“I wasn’t closeted — I just never declared. And yet the reaction to that New York magazine excerpt was wild. Suddenly I’m ‘coming out.’ At my age! Diane, my wife, and I laughed about it. ... If I was in a closet, it was made of glass and full of light.” - The Hollywood Reporter
Lip-syncing a minute of animation could take up to four hours. An animator would listen to an audio track and laboriously adjust character mouths frame by frame. But a one-minute scene took 15 minutes for the A.I. tool to sync, including time spent by an artist to refine a few spots. - The New York Times
So far, the overall impression of the mayor’s social presence is of an ambassador pounding the pavement and taking Muni from West Portal to Market Street, from Mission Bay to Golden Gate Park. - San Francisco Chronicle
The spending review is an opportunity for the government to make public its fine-tuning of fiscal planning. It’s also an opportunity for theatremakers to make clear to ministers the sector’s financial need. This year feels different – as though there’s more chance for theatre to be heard. - The Stage
Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham: “It’s like a working vacation, and many of us call it opera camp. I feel like the place itself is magic and the opera company optimizes that.” - The New York Times
Worldwide, this idea of investing in the creative industries has seen an uptick over the last decade as governments realize filmmaking, visual arts, music, fashion, design, dance, theater and craftsmanship can not only galvanize economies but also help countries present themselves in a positive light. - The New York Times
According to the report, more than three quarters of arts centres are unable to carry out planned building work amid growing financial pressures. More than 60% of arts centres surveyed reported having had no renovation or refurbishment in the past decade. - The Stage
Although the story is not based on reality, the experience of the story makes it real. A study from 2017 showed that the themes that people consider most important in their lives align with the fictional stories that they say most resonate with them. - Psyche
“Rural libraries in red states … know how to work with very little and maximize what they’ve got. But it’s that very resourcefulness that is making the cuts or freezes — depending on whom you ask — at the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services so challenging for these communities.” - Publishers Weekly
“Philadelphia’s long-sought shrine to sculptor Alexander Calder will open its doors to the public Sept. 21, officials announced Tuesday. ... The sculpture garden (will be) the first new major attraction (on) the Benjamin Franklin Parkway since the relocation of the Barnes Foundation in 2012.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
Temporarily, at least: “The European Union agreed Tuesday to provide emergency funds to help keep Radio Free Europe afloat after the Trump administration stopped grants to the pro-democracy media outlet, accusing it of promoting a news agenda with a liberal bias.” - AP
Deborah Rutter: “I stand by my assertion that at the time of my departure, the Kennedy Center was fiscally sound. … This malicious attempt to distort the facts, which were consistently, transparently and readily available in professionally audited financial reports, recklessly disregards the truth.” - Deadline
After the Whitney moved downtown in 2015, the Metropolitan Museum operated the building as the Met Breuer until the 2020 pandemic. Sotheby’s acquired 945 Madison Avenue in 2023 and brought on Herzog & de Meuron to renovate it. Both the exterior and the first floor’s interior have been landmarked. - The Architect’s Newspaper
It’s also the first time the prize has gone to a book never published in its particular form in the original language. Translator Deepa Bhasthi selected 12 Kannada-language short stories written by Indian author Banu Mushtaq between 1990 and 2023 and published them as the collection Heart Lamp, this year's winner. - BBC
