ISSUES

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

Britain’s Working Class Is Getting Priced Out Of The Arts Entirely. Look Out For What Comes Next.

With the shrinking of arts instruction in schools and free higher education, it’s ever harder for non-rich artists to train. Then there’s the ever-rising cost of getting your work seen, even at open-access events like the Edinburgh Fringe. In response, Ivan Hewett writes, a “radical class-consciousness” is starting to appear. - The Telegraph (UK) (MSN)

Scotland To Try Out A Basic-Income-For-Artists Scheme Like Ireland’s

“A pilot project in Scotland” — called the Scottish Artists Minimum Income initiative — “based on the Irish model could see an initial 2,000 writers, musicians, playwrights and visual artists secure almost £15,000 ($20,000) a year to help them pursue a career.” - The Herald (Scotland)

How Did Brooklyn’s Skyline Go So Wrong?

Two decades ago, Downtown Brooklyn was well connected but underpopulated, a combination that drew armies of fresh college graduates, quintupling the population. It’s hard to believe how thoroughly and quickly the skyline has been remade in that time—and how shoddily. - Curbed

City Audit Of Financially Troubled San Francisco Arts Center Is Complete

Calls for an audit of the African-American Arts and Culture Complex came after the nonprofit was consistently late with required reports on the spending of millions in city grant money. The audit found no misuse of funds but identified shortcomings with both the AAACC and the San Francisco Arts Commission. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)

What Happens When American Universities Try To Shrink Their Way To Profitability

What’s happening to the New School is an increasingly common story across all of higher education, hit by a perfect storm of financial and political pressures. Well-paid bosses, touting fiscal crises, seek to fire their way to profitability. - Dissent

Report: Women In UK Arts Say Discrimination Is Rampant

Nearly all (95%) women working in the arts thought gender inequality persisted, while three-quarters (75%) reported experiencing unconscious bias or sexism, according to a survey of 76 arts professionals. - The Guardian

New York’s Arts Ed Programs Are A Powerhouse For The City

Across the city, community-based arts education organizations employ thousands of music educators, teaching artists, arts therapists, accompanists and administrators — together, one of the city’s largest employers of working artists. New York’s real competitive advantage is the ability to attract and retain creative talent. But artists need reliable employment, benefits, professional networks and room to grow. - Crain's New York

The Problem That Can’t (Currently) Be Fixed At The Kennedy Center

Each new development and court filing in opposition makes the same structural problem clearer: A judge can restrain the board’s actions time and time again, but “if the problem is a governance problem, there is not much that a court can do.” - The Atlantic

Kennedy Center Board Says It Will Delay Putting Trump’s Name Back On The Building

The announcement followed an emergency court hearing prompted by a Justice Department filing this week warning that the Kennedy Center could be demolished and potentially replaced with an outdoor amphitheater if the board is not allowed to close the building for two years for repairs. - ARTnews

What Happened To Philadelphia’s Arts Funding?

“Philadelphia experienced the greatest contraction of all of the cities that we were looking at. It has gone from 7 percent of local government coverage of expenses in 2019 down to 1 percent in 2024.” - Philadelphia Citizen

Lessons From The Edinburgh Fringe: How To Manage Controversy

At a time when mainstream media coverage of festivals such as Edinburgh has shrunk significantly, her debut inevitably pulled headlines towards the infamy of one performer and risked becoming the token fringe story – the celebrity whom everybody outside the festival bubble recognises. - The Stage

Judge To Kennedy Center Board: Why Did You Vote To Put Trump’s Name On The Building Right After I Ordered You Not To?

“A judge on Thursday expressed skepticism about the Kennedy Center’s intention to return President Donald Trump’s name to the historic performing arts venue by early next month, challenging the board’s insistence on moving forward even in the face of a court ruling that blocked and reversed a previous effort.” - AP

What It’s Like To Go Through One Of Burning Man’s Dust Storms

“The next big gust tore the tarp from our shade structure. I scrambled to secure the flapping tent walls, using water jugs and costume bags as weight. Above the screaming wind, I heard poles clanging as neighboring camps were blown to smithereens. Then, in a lull, I heard a faint voice. ‘Help!’” - The Guardian

Numbers: The Percentage Of Australians Who Engage In Culture

The figures are growing. Live performance attendance has increased by 1.2 million since 2022, to the highest figures ever. Around three quarters of those surveyed had attended a live performance or festival in 2025. - ArtsHub

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