The sixth annual Cultural Infrastructure Index, produced by AEA Consulting, has found that "after a predictable dip in 2020, due to broader pandemic lockdowns, 2021 showed an extraordinarily robust rebound in new buildings and projects." - Artnet
Remote work may be good for efficiency but it's deadly for team-building. So, just as the development of multi-location businesses led to the creation of the middle manager, whose role was to keep far-flung operations coordinated, the rise of hybrid in-office/remote work will require a new profession. - MSN (The Atlantic)
Many of them opened during the pandemic shutdown, such as The Salt Eaters Bookshop in L.A. County and Socialight Society in Lansing, Mich., oriented toward Black women; Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, Pa., a "queer, feminist indie bookstore"; and Yu and Me Books in Manhattan's Chinatown. - The New York Times
Skywhale and her companion, Skywhalepapa, were to appear at an event in Ballarat, a historic town 72 miles WNW of Melbourne that's notorious for unpredictable and turbulent weather. Winds put a three-foot gash in Skywhale's underside, and she's gone back to the National Gallery of Australia for repair. - The Guardian
"A century later, the animal dance craze — and the issues it raises around body autonomy and regulation — is part of the legacy of social dancing that continues to this day, embodied now through these viral dance challenges like the one to (Lizzo's) 'About Damn Time.'" - Zócalo Public Square
After Labor Day, Lea Michele, who has famously wanted the role for years, will play Fanny Brice, and Tovah Feldshuh will play her mother, Lynch's role. In August, Feldstein's understudy, Julie Benko, will take the title role, and she'll continue it on Thursdays after Michele's arrival. - The New York Times
Not long ago, the 29-year-old French memoirist (The End of Eddy) found an old snapshot of his mother at age 20 with a bright, hopeful smile. He always remembered her as tough and grim, and he decided to find out what happened to that smiling young woman. - The Guardian
Amy Duncan was editor and publisher, and her husband, Mark Davitt, managing editor, of The Record-Tribune in Indianola, Iowa, and when they heard that Gannett wanted to sell some of its smaller titles, they leapt at the chance. They're publishing in hard copy weekly and operating online daily. - NPR
"A community of artists — many of color — has blossomed in unassuming districts with names like East Rock, Newhallville and Fair Haven. Most are Yale alumni who chose to stay. … New Haven's appeal over larger cities may not be self-evident, but it makes sense." - T — The New York Times Style Magazine
"Throughout history, those willing to sacrifice for cause and comrades ... have often prevailed against more powerful forces that mainly rely on material incentives such as pay and punishment. ... Yet little scientific attention is paid to understanding why this is so or what to do about it." - Aeon
"Award-wining director Mohammad Rasoulof and colleague Mostafa Al-Ahmad were taken into custody for posting a statement on social media urging members of the Iranian security forces to lay down their weapons." When Panahi went to prosecutors' offices out of concern for the other two, he was also arrested. - The Guardian
Mercedes Dorame's work, "in quiet ways, illuminates how Indigenous life and thought remain present in Los Angeles and its landscapes." - Los Angeles Times
"Playing Fanny Brice on Broadway has been a lifelong dream of mine, and doing so ... has been a great joy and true honor. Once the production decided to take the show in a different direction, I made the ... difficult decision to step away sooner than anticipated." - The New York Times
Jane Campion, who directed the artsy Power of the Dog and won Best Director for it at the 2022 Academy Awards, is worried. "I do think they're going to be more picky about other projects or, maybe, what's sad is not taking risks on people without names." - BBC
