“Americans for the Arts and the MetLife Foundation have announced a series of 20 national arts forums to take place from coast to coast during the remainder of 2005. The goal of the MetLife Foundation National Arts Forum series is to identify as many major shared issues as possible and, more important, the strategies being developed to tackle them.”
Blog
Anti-Commercial Theatre That Isn’t Non-Profit
Seattle’s Capitol Hill Arts Center is a classic non-profit theatre that has chosen not to run as a non-profit. “CHAC, pronounced ‘shack,’ is for-profit, meaning it gets no public and private donations. CHAC survives on ticket sales, building rentals and concessions. Yet CHAC also is anti-commercial and has no intention of using the tools designed to protect nonprofits from having to bow to the bottom line – government grants and fund-raising campaigns.”
Shocker: Kudelka To Leave Canada’s National Ballet
The National Ballet of Canada was shocked Wednesday when artistic director James Kudelka announced he would step down. “I am proud that the National Ballet is now a different company than the one I inherited and has developed its own role in the dance world, rather than emulating others. When I watch the company perform, I know that they are giving a performance that you could not see anywhere else.”
A Repertory Ensemble Company For Tacoma?
Tacoma Actors Guild Theatre, which shut down operations last December, is considering an idea to create an old-style salaried repertory company. “Years ago, acting companies were the foundation for many of the country’s greatest theaters, but they fell out of favor because of the expense of keeping actors on salary.” Under the plan, TAG would cast a company of 12 to 20 actors contracted for one year in January.
Ballet West Dancers Charge Bad Faith By Management
“Ballet West dancers have asked the American Guild of Musical Artists to file unfair labor practice charges against the company with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging management has refused to bargain in good faith.”
Europeans Eye Movie Distribution Over The Web
Culture ministers from across Europe see the internet as a way to improve distribution of European culture and compete against Hollywood. “The fact this discussion has taken place in Cannes this year and the fact all these culture ministers, ISP providers and industry figures have got together to discuss it, shows that using online distribution is imminent.”
Even On Sale, Tourists Avoiding The US
“At the start of what should be a booming summer season, with the entire country virtually on sale because of the falling value of the dollar, an international pall has settled over the US travel industry. More foreign tourists are coming to the US but not in the numbers expected. The problem is not economic, but political, travel and international-relations experts agree. A poor US image abroad, coupled with overblown concerns about visa and security hassles, is keeping international visitors away.”
Pittsburgh’s New Museums Chief
The new president of Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museums comes from a corporate background, but boasts of a lifetime spent appreciating and supporting art. His duties will include keeping the bottom line healthy while simultaneously increasing the museums’ community profile and national prestige. “The museums, founded by Andrew Carnegie 110 years ago, are comprised of the Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center and The Andy Warhol Museum.”
Keeping Memory Alive
Archives are an underappreciated art, a tangible example of institutional memory lovingly maintained, frequently by individuals who don’t want their personal passion forgotten. But therein lies one of the greatest challenges of the professional archivist: what happens when an amateur in charge of some vast and important archive dies without stipulating what is to become of her/his life’s work? It happens far too often, and frequently, the result is that the archive is scattered to the winds.
Where’s The Accountability?
A few decades back, a museum that sold off some of its more valuable artworks to raise cash would find itself thrust into a firestorm of criticism, and most museums actually found it necessary to be accountable to the public that streamed through their doors. No more. Today, museums and libraries seem to feel free to divest themselves of whatever treasures are necessary to fund their latest flights of fancy, and Michael Kimmelman is tired of it. “It’s time for transparency. Increasingly, we demand it from government, the media and Wall Street, in response to dwindling public faith. The same should apply to libraries and museums, which also regularly test our trust.”