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London Museums Should Charge Foreign Tourists Admission Fees, Says Former Director Of British Museum

Mark Jones, who stepped in as interim director last summer amid the stolen-items crisis, says that admission should remain free for under-25s and UK residents but, citing the Louvre's €22 fee, suggests a £20 ($25) price for others. Jones also says the Parthenon (Elgin) Marbles should return to Greece. - The Standard (London)

“Carnegie Hall Of The West” Is For Sale

Harvest Rock Church is asking $45 million for the 1,200-seat auditorium near the Old Pasadena district that has also hosted jazz greats including Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Brubeck and Dizzy Gillespie. It has been called “the Carnegie Hall of the West” by fans. - Los Angeles Times

The Extraordinary Female Composer Whose 1835 Opera Has Been Rescued From Oblivion

Will Crutchfield: "(Carolina) Uccelli was indeed extraordinary, and so is the single surviving opera" — Anna di Resburgo — "by which we can assess her abilities. Behind it lies a human story, touching and somewhat sad, to which there is now a chance to add a happy postscript." - The New York Times

LA’s Jazz Clubs Are Under Stress. Can They Survive?

The city is brimming with jazz musicians releasing stellar albums and taking risks live. But is L.A. so expensive and disconnected that it’s risking such rooms? - Los Angeles Times

Dance Company Accuses Louvre Of Stealing Its Idea For Museum Workout

"This spring, art lovers in Paris had the rare chance to participate in an early morning workout at the Louvre, enjoying yoga and dance moves while running through the galleries. … Monica Bill Barnes and Company has accused the Louvre of copying the Museum Workout, its popular program at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art." - Artnet

Right-Wingers Are Banning Books From Schools In Brazil, Too

"Works targeted for banning typically involve race, gender and the LGBTQ+ communities. … Although scattered through different states and cities, the cases have a common factor: there are usually politicians behind them, and in most cases, they support the former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro." - The Guardian

Accused Attacker Of Salman Rushdie Rejects Plea Deal

"Hadi Matar was charged with second-degree attempted murder and assault in connection with the attack. He has pleaded not guilty. … The deal required a guilty plea to ... second-degree attempted murder for a sentence of 20 years" followed by 10 to 20 years in a federal prison on terrorism charges. - ABC News

The 2023 Cultural Infrastructure Index: Seven Takeaways

"The findings … will likely surprise no one as they reflect the 'mixed picture' of the broader economic outlook. So, while there are many more new projects that have been completed or that lie ahead, spending on newly announced projects is lower, amid broader belt-tightening in the arts world." - Artnet

It Seems The Paramount/Skydance Merger Is On Again (For Now)

"In a holiday week shocker, Skydance Media and Shari Redstone’s National Amusements Inc. have quietly renewed acquisition talks and have reached a tentative agreement to acquire Paramount Global" — although the studio will reportedly have 45 days to look for a better deal. - Variety

Producer Garth Drabinsky’s Antitrust Lawsuit Against Actors’ Equity Is Thrown Out

"The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled that the producer could not continue with his $50 million lawsuit alleging that the Actors’ Equity Association violated antitrust and various state laws, including defamation," and illegally prevented him from producing Broadway shows by boycotting him. - AP

Screenwriter Robert Towne, 89, Oscar-Winner For “Chinatown”

He was also an Oscar nominee for Shampoo (starring Warren Beatty), The Last Detail, and Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, and he both wrote and directed four features, including Tequila Sunrise. He was also popular as an uncredited script doctor, contributing to, among other films, The Godfather. - CNN

Why Should We Have To Allow Facial Recognition To Use Ordinary Services?

There’s something disconcerting about a sophisticated piece of surveillance technology deployed for something as banal as selling candy. - The Walrus

San Francisco Symphony Threatens To Ban Patron Over Protest Sign

Amid growing public outrage over the Board of Governors’ failure to retain the acclaimed Finnish conductor beyond his five-year contract ending after the 2024-25 season, audience member Laura Leibowitz displayed a sign during the June 21 performance that read “F— the board” in Salonen’s native language. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)

Ownership Of Ancient Culture Is Getting Very Very Complicated

If a statue cast in Rome 2,000 years ago is discovered in Greece, Cyprus or Turkey, would it belong to one of those states, or would Italians have a claim over Roman antiquities on the ground that they share a culture — whatever that may mean — with ancient Romans? - The New York Times

US State Department Appoints 11 Musicians As Cultural Ambassadors

The State Department introduced 11 global music ambassadors who are charged with bridging cultural divides through poetry and melody at a time when the chasm separating Americans from each other and their neighbors abroad seems wider than ever. - Washington Post (MSN)

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