During her 11-year term, Suzanne Nossel, who was previously a top exec at Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International USA, oversaw a major expansion of PEN America's activities and the sextupling of its budget — as well as furious arguments among the membership over the war in Gaza. - Publishers Weekly
"The word, used by singer Charli XCX as the title of her sixth studio album, has been defined as 'characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.' Collins lexicographers said on Friday that in the phrase 'brat summer,' it became 'one of the most talked about words of 2024.'" - AP
Musicians are "benefiting from the capricious, catholic taste of a generation of listeners who came of age with access to nearly the entire catalog of recorded music via streaming services and social media." - The New York Times
The company announced on Thursday that Amy Watson, a California-born dancer who joined the troupe in 2000, would serve as its next artistic director. - The New York Times
"Carrie’s final-act stinger was a turning point for jump scares, interrupting what appeared to be a peaceful epilogue. It united viewers in a shared moment of tension-puncturing shock; over the next decade, directors such as Tobe Hooper, Sam Raimi, and George Romero scrambled to deliver bigger and badder scares." - Atlas Obscura
In the post-pandemic world, the entertainment industry is still trying to establish consistency. Casinos, which were once thought to be recession-proof, now struggle to stay profitable. - The Walrus
From the 200-year-old trick known as Pepper's Ghost to holograms and deepfakes, "a whole host of techniques have been developed to demonstrate the concept of 'spirit' onstage, ranging from mindblowingly complicated to deceptively simple." - Playbill
Women have not been safe in recording studios, on tour buses, in green rooms or in offices. It’s not a bug of the music business; it’s a major feature. But we might finally be on the cusp of real change in the culture of the industry, thanks to shifts in the business model. - The New York Times
A philosophical theory can either go against common sense or it can support or justify common sense. Supporting common sense seems pointless. After all, what you are trying to prove is, by definition, already commonly recognized as the sensible view. - 3 Quarks Daily
I think this is important: memories and ideas happen in a place. An essay is a place for ideas; it has to feel like a place. It has to give one the feeling of entering a room. - The Georgia Review
After months of turmoil around allegations of drug use and bullying, the former New York City Ballet star, who led his homeland's flagship ballet company for 16 years, resigned last week following five months of medical leave. Acting artistic director Amy Watson now takes the position in full. - The New York Times
They often won’t just write about the work in question, but also about what’s going on in their lives. Digressions are frequent, sometimes even critical; talk about art leads to talk about books or gigs or other things. It’s not so much gonzo as an attempt to break down false, disembodied objectivity. - Artnet
I’ve come to think that “aesthetic chills” open a window onto the fact that there are decisively powerful areas of art experience that are only explained by admitting to stuff that you tend to suppress in order to make that experience respectable. - Artnet
Dozens of established and proven groups and individual artists have had the financial floor ripped from under them. As one company leader put it, "If you're from an organization that isn't from a traditionally marginalized group, it's currently not possible … to be funded as an arts group in Austin." - The Austin Chronicle
It’s not enough to merely assert these values or cite the longstanding commitments to educational programs, if the deeper work of orchestras is to play a role in sustaining American democracy. - Post Alley
