Matthew Westphal – Page 927 – ArtsJournal Wayback

How Chicago’s Indie Theater Community Developed A Code Against Abuse And Harassment That’s Spreading Around The U.S.

In the wake of the real-sex-and-violence scandal that led to the collapse of Chicago’s Profiles Theatre in the summer of 2016, actors Lori Myers and Laura T. Fisher “responded to what they and so many other insiders knew by methodically creating a 30-page working document” – titled Not in Our House – “[that] any company can sign on to: guidance in how to create safe working environments, what to do if an actor gets too physical onstage, or if a director suggests a cast member should go home with him (or her) to work on ‘chemistry.'”

The Tortured-Artist Mystique Is A Myth: Misery Does Not Make For Better Art, If We Can Believe The Market

“A hue of angst and despair might make work more interesting – jury’s out on that – but it doesn’t make it more valuable. In fact, work created during what the researchers call ‘period of bereavement’ was up to 35 percent less valuable than a given artist’ other pieces. On top of that, the morose works were less likely to be included in the collections of major museums.”

So, Was The Bolshoi’s Nureyev Ballet Worth All The Brouhaha?

“By portraying gay love as beautiful and dignified, the ballet transcended its buffoonery and did justice to its subject.” Joy Neumeyer gives an eyewitness report of the long line to buy the (few) tickets available to the public, the crowds in the theater, and the actual production.

Women Artists At Auction Get Prices Half Those Of Men

“The findings, published in the paper, ‘Is gender in the eye of the beholder? Identifying cultural attitudes with art auction prices’, reveal that works by women fetch on average 47.6% less than those by men at auction.”

Did A Tourist In Bethlehem Just Get A Photo Of Banksy?

“Is the secretive street artist Banksy actually a fedora-sporting middle-aged white guy who dresses ‘inconspicuous’ when he goes out stenciling? That certainly seems to be the case if the photo snapped by 24-year-old British tourist Jason Stellios and published by the Daily Mail is to be believed.”

Investigation Into Royal New Zealand Ballet After Dancer Exodus

The board of directors of the national company has commissioned an independent inquiry following the departure of more than half of of RNZB’s dancers since the arrival in June of new artistic director Patricia Barker. (Another third of the dancers had left under the previous artistic director.)

Sales Of Literary Fiction Are Plummeting In Britain: Study

“The report [for Arts Council England] analysed sales data from Nielsen BookScan and found that between 2007 and 2011, hardback fiction sales slumped by £10m. Paperback fiction had a more extreme dip, seeing declines almost every year after 2008. In 2011, paperback fiction sales were £162.6m; by 2012, they were £119.8m.”

Arts Are Spared Further Cuts In Scotland’s Next Budget

“The Scottish Government’s draft budget for 2018/19 has set out measures to protect funding for arts organisations, despite earlier warnings that subsidy was likely to be cut. Under proposals announced today (December 14) by cabinet secretary for finance and the constitution Derek Mackay, the overall culture budget for will be £166.8 million, an increase of almost 10% on 2017/18 figures.”

When A Pack Of Opera Stars Goes Out For Karaoke

“It was a bit like going ice skating at Rockefeller Center, only to discover that Michelle Kwan was also there, breezing through axels and lutzes.” A reporter follows Susan Graham, Paul Groves, Jamie Barton, Barry Banks, and other singers currently at the Met as they let loose at a karaoke bar. “Bohemian Rhapsody”? Piece of cake.

Author: Matthew Westphal