“A judge upheld the claim by Japanese company Shirayama Shokusan that the London Saatchi Gallery had continually breached the term of its lease. The judge said Danovo, the firm which runs the gallery, had shown ‘deliberate disregard’ of the owners’ rights.”
Blog
San Francisco Says Goodbye To Rosenberg
Departing San Francisco Opera director Pamela Rosenberg is feted for her accomplishments with the company as she departs. “At the end of evening, the departing general director had some understandable difficulty maintaining her composure while acknowledging the standing ovation she received and the city and opera community she is leaving.”
Producers Screws Up With The Press In Chicago
A New York producer bringing a show to Chicago bars Sun-Times theatre critic Hedy Weiss from attending a press conference announcing the show, then tortures the press he does allow inside by ambushing them with a game. Dumb move. Both the Sun-Times and Tribune protested…
Habitually Rewiring Our Brains
Habits are extremely difficult to break. Why? Turns out there’s a physiological reason. “Important neural activity patterns in a specific region of the brain change when habits are formed, change again when habits are broken, but quickly re-emerge when something rekindles an extinguished habit — routines that originally took great effort to learn.”
World (Without US) Votes To Protect National Culture
Some 150 countries have voted yes to a UNESCO convention that they say will protect cultural diversity. The US was not among the countries. “The US had said the ‘deeply flawed” convention could be used to block the export of Hollywood films and other cultural exports. The vote follows French moves to protect its film and music industries.”
Where Are The Hot New UK Playwrights
“Which, if any, current playwrights might become household names in years to come. Alongside Harold Pinter, the 1950s and 1960s brought a plethora of acclaimed playwrights, including a trio of Sirs – David Hare, Tom Stoppard and Alan Ayckbourn. But as television and film gained increasing prominence, new playwrights have struggled to enter our national consciousness.”
Middle America Gets Some Hollywood Clout
Indianapolis’s Heartland Film Festival has found a growing niche in films that appeal to middle America. “Heartland’s rising profile hints that Tinseltown might be outgrowing its tin ear for middle America, a culture that’s both savvier and more proactive than the “Peoria” of old – and a bloc whose consumer clout keeps growing. Some 580 films were submitted to Heartland this year, up from 330 in 2004.”
Book Publishers Become Book Sellers
Major book publishers have quietly gone into the online bookselling business. “The publishers, including Simon & Schuster, Random House and Penguin, claim to have limited retail ambitions and are simply trying to use their websites to help readers. ‘We can offer features, services and guidance that might be difficult for another retailer to provide. What we’re not going to be is competitors to Amazon or any other retailer in this area’.”
Pompidou Aims At Museum In Singapore
The Pompidou is joining up with casino company Harrah’s to develop a new museum in Singapore. “This provides us a unique opportunity to develop/propose a concept to help Singapore enhance its global cultural offering.”
BBC – Missing A Chance At Download Culture?
“Last week the BBC announced the end of music on the World Service while, in practically the same breath, assuring Parliament that it has an absolute right to deliver music to all corners of the earth. Bewildered? So are the troops.” The bigger question is – is the BBC missing out on delivering content worldwide in an age of downloading?