"Locals are hoping it will change (Eastbourne's) reputation and place it on a (larger) cultural stage. But as shown by the experiences of other English seaside towns, big-city culture often dovetails with an influx of new residents and concerns about unfairly shared benefits often follow." - The New York Times
Lance Gardner, who'd given "rock-star performances" in a huge variety of roles, gave up acting in 2019 to become live events producer for public radio/tv outlet KQED. Now he's the new artistic director at the Marin Theatre Company. - MSN (San Francisco Chronicle)
Mostly well, writes Peter Dobrin. The three major offerings got a very warm reception from audiences and critics alike; one sold out its last three performances. But one of them — "one of Opera Philadelphia’s best-ever productions" — played to a large but only half-full house. - MSN (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
"On Wednesday night, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers declared that negotiations with SAG-AFTRA are suspended, given that the gap between the parties is 'too great.'" In response, the actors' union accused the studios of "bully tactics." - The Hollywood Reporter
"The grants, ranging from $56,000 to more than $2 million for a three-year period, are intended to fund programs to attract new audiences, whether that means extending free hours or offering free meals." - NPR
"Utah became the latest state to file a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging the company is 'baiting' children into addictive and unhealthy social media habits. … Arkansas and Indiana have filed similar lawsuits while the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to decide whether state attempts to regulate social media platforms violate the Constitution." - AP
"A memo circulated to NPR staff says traffic has dropped by only a single percentage point as a result of leaving Twitter, now officially renamed X, though traffic from the platform was small already and accounted for just under two percent of traffic before the posting stopped." - Nieman Reports
The audiobook’s ascent into full-blown aesthetic autonomy came with the arrival of the iPod and its MP3 file format in 2001, and, as of 2023, more than half the U.S. population has listened to an audiobook (in Sweden, they outsell hardcovers). - The New Yorker
At one time, there was one Banksy who had a graffiti career and a famous “beef” in the subculture with London graffiti legend Robbo. That time is gone. Banksy is now a collective of artists who work together to produce thoughtful, provocative and subversive pieces and installations. - The Conversation
“To a certain extent, all museums are colonial constructions, and some people have argued that true decolonization would require shutting down every single museum because they’re born out of a colonial approach to the other." - The New York Times
Is it the ultimate pairing of the lowbrow (baseball cap) and the highbrow (literature)? Or is it wearing books as one might wear cult fashion labels — and the uncanny performance of it all? Does it matter? - The New York Times
Drama school leaders are at the sharp end: the issues experienced by the wider theatre sector often land first in drama schools, in raw, unfiltered and unrehearsed and powerful form. - The Stage
As the nonprofit world shrivels in importance, mass media consolidates and grows more influential, and its stars grow ever more powerful, as the economic tidal waves accompanying the summer’s two largest concert tours, by Swift and Beyoncé, have demonstrated. - San Francisco Classical Voice
"If I’m making a piece, whether I’m meaning for it to be political or not, I have to be aware that if I have even just a singular Black body in space, it’s considered political, let alone if I have a white dancer (as well)." - W Magazine
The UK now has 1,500 volunteer-run venues, according to Jaq Chell, CEO of the charity Cinema for All, which supports them with everything from licensing and insurance to equipment. Some are just pop-ups in pubs or community halls. - The Guardian
