“The round of grants issued this week … gives boosts to ‘Local Impact’ projects that are aimed at helping small arts organizations work in poor and rural communities that lack cultural resources. Another category is Creative California Communities, in which nonprofit arts organizations use grant money to connect with neighborhoods in ways aimed at helping economic development or community cohesiveness. The third is an Artists in Schools program.”
Moore’s Law Has Predicted Tech Progress. But Now Moore’s Law Has Paused. So…
“All the things that have been driving everything that I do, the kinds of technology that have emerged out of here that have changed the world, have ridden on the fact that the cost of computing doesn’t just fall, it falls at an accelerating rate. And guess what? In the last two years, the price of each transistor has stopped falling. That’s a profound moment.”
Fragments Of Beautiful Roman Frescoes Uncovered In The South Of France
“In the Bouches-du Rhône in Arles, archaeologists have uncovered a sumptuous ancient treasure in what remains of a Roman villa dating from the 1st century BCE … After spending more than 2,000 years largely underground, the colors are still shimmering.”
What Makes American English American? Stealing Words And Making Them Up, Mostly
“We have stolen words from other languages, massaged them into new words, turned nouns into verbs and verbs into nouns, and smushed two words together to make new ones.”
Three Black Female Dance Legends Sitting Around Talking
“Why is [Misty Copeland’s] breakthrough possible now, and what does this civil rights triumph mean for the future of ballet’s performers and its audience? Copeland and … Raven Wilkinson and Carmen de Lavallade joined us live on stage for a conversation on July 17, moderated by writer and producer Susan Fales-Hill.” (video)
The Confused Thinking Behind the Kimono Protests at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts
“There is a great deal to unpack here, so let’s begin with the claims. These are principally that at worst the museum produced a racist event, or at the least one that was culturally insensitive and exploitive.” (Don’t miss the reader comments, more thoughtful than usual.)
Tennessee Preachers Try – And Fail – To Stop Youth Theater Production Of ‘Rent’
“In a scenario out of Footloose, a Tullahoma clergyman tried to unite local church leaders in opposition to a production of the musical Rent, performed by a mostly teen-aged cast. … [But] the only outward protest was a prayer circle of three to four people outside the theatre on opening night.” (includes Q&A with the show’s director)
The Best Social Network
“It is a silly, idiosyncratic piece of software, but so simple. It says: Here is a picture.”
Japan Cancels Zaha Hadid’s Olympic Stadium
“For many, the project’s cancellation is almost two years overdue.”
The Revolt Against Tourism (And Tourists, Maybe, As Well)
“Outraged by tourists’ boorish and disrespectful behavior, and responding to the complaints of their constituents, local officials around the world have begun to crack down on tourism, and the tourism industry, even in the face of opposition from their national governments, which want the tax revenue from tourists.”
The History Of The World’s Oldest Known Cello
“As it was a court instrument, the bass instrument was made for a chamber setting, with softer strings and gentler tones.”
‘Spring Awakening’ Revival Requires Actors Who Can Sign, Not Sing
“David J. Kurs, Deaf West’s artistic director, said gestural eloquence — clear, articulate signing — was one of the main qualities the creative team was looking for. So was rhythmic ability. Like hearing people, he said, only some deaf people can follow a beat.”
And The ‘Cats On The Internet’ Phenomenon Gets Another Museum Show
“The show … looks at why we love to watch cats—likely, it has to do with their contradictions: they are independent and yet often confined, indifferent yet, at times, quite willful.”
Leonardo’s Odd Piano Is Heard 500 Years Later
The flat bed of its interior is lined with golden spruce. Sixty-one gleaming steel strings run across it, similar to the inside of a baby grand.
Each is connected to the keyboard, complete with smaller black keys for sharp and flat notes. But unlike a piano, it has no hammered dulcimers. Instead, there are four spinning wheels wrapped in horse-tail hair, like violin bows.
Read more:
Why The Smithsonian Is Wrong Not To Take Down Its Bill Cosby SHow
“This isn’t about borrowing art from an unsavory rich guy; it’s about hosting an exhibition that celebrates the family life and character — “the personal importance of family to the collectors cannot be overstated,” reads one exhibition text — of a married man who by his own admission acquired Quaaludes to give to women he wanted to have sex with.”
New Initiative To Bring Diversity To Orchestras
“A new initiative will establish a groundbreaking fellowship program aimed at providing opportunities for under-served musicians at the graduate level. The intent is to help prepare them for the exceedingly competitive world of professional orchestras. The pilot program will start in the fall of 2016. It is the first program of its kind and could become a model for classical music organizations around the country.”
Hermitage Museum to Open a Contemporary Outpost in Moscow
“The 140,000-square-foot, 15-story Hermitage satellite, with a shrink-wrapped digital skin enclosing a porous, terraced interior, will be part of a mixed-use district developed on the grounds of the former ZiL auto plant, which manufactured limousines for Soviet leaders.”