"The contest ... can disqualify contestants deemed to have breached its rules on political neutrality,” and the song “October Rain” currently contains lyrics that seem to be about Hamas’s attacks on Israelis on October 7, 2023. - The Guardian (UK)
The thing is, "Federal law includes computer-generated images of identifiable people in the prohibition on child pornography. Although the prohibition seems clear, legal experts caution that it has yet to be tested in court.” Also, does an AI-generated nude depict a real person or not? - Los Angeles Times
To add insult to injury (one that the National Labor Relations Board may not look kindly upon), the workers learned they had been laid off while they were testifying to the Austin (Texas) City Council about why they deserved better pay. - The Verge
Reality has intruded into the universe of Law & Order. "The series has always been copaganda, built on a foundational love for the police, and yet it can’t help but give the public ammunition against itself. What we are left with is an identity crisis." - Slate
A group of Muslim Somali parents asked their school district not to share any books with LGBTQIA content with their kids, and the school district agreed. Now, the school board is asking the state for clarity, especially on “protected classes." - Sahan Journal
Contrary to popular belief, copyright does not exist for the benefit of creators. Its purpose, according to founding documents and recent interpretations, is to foster a culture that produces great works of science, art, literature, and music. - The Atlantic
The latest battle (last time we checked, at least) was last week, when the image generator of Google's Gemini bot was found to default to women and people of color even when asked to create images of Vikings and popes. Conservative critics accused the bot of being woke, of course. - Wired
If it’s tough for venues, it’s even tougher for artists, who in the past have found it hard but possible to sustain some kind of hand-to-mouth living from project funding. - The Stage
Cherelle Parker: "Every time you hear us referencing the importance of making our city the safest, the cleanest, the greenest big city in the nation, with economic opportunity for all, you have to know that arts and culture play an essential role in helping to make that happen." - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
"Arts Council England has released new guidance confirming it will not penalise organisations for working with artists who make political statements, after earlier advice suggested 'overtly political or activist' work could break funding agreements." - The Guardian
Despite Oregon’s arts sector garnering $829 million in economic activity every year, the state is ranked at No. 41 for its annual arts funding per capita. - KOIN
Regional council’s decision to pause the arts fund for a third-party review due to alleged harassment and governance concerns, announced in a press release on Wednesday evening, came as a shock to its board members. - The Record (Waterloo)
"More than half the councils that responded to a survey said they were likely to be unable to balance their books in the next five years. Two-thirds said they were cutting services. Parks, leisure facilities, arts and culture are at the top of the list." - BBC
The fact of the matter is that the problem is not our students. It is us: faculty and administrators who are too afraid—of random people on social media, hard-core activists, irritable alumni, assorted “friends” of Harvard—to allow a culture of open debate and dialogue to flourish. - The Wall Street Journal
Whether Disney adults are embarrassing or enchanting is largely a matter of opinion. What is missing from endless comment sections is the fact that they are a creation of the Walt Disney Company – a character constructed just as carefully as Elsa or Donald Duck. - New Statesman
