEZ (Chicago)

Trump Officials Threaten To Withdraw All Aid If Smithsonian Doesn’t Drop “Ideological Agenda”

“Administration officials ‘cannot in good conscience continue to support the Smithsonian under current leadership,’” said a letter from a key policy director and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “citing artifact loans, procurement assistance and discretionary grants as examples of federal support that could be at risk.” - The Washington Post (Yahoo!)

Thanks To New Tourist Tax, Edinburgh Arts Organizations To (Probably) Get 25% Increase In City Funding

“The distribution of funds raised by the Scottish capital’s new visitor levy, which is expected to raise up to £50m annually, has been the subject of intense debate in recent weeks. ... (Organisations now) face a ‘deeply frustrating’ delay until the uplift is confirmed.” - The Stage

US Government Agency Weakens Protections For Cultural Heritage Sites

Proposed federal rule changes would eliminate the requirement for public feedback and consultation with key parties like Tribal Nations and ultimately lead to the destruction of much of our cultural heritage. - Live Science

A Deal To Save Philadelphia’s Academy Of Natural Sciences

The announcement comes one day after Drexel and the Academy said they would close the Academy’s museum effective Sept. 30 and that Academy CEO Scott Cooper would be stepping down immediately. Sept. 27 will be the last day the museum will be open to the public. - Philadelphia Inquirer

Consider The Lowly Bollard

The posts come in many forms — retractable, rigid, ordinary, ornate, thick, thin. There are other objects that serve a similar purpose, including “sugar cube” barriers and hulking planters. At Lincoln Center, stylish, warped concrete blocks guard the square. - The New York Times

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