“I think the understudies, the swings, the standbys and the alternates do so much work, with so little recognition, so much of the time — this is a little piece of paper that makes sure they’re acknowledged by the people who are watching them.” - The New York Times
Seven deep-pocketed philanthropic foundations are coming together to help fill in the gaps. The coalition announced on Tuesday the creation of the Literary Arts Fund, which will distribute "at least" $50 million through grants to various nonprofit organizations across the country over the next five years. - NPR
“The producers of The Lost King on Monday agreed to pay damages to an academic who sued for libel over his on-screen depiction. Richard Taylor said he suffered ‘enormous distress and embarrassment’ because of the 2022 film, which centers on amateur historian Philippa Langley’s quest to find the king’s remains.” - AP
The administration’s newest emergency appeal to the high court was filed a month and a half after a federal appeals court in Washington held that the official, Shira Perlmutter, could not be unilaterally fired. - APNews
Many people invoke a distinction between illicit uses of A.I. (such as the composition of entire drafts) and innocent auxiliary functions — outlining, for instance. But it is these seemingly benign functions that are the most pernicious for developing minds. - The New York Times
The commission, which was established by Congress more than a century ago and traditionally includes a mix of architects and urban planners, is charged with providing advice to the president, Congress and local government officials on design matters related to construction projects in the capital region. - Washington Post
“Kureishi, 70, who wrote the award-winning novel The Buddha of Suburbia and the film My Beautiful Laundrette, has devised a filmed piece about the devastating aftermath of his fall for two leading ballet dancers, in collaboration with choreographer and Royal Ballet principal character artist Kristen McNally.” - The Observer (UK)
Festival administrators canceled controversial director Milo Rau’s play The Pelicot Trial, allegedly over Rau’s criticism of the Serbian government last year; consequently, the festival’s artistic director resigned. Artists say the government — which has been facing months of protests over corruption — is putting political pressure on the festival and slashing funding. - AFP (Barron’s)
“German police said they busted an international forgery ring that was trying to sell fake works for millions of dollars to unsuspecting collectors. The fraudsters claimed the works were by artists including Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, and Frida Kahlo." - ARTnews
“Books-A-Million … is in the process of opening 15 new outlets this year, which will keep the total number of outlets at over 220 spread across 32 states.” Both new and existing locations are getting redesigned interiors and a wider selection of titles; new stores average about 15,000 square feet. - Publishers Weekly
“Sheridan shocked Hollywood by signing a $1 billion+ deal with NBCUniversal and leaving behind his longtime partner at Paramount where the Yellowstone creator has built an empire. The movie deal starts in 2026 and will run for eight years, while the television deal starts at the end of 2028.” - TheWrap (MSN)
The work was owned by a Jewish couple who fled Germany in 1936; sale proceeds were confiscated by the Nazis. The couple's heirs sued the Met (which sold the painting in 1972) in federal court, where the case was tossed on jurisdictional grounds; they have re-filed in New York state. - The New York Times
“The Trump administration has revoked the visa for Wole Soyinka, the acclaimed Nigerian Nobel prize-winning writer who has been critical of Trump since his first presidency. … Soyinka previously held permanent residency in the United States, though he destroyed his green card after Donald Trump’s first election in 2016.” - The Guardian
College professors of English Johanna Winant and Dan Sinykin thought they had written a book to help other undergrad-level instructors to teach close reading. It’s turned out that their work is helping high school teachers learn how to get their students to read and understand whole books. - Slate (MSN)
Many museums do have security systems in place to prevent similar heists, but they aren’t always foolproof. Unfortunately, in the case of the Louvre, security concerns went unchecked until it was too late. - ARTnews
