The page was entitled “Creepy Portrait Art,” and the pictures were, as promised, incredibly creepy. Dozens of student portraits, mostly in crayon, depicted a grab bag of nightmarish externalization: twelve- and thirteen-year-olds with bleeding wounds, sutured mouths, and dangling eyeballs. - The Walrus
We still live in the world Condé Nast and its intimidating editors created. We just don’t know how to make sense of it, because we lack the requisite curatorial eyes. - Washington Post (MSN)
As the project rises on global charts and dominates Viral 50 playlists, artists and industry professionals are asking urgent questions about authenticity, consent and the future of music creation. - ArtsHub
It’s the latest outbreak of a recurring argument: the central government in Delhi (in Hindi-speaking north-central India) pushes for Hindi in place of the British colonizers’ tongue, while other states argue that with English, every region is on an equal footing and Hindi won’t crowd out their own languages. - Deutsche Welle
Social connections establish pathways of influence that can facilitate the spread of germs, mental illness and even behaviors. We can be profoundly influenced by others within our social networks, for better or for worse. - The Conversation
House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee recommended 35 percent cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) budget, and a 17.2 percent reduction in the Kennedy Center’s budget. If passed, this would be the NEA’s lowest allocation since 2007. - American Theatre
It is unmistakably a work of contemporary architecture, a radical departure for Jacob’s Pillow. As such, it must be judged not only on how successfully it performs its programmatic duties but also on its implications for the character of the campus. In other words, is it a good neighbor? - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)
The measure, known formally as a “rescission package,” is a request from President Donald Trump to take back $9 billion in funds that Congress has already appropriated for foreign aid and public broadcasting. - Poynter
“Many cultural workers and some billionaire museum founders have chosen to leave Russia; others have felt compelled to do so after warnings that they could be imprisoned. Here is how four private Russian museums are faring in this difficult environment.” - The Art Newspaper
The invitation to contribute to the redesign will therefore show two things. It will tell us how the country sees itself. It will also demonstrate the contradictions around national symbols and the exclusions they can produce. - The Conversation
Nazi interest in the Bayeux tapestry may seem surprising to British people, where the tapestry is considered a symbol of a singularly significant moment in Britain’s history. However, just as politicians in modern Britain have found it tempting to reference the tapestry. - The Conversation
Because we’re social creatures, your recommendation page will pressure you to watch or participate in these trends, so you can feel caught up on the latest cultural references. - LitHub
In the past 18 months, the Punta Gorda Symphony and the Fort Myers-based Southwest Florida Symphony have gone under. Meanwhile, the Sarasota Orchestra and Naples Philharmonic are doing rather well — and there are reasons for the difference. - Naples (Fla.) Daily News
Slatkin held the post — in this particular case, a sort of interim music director position — twenty years ago, from 2006 to 2009, between the tenures of music directors Kenneth Schermerhorn and Giancarlo Guerrero. With Guerrero having stepped down, Slatkin is returning for another three-year term. - WZTY (Nashville)
“(The 21st-century’s neo-burlesque) feels relevant to 2025 – in step with drag and queer culture, and in line with the broader movement towards diversity and inclusivity that we've seen in the last decade. Yet what's surprising about some of the new burlesque offerings is how old-fashioned they seem.” - BBC
