From 2008 to 2012, the Arizona Commission on the Arts had a regular line, about $550,000, in the state budget; since then, the agency had only one-time appropriations that vary widely year-to-year. In 2020 the legislature gave the Commission $2 million; for the upcoming year, $5 million. - The Arizona Republic
"Google nearly decided to call the internet TV service 'YouTube Air,' because an early version used an over-the-air TV antenna," and then internally it was YouTube "Unplugged." The service has a million more subscribers than its fellow "Live" at Hulu. - Variety
Starting in the 1990s, traditional documentaries started to be replaced by personality-driven nonfiction films whose directors (e.g., Michael Moore, Werner Herzog) were more than clear about points of view. Now more and more documentaries have given up narration entirely, using only the voices of subjects. - The Guardian
"What happens when legacy magazines can no longer rely on their reputation to get readers, let alone party invites? Condé Nast's magazines, especially Carter's Vanity Fair, used a strategy of exclusion to generate a sense of luxury. ... Can any publishing project today succeed on that basis alone?" - The Nation
"The assumption that 'a gay book' is necessarily a sexualized book, and therefore inappropriate for children, is baked into the language of 'Don’t Say Gay,'" the censorious, proudly homophobic Florida law that Republicans would like to pass and enforce everywhere. - The New Yorker
Jeffrey Arlo Brown writes about the tricky, nerve-wracking process that two young trumpeters went through. One passed his trial, the other failed hers — which turned out to be a very lucky thing. - Van
Why is Shah Rukh Khan so celebrated as he marks 30 years in the Hindi film industry? "He shows us a glimpse of a prosperous, plural and humane region - one that can laugh at itself without the inflamed nostrils of pious outrage." And he's the poster child for growth. - BBC
Mind you, these aren't the Benin Bronzes, which come from what's now southwestern Nigeria. These were taken by French colonial soldiers in the late 19th century from the Kingdom of Dahomey, now part of the Republic of Benin, to which France has given them back. - The Guardian
The town of Prescot, a few miles from Liverpool, was once home to the only freestanding Elizabethan theatre outside London. That's the case once again, with the opening of Shakespeare North, a near-copy of the Royal Cockpit theatre that once stood in 16th-century London. - BBC
Archaeologists report that the site, about 20 miles southeast of Pamplona, was "of urban character — the city's name is currently unknown — and it developed during the (Roman) imperial period. Later, the same site (became) a rural habitat during the Visigoth and early Andalusian periods." (in English) - El País (Spain)
In 2012, Serebrennikov took over the stultified Gogol Theater, rechristened it the Gogol Center, and made it Moscow's most daring stage, regularly irking the government. Now, after years fighting trumped-up embezzlement charges, he's in exile, and the city has ousted the leadership and restored the old name. - The Moscow Times
Artistic leader of the Rhode Island Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, and, as of the coming season, the Sarasota Orchestra, Tovey spent widely admired tenures at the Winnipeg and Vancouver Symphonies and was a regular visitor to the top American orchestras, known especially for his rapport with audiences. - CBC
The project by the nonprofit Dance/NYC "seeks to understand who makes up the dance work force and the social and financial hardships that these workers face. The data will help identify economic gaps and opportunities for fair wage standards and other policies across the sector." - The New York Times
"(The actor) appeared at the U.K.'s historic Old Bailey criminal court on Thursday morning, where he pleaded not guilty to all five counts of sexual assault. His U.K. trial will begin on June 6, 2023, and is expected to last for three to four weeks." - Variety
Is this a little like The New York Times buying Wordle? Yes, and the outrage is not dissimilar. For instance: "I lost my game history, and the link to get it back only exists for a microsecond. Also the skip function is now super glitchy, making the game unplayable." - BBC
