No projects in the applicant pool in Volusia County (the Daytona Beach area) involved drag in any way. But unrelated rental events at two applicant venues did; one of them was an annual Halloween showing of the now-50-year-old Rocky Horror Picture Show. That was all the justification the cutters needed. - Orlando Sentinel (Yahoo!)
No technological breakthrough will ever nullify the wisdom of these playwrights. The shadow of death sentences us to live in endless search of elusive meaning. But the introduction of artificial intelligence has given a new prism through which to view these unresolved existential questions. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
As big money has rolled into the sector, so too has a desire from companies to rely on solid gold intellectual property to bring in the crowds – with mixed results. - The Guardian
“In a world with fewer contracts than aspiring dancers, and a long history of training dancers to silently acquiesce, it can feel taboo to express discomfort or refuse an opportunity. But artists sometimes have to contend with a role that seems culturally insensitive, exacerbates an injury, or otherwise feels wrong.” - Dance Magazine
That may be an ideal, but the reality is more complicated. The orchestra receives a subsidy from the government, typically reported to be around 15 percent, and is described in its official biography as “Israel’s premier cultural ambassador.” - The New York Times
The group is calling for retrospective settlements for previous unauthorised use, for transparent disclosure of training datasets and for fair licensing agreements to ensure creators are properly credited and compensated for their contributions to AI development. - The Art Newspaper
Being the director of a major museum in London is no easy task, but I think we can separate the dire situation of the public-sector art world and the fact that artists can’t afford to see exhibitions. - The Guardian
Ellin Stein looks at what’s fact and what’s fiction in director Richard Linklater’s film about Lorenz Hart on the opening night of Oklahoma!, Richard Rodgers’s first show with his other lyricist, Oscar Hammerstein II. - Slate (Yahoo!)
Birding is not the only hobby with an app problem. So many leisure pursuits now have their own gamified digital platforms: Untappd for beer enthusiasts. Strava for runners. Ravelry for knitters. Fishbrain for fishermen. Beli for foodies. Goodreads and Letterboxd for bookworms and movie buffs. The list goes on. - The Atlantic
The cinema, which is a charity, has a bustling roster of volunteers to help keep it running. They have eight paid staff and 60-70 volunteers whose ages range from 14 to 80. - The Guardian
“The Palestinian-Israeli collective behind the film rejected a deal from Mubi, the company behind hits such as The Substance, after controversy over ties to an investment firm linked to the Israeli military.” - The Guardian (UK)
“Drafted in the decade before To Kill a Mockingbird, after Lee had first moved to New York City in 1949, the stories feature some of the characters and settings she would soon make famous and reveal some of the contradictions and conflicts she would spend her life trying to resolve.” - The Guardian
“Amid swirling reports of bidding interest by Paramount Global, the WBD board of directors says is it ‘has initiated a review of strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value.’” (That’s finance-bro-euphemism for “We’re for sale for the right price.”) The board’s statement added that there is “unsolicited interest” from “multiple parties.” - The Hollywood Reporter
“The effort to offer up to $95 million in tax credits to Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery for a new film production facility in the Vegas suburbs didn’t win enough legislative support earlier this year. But more than a dozen labor unions are pushing to revive the proposal during an expected special session next month.” - AP
“Spanish police are investigating the disappearance of a Picasso painting, insured for €600,000 ($700,000), which vanished while traveling from Madrid to an exhibition in Granada … The gouache and pencil piece, Still Life with Guitar (1919), was meant to join more than 50 works in a new exhibition at the Caja Granada Foundation.” - Artnet
