The Malian military government on Monday started returning home the historic manuscripts of Timbuktu, which were smuggled out of their city to the capital, Bamako, for safekeeping when Timbuktu was occupied by al-Qaida-linked militants in 2012. - AP
In the midst of a technological revolution, while taking on a notoriously difficult courseload, why have they chosen to devote their time to the ancient art of making poems? - The Atlantic
The 21 percent cut was approved Wednesday by PBS’s board, which also voted to reduce dues paid by local stations by $35 million. That means PBS will receive less revenue from its members, which are under pressure to make up for budget shortfalls of their own. - The New York Times
When artist Jim Sanborn talks about “Kryptos,” his sculpture at the CIA headquarters, and the famously unsolved secret code engraved in its copper panels, he sounds as if he’s talking about espionage, not art. The piece has “destroyed marriages,” he claims. - Washington Post
“Curzon, which operates 16 venues across the UK, reports there has been a clear shift over the past six years in young people overtaking older audiences,” with notable attention to older films and works by auteurs such as Wong Kar-Wai. Social media appears to be driving much of the interest. - The Guardian
“DJ AJ 305,” whose real name is Abdias Datis, was taken into custody and his equipment seized by Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies on Tuesday while he was allegedly broadcasting on an illegal signal called “Unique FM” (91.7). - Inside Radio
In her 2025-26 budget, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has proposed a 52% reduction in funding for cultural events and the elimination of the city-county Department of Cultural Affairs — this to help close a $402 million budget deficit. A campaign called Arts Action Miami is rallying supporters to oppose the cuts. - WLRN (Miami)
“The Henry Ford Academy: Alameda School for Art + Design ... is officially closing its doors on Aug. 31. Superintendent Jessica Rae Sánchez informed families … ‘We were recently notified by the Texas Education Agency that our Title I funding for the 2025-2026 school year will be significantly reduced due to low enrollment.’" - San Antonio Express-News (MSN)
This latest list of the 150 largest (by expenditure) U.S. ballet and classically-based companies includes comparative rankings by company revenue, and surplus or deficit status. - Dance Data Project
“A federal judge has struck down key parts of a Florida law that helped parents get books they found objectionable removed from public school libraries and classrooms. … Among the books that had been removed from central Florida schools were Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Richard Wright’s Native Son, and Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.” - AP
“David Bennett, who has served as San Diego Opera’s general director for the past 10 years, will carry on at least through the 2029-30 season. … When Bennett joined the company 10 years ago, its future was in limbo following a near-closure in 2014.” - The San Diego Union-Tribune (MSN)
“Besides (the 131-seat Tow Theater at Lincoln Center, he) funded a performing arts center at Brooklyn College; journalism programs at Columbia University and City University of New York; the Tow Center for Developmental Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering; and the Tow Youth Justice Institute in West Haven, Conn.” - The New York Times
It’s not just that we’re adopting AI language — it’s about how we’re starting to sound. Even though current studies mostly focus on vocabulary, researchers suspect that AI influence is starting to show up in tone, too — in the form of longer, more structured speech and muted emotional expression. - The Verge
“By the end of the century, rising sea levels could push powerful seasonal waves into Easter Island’s 15 iconic moai statues, according to a new study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage. … The findings show waves could reach Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial platform on the island, as early as 2080.” - AP
