Author: Douglas McLennan

THE CULTURE WARS

“There is a direct connection between the ethics of a society and its architecture and art. Today’s culture of ugliness and ‘geography of nowhere’ need to be replaced by a physical and cultural environment that enchants life, inspires faith, and encourages learning. The spiritual and evangelical communion more and more Americans seek requires a cultural language that artists and poets alone can provide.” – The Idler

HIGH RENTS FORCE ARTISTS OUT

“The exodus of artists from Santa Monica has been both rapid and dramatic. When consultants hired to gauge the extent of the problem conducted a survey of artists’ spaces in May, there were 156 live/work and studio spaces left in the city. After the report on “Strategies To Preserve and Enhance Affordable Artist Housing and Studio Space” was typed up, the number had dropped to 117. By the time the final draft was presented to Santa Monica’s Arts Commission on July 10, there were only 78 studios left, half the number just two months ago.” – LA Weekly

A MATTER OF QUALITY TEACHING

A debate rages in Australia about the value – or lack thereof – of a liberal arts degree. But those defending the idea of a liberal arts education are missing a crucial point, writes one critic. The fact is, he says, is that the quality of liberal arts teaching is low in Australian universities because the schools don’t pay enough to attract quality teachers. – Sydney Morning Herald

THE BIG BUSINESS OF NON-PROFIT

New York’s Roundabout Theatre was almost bankrupt a few years ago. Tonight it moves into a new $25 million home and has money in the bank. “To some extent, the journey of this one nonprofit theater – from basement to Broadway, from bankruptcy to becoming the country’s second-largest nonprofit theater with an annual budget of $20 million – stands as a powerful example of how much the world of nonprofit theater has changed.” – New York Times

THEATRE AID

American actor Kevin Spacey has started a new company that he hopes will raise more than £1 million to fund new UK theatre venues and productions. “One of his ideas for boosting theatre attendance is to introduce film shows so that places like the Old Vic don’t just ‘rest on tradition’.” – BBC

APOLITICAL COWS ONLY

A federal US judge has allowed the rejection of a decorated art cow proposed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The animal rights group wanted to enter its cow – bearing anti-meat messages – from New York’s art-cow parade currently on view in the city. – Yahoo! (Reuters)

COMBATING LOOTED ART

A committee of MPs in the English Parliament proposed laws yesterday to make it a criminal offense to trade in looted artifacts and stolen artwork. The move is to combat the growing illicit market for illegally exported objects, estimated at between £150 million and £2 billion a year. Suggested measures included setting up a national database of stolen art, expediting legislation to facilitate the return of Nazi-looted art, and allowing museum trustees to return human remains on display in British museums. – The Guardian

  • NEED HELP: “At present, there are no import controls on cultural property entering Britain unless they are subject to other controls, for example in relation to firearms – a position that many in the museums trade find untenable.” – The Independent (UK)

DOES A NEW LIBRARY REALLY NEED BOOKS?

Marquette University is building a new library. Only one problem – too many books to get in the way. Originally the $70 million library was to be conventional – just bigger. “But that began to seem old-fashioned. Now, the proposal is to keep books in the old library, and in the new one create a cyber cafe, complete with Internet hookups, a ‘technology warehouse,’ and spaces for live video conferences and large, computer-driven presentations. ” – Chicago Tribune