This seems like the reality that these A.I. tools will force us to reckon with: They promise to do for style what the internet did for content, dramatically eroding its value by making it easily portable. - Artnet
The Kingdom "is now marketing itself to two sets of travelers with increasingly divergent — and sometimes contradictory — expectations: luxury tourists at ease with bikinis and cocktails, and pilgrims prepared for modesty and strict religious adherence. It’s hard to know whether the kingdom can satisfy both without antagonizing either." - The New York Times
While students continue to seek and enjoy advanced study of the social sciences and humanities, the question of “What can you do with that?” resonates far too much. - The Conversation
A Creative New Zealand report in 2023 revealed creatives earn considerably less than other wage earners: $37,000 a year compared to a general median of $61,800. This will no doubt get worse. - The Big Idea
"The support (Barry) Diller has pledged to Little Island’s programming, millions of dollars with no end in sight, is the kind most artistic leaders only dream of. (Zack) Winokur does not have to spend his days courting (funders) or securing residencies; instead, he can provide money and space." - The New York Times
Last year, data released by audience research company Patternmakers showed somewhat of a rebounding of audience numbers from COVID levels, which was promising. But it also revealed the stark effect cost of living pressures were having on audiences, the majority of whom identified finances as the biggest factor limiting their ticket purchasing. - The Conversation
The collapse of a major art school, which has operated and invested in Center City since the 1800s, will also put a large real estate portfolio featuring some of downtown Philadelphia’s most recognizable buildings on the market. - Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN
"The plaintiffs — a group of professors, department heads and administrators — say the school did not give them 60 days' written notice of its plans for mass layoffs, as required under federal law. … The lawsuit could be just the first in a wave of messy court battles to come." - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
“I’m working with their chair to see if we can put this genie back in the bottle,” said Temple board chair Mitchell L. Morgan. “Can we somehow figure out some type of potential merger? If it’s a win-win, we are interested.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
"During the next decade or two, Disney would be approved to build a fifth major theme park at Disney World and two more minor parks, such as water parks. The company could raise the number of hotel rooms on its property from almost 40,000 rooms to more than 53,000 rooms." - AP
Under pressure from activists, both Hay and the Edinburgh international book festival have sacked their main sponsor, the investment fund Baillie Gifford, blowing a mighty hole in their finances. Why? The anti-capitalist group Fossil Free Books has started a campaign against it… - The Observer
"Programs that address this discontent exhibit a remarkably consistent set of characteristics. They are interdisciplinary, integrating methods and perspectives—from, say, engineering and the social sciences—that are normally kept apart." - Persuasion
"Summerhall, … (a) complex of galleries, theatres and a cinema … housed in the city’s former veterinary school, has earned a reputation as one of the UK’s most innovative and critically acclaimed venues since it was set up 12 years ago by a wealthy benefactor, Robert McDowell." - The Guardian
According to a screenshot of the post shared by Mr. Callow, the group posted that it had the identifying information of 560 million Ticketmaster customers, including credit card numbers and ticket sales. - The New York Times
We are in a transitional phase of digital culture, and thus more in need than ever of friendly faces, personable human guides to help us navigate this treacherous ground. Such guides go by many names—call them influencers, or content creators, or just “this one guy I follow.” - The New Yorker
