“Singapore has stopped its national library from destroying two children’s books with gay themes, after an outcry over literary censorship in the tightly regulated city-state.”
This Dancing-Kim-Jong-Un Video Has Made North Korea Very, Very Angry
“North Korea has asked China to stop the spread of a video clip lampooning leader Kim Jong-un. … [The DPRK government] feels the clip, which shows Kim dancing and Kung-Fu fighting [with various world leaders], ‘seriously compromises Kim’s dignity and authority’. Beijing was unable to oblige.” (includes video)
Whatever Happened To The Idea That The Internet Would Unleash Creativity?
“Free culture, like cheap food, incurs hidden costs.” Instead of serving as the great equalizer, the web has created an abhorrent cultural feudalism. The creative masses connect, create and labor, while Google, Facebook and Amazon collect the cash.
The Man Who Turned Paper Dolls Into An Art Form For Adults Dies At 85
“Meticulously drawn and colored, and annotated with historical information, Mr. Tierney’s paper-doll books are not just for children — and some are not for children at all. His aim, he often said, was to contribute to the visual literature of costume history.”
So Why Was Julie Crosby Unceremoniously Dumped From the Women’s Project Theatre?
“The way it was handled has created a situation we fear is damaging to the Women’s Project’s reputation, especially as it typifies the very thing we are committed to fighting — the lack of acknowledgment of the contribution of women to the American theater”
Does Playing Music In An Orchestra Increase Kids’ Emotional Health?
“They fully listen to both themselves and other people’s needs as they learn to enter their ‘musical world’ (when they get in touch with people and their inner music).”
In Praise Of (And In Search For) Broads
“Like a lot of theater fans, I’ve been mourning the death of brassy Broadway legend Elaine Stritch. It means there’s one less fabulous, foul-mouthed, talented, gin-swilling broad on this earth.”
Much Of The Century’s Best Literature Came Out Of World War I – Why?
“The Great War had a horrid novelty, in that it was Europe’s first war in almost a century and the first mechanized war. It began in idealism and naivete, and sooner rather than later many people realized that the whole thing was an apparently endless muddle.”
So, How Much Do Curators Get Paid?
“Freelance biennial curating is highly visible but relatively new as a paid occupation. Remuneration is shrouded in secrecy: most of the biennials mentioned in this article refused to comment on our findings.”
Dear Video Game Documentarians: Step Up Your Game
“All of this leaves me wanting more, specifically more context: such as what greater societal forces are shaping the types of games we play and why? And what do different games reveal about us as a culture?”
NYT Makes Fun Of The Fact It’s Reviewing James Franco’s Poetry – So, NYT, Do Better
“Despite the fact that it is not James Franco personally who makes being an artist difficult in today’s economy, it will forever be frustrating to see the space in august publications being taken up by reviews of his work that are well aware of the celebrity futility of reviews of his work.”
Can The Arts Help Revive This Chicago Neighborhood?
“I don’t think many people see arts and cultural as economic engines, but they are. As the ward has become more vibrant, that has not only energized the residents but attracted new businesses, homeowners.”
Yes, Amazon Has Introduced Another ‘Netflix For Books.’ Is It Worth It?
“Just remember that if you’re not one of those folks reading at least 13 books a year, then a $10 per month book service is probably not a top priority.”
Well, That’s One Fewer Competitor For Netflix And Amazon
As Microsoft lays off 18,000 people, one of the departments slashed is the Xbox Entertainment Studio, launched in 2012 and with nearly 20 series in some phase of development.
A Childhood Spent During The Philosophy Of Nudity
“Nudity proponents of every stripe harbored the romantic notion that humans are naked in their natural state and feel no shame about it. This belief provided the underlying justification for every gospel of nakedness — but we now know that it is mistaken.”
What If Washington, D.C.’s Sculptures Dealt With The Ugly Parts Of Our History?
“Perhaps in addition to building landmarks to the best parts of our past, the physical infrastructure of America’s capital should note the worst of it. If D.C. statues and monuments didn’t just exalt, but also criticized, would we face reality more squarely?”
The Dance World Has To Do More To Keep Merce Cunningham’s Work Alive
“It’s always a pleasure to see Cunningham choreography these days. No choreography is a keener tonic to the dancegoer’s palate, and what once felt difficult now looks both absorbing and natural.”
San Diego Opera Settles With Its Former Director
“The opera said in a statement that it has mutually resolved its differences with Campbell and his ex-wife Ann Spira Campbell, a former high-ranking adminstrator at the company. It said the differences arose out of their former employment relationships with the opera.”
North Carolina Poet Laureate Resigns After Protests
“Less than a week into her role as North Carolina’s poet laureate, Valerie Macon, a self-published poet and state employee, resigned over questions about her literary credentials and qualifications.”
The Art Of Tests (How Testing Makes Us Smarter)
“The question is how to structure and use tests effectively. One insight that we and other researchers have uncovered is that tests serve students best when they’re integrated into the regular business of learning and the stakes are not make-or-break, as in standardized testing. That means, among other things, testing new learning within the context of regular classes and study routines.”
So Opera Is Dying, Says The Met. But Does The Evidence Back That Up?
“At its best, no art form is more thrilling than grand opera, yet none is at greater risk of following the dinosaurs down the cold road to extinction. The New York City Opera was forced to close its doors last year after seven decades of introducing nonrich New Yorkers to big-house opera. That could happen to the Met, too, unless Mr. Gelb—or his successor—takes a searching look at the company’s artistic policy.”
Shubert Organization, A Broadway Powerhouse, Moves Into Off-Broadway
“The Shubert Organization, a major Broadway player that owns 17 of the 40 theaters there, is positioning itself to move into the commercial Off Broadway sector in a significant way with the acquisition of the New World Stages complex, according to three theater executives with knowledge of the expected deal.”
Edinburgh Fringe To Begin Cinemacasts
“Productions from the Edinburgh fringe – including a one-man show from Steven Berkoff – are to be broadcast live to Odeon cinemas. The cinema chain has teamed up with online arts service Hibrow to bring live performances from the festival to [UK] cinemagoers in August.”