That figure is "unheard-of for most State bodies," let alone arts-funding agencies in almost any country. How did it happen? With what one might (if so inclined) call sleight-of-hand that has made COVID-era emergency increases permanent. - The Irish Times
A mid-cycle cut of £6.6 million imposed abruptly in September has been made up for, with another £6.6 million allocated to make up for the reserve fund that Creative Scotland (the funding agency) raided to avoid passing the last-minute cut on to funded arts organizations. - The Scotsman (MSN)
If the humanities have become more political over the past decade, it is largely in response to coercion from administrators and market forces that prompt disciplines to prove that they are “useful.” - The Atlantic
"Audience numbers still aren't back to where they were in 2019. Emergency state and federal funding has nearly evaporated, and (expected) annual arts funding … wasn’t approved by the Oregon Legislature. All this has forced arts groups to put capital improvement projects on hold or scale back their seasons." - The Oregonian
The California "Civil Rights Department sued the Santa Monica-based Call of Duty maker in 2021, alleging that women at the company were regularly subjected to sexual harassment, paid less, denied promotions and met with retaliation." - Los Angeles Times
If a production "fails to hire a stylist who can do the job in-house, the actor must be reimbursed for paying qualified personnel for preapproved hair or makeup services, as well as for time getting their hair styled outside of regular work hours." - Washington Post
"About a week before her death, Debever disappeared from her home and left a note. On the day she died, France 2 television broadcast a documentary containing several claims against Depardieu of sexual misconduct." - BBC
"Brilliant art cannot make up for a catastrophic year for our most cherished institution. ... We need people in charge who are visionary and strong-minded, as well as in possession of a moral compass." - Yahoo News (The Telegraph)
"Every artist must exist in two realms: as the art maker, who thinks and ponders and creates work of radical honesty (an activity that one could argue is inherently political), and as the art mover, who, however reluctantly, must be part showman and part businessperson." - MSN (The Atlantic)
According to Pineapple Street Studios, "management gave them an ultimatum: sign a side agreement allowing the company to hire non-union contractors, or Mailchimp walks not only from the new series, but from the ads and existing show as well." - The Verge
"No one is stopping the artist from making art about anything that they want... But artists who make a living from their work are also entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs can face consequences. This is not censorship; it is, like it or not, capitalism." - The Atlantic
"(It was) no accident: the British state was one of several which sought to expand their influence and bolster their economies in the interwar period through cultural diplomacy. One of the UK’s key institutions then (as now) was the British Council." - History Today
Disagreement between board members of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture — over how and to whom to distribute a shrinking amount of money (revenue from a dedicated cigarette tax is down more than half from 15 years ago), staffing levels, and where to seek more money — has alienated the area's arts community. - Ideastream (Cleveland)
Now that the pandemic relief funds have stopped, many arts organizations are scrambling to balance their budgets. The new report says "the duration" of those funds hasn't matched the "slower rebuild" many arts organizations are facing. - NPR
Today, free will, individual agency, forgiveness, personal improvement, and healthy cultural cross-pollination are all obliterated by omnipotent determinisms. - The Atlantic
