“’What will it take to keep Curtis tuition-free?’ asked Curtis president Roberto Díaz in 2016, when the Institute was still in the early days of a major fundraising campaign. Now the small music conservatory has answered, raising nearly $200 million for endowment, musical instruments, programs, and another building.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
“The audience inside — who have paid up to a whopping £250 ($336) a ticket — are left with a livestream of the number. Those on the street below, some waiting for (Rachel) Zegler and some lucky enough to have been passing by, get a free performance from a Golden Globe-winning actress.” - The Hollywood Reporter
The hotel chain discovered Bodett through his spots on All Things Considered, and their relationship worked very well for almost 40 years. Then the Indian chain OYO bought Motel 6 — and its assets and debts, including the final year of Bodett’s $1.2 million annual contract, which OYO has refused to pay. - Tedium
A growing body of research correlates persistent use of AI with a drop in critical thinking; humans become reliant on AI and unwilling, perhaps unable, to verify its work. As chatbots creep into every digital crevice, they may continue to degrade the web gradually, even gently. Today’s jankiness may, by tomorrow, simply be normal. - The Atlantic
“From its perch 5,000 feet above sea level, the ancient al-Qahira Castle has watched over Yemen’s third-largest city, Taiz, for more than 800 years. ... But the future of its weathered walls is now uncertain — not because of threats from invaders or empires, but because of the sudden suspension of restoration funds.” - Smithsonian Magazine
Prolific authors are not only calling out people who use AI to write, they’re also posting livestreams and time-lapses of their writing processes to defend themselves against such complaints. - Wired
Many Pensacola parents were appalled by this surge of censorship; some wondered if it was unconstitutional. By early 2024, a U.S. district court judge ruled that Penguin Random House, PEN America, authors, and families in Escambia County had standing to sue. - LitHub
Art Basel’s flagship event in Switzerland now faces formidable challenges. The 289 gallerists from 42 countries participating in this year’s edition of the fair, whose V.I.P. preview opened on Tuesday, are trying to make sales at a time when the art market is in a slump and the world is in turmoil. - The New York Times
“The al-Kharrats say they are the only family in Syria who have continuously performed the Sema, as the dance is known, ... through years of war, repression and threats from extremist groups like ISIS. … Now, they say they are hopeful about new opportunities under the new Syrian government.” - The World
Before leading the festival, Gabriella Calicchio had more than 25 years of experience in the arts, including as managing director of Minneapolis’ nonprofit Children’s Theatre Company and as chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Family Museum. - The Oregonian
"Before their arrival, my classmates had been editorial assistants and reporters and interns for major publications. I had been working nights as a package handler at a UPS warehouse for three years, heaving iPhones and Zabar’s coffee and countless frosty boxes of Omaha Steaks onto a conveyor belt." - LitHub
When AI systems learn about Canadian culture, history, and events, they should be learning from trusted, structured, Canadian sources - not filtered scraps from engagement-driven platforms. - LinkedIn
“At the Shanghai International Film Festival on Thursday, a collection of Chinese studios revealed that they are turning to AI to re-imagine around 100 classics of the genre.” - The Hollywood Reporter
Fuelled by an enterprising spirit born from recent adversity, many have found new ways to inject life into their communities and cultural arenas. In Midtown, where the rhythms of jazz bars carry into the streets, a flourishing arts scene spills out of celebrated galleries like the Detroit Institute of Arts. - National Geographic
The phrase “impostor syndrome” often elicits a fierce sense of identification, especially from millennial and Gen X women. When I put out a call on Twitter for experiences of impostor syndrome, I was flooded with responses. - The New Yorker
