When China shut down manufacturing and shipping ports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists felt it before American cities followed suit. Subsequent labor shortages, stranded shipping containers, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have further impacted commodity trade. - Hyperallergic
There were 40 Afghan female students before the Taliban’s takeover back in mid-August 2021. Now there are 382 girls at Rumi Academy amid increasing Taliban restrictions on girls and women. They range in age from 13 to 25. - Toronto Star
“We’re not start-ups. We have massive long-term responsibilities. And for that, we really need to have sustainable long-term funding, rather than the short-term injections.” - The Age
In another win for workplace dignity, one of the nation’s highest courts recently suggested that businesses cannot force their employees to participate in office parties and other supposedly enjoyable activities. - The New Yorker
The instinct to treat Muslims like toddlers, incapable of dealing with unwelcome developments, and therefore in need of protection at all times, is powerful in some quarters. The same patronizing attitude is rarely applied to Christians or Jews or atheists. - The Atlantic
"Ellen Watters, the board chair, and the school’s president, Fayneese S. Miller, said Hamline’s initial stance on the incident was a 'misstep.' The usage of the word 'Islamophobic' was 'flawed ... It was never our intent to suggest that academic freedom is of lower concern or value than our students.'" - ARTnews
"Old Jet sits inside a former fighter-jet operations building. Like most rural hubs, it houses a unique mixture of people who live locally and need studio space: in this case, 35 musicians, artists, writers, photographers, fashion designers and more, ranging from early-career artists to established names." - The Guardian
By the first decades of the twentieth century, national organizations had established standards for the credentialling of lawyers, doctors, and nurses. The professionalization of criticism was a less coherent affair, because criticism did not belong to a single trade or discipline. - The New Yorker
The artists taking action—Sarah Andersen, Kelly McKernan, Karla Ortiz—"seek to end this blatant and enormous infringement of their rights before their professions are eliminated by a computer program powered entirely by their hard work," according to the official text of the complaint filed to the court. - Ars Technica
Stephen Thaler’s motion argues that the work in question “satisfies the requirements set forth in the Copyright Act”—that because Thaler “invested and owns the original property … its output, of all kinds, automatically vests in him,” particularly in the context of work-for-hire. - Artnet
The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity announced that Chris Lorway would be appointed to the role of President and CEO of Banff Centre. The post takes effect on April 10, 2023. - Ludwig Van
The star of Everything Everywhere All at Once says, "But the only way we can keep this going is by getting the right storytellers, having the studio executives understand and keep putting it forward." - HuffPost
Bad news for writers and artists: As AI improves, the plagiarism will become less apparent. "There’s no quick technological fix to these issues. As has been the case for nearly all instances of bad information spreading online, readers and editors will again have to figure this out themselves." - Slate
Cancellations due to flooded theatres, reschedulings, and an art project that was about rain but needed a dry site for the actual installation. Feels like the early days of COVID, but, you know, climate change. - Los Angeles Times
