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Académie Française, Like Its Nation, Is Hopelessly Divided

“The elite club of 40 ‘immortals,’ as the members are known, that serves as the official guardian of the French language does not admit just anybody.” Indeed, these days they don’t admit anybody at all: there are three vacancies, and the membership cannot agree on candidates to fill them. As one critic puts it, “The academy is a boat adrift in a dry sea.” – The New York Times

Italy And France Kiss And Make Up Over Leonardo’s 500th Anniversary

Last fall, the culture ministry of Italy’s new populist government took exception to the Louvre’s plan to assemble an unprecedented number of da Vinci’s paintings for a major quincentennial show this fall. A ministry official accused the Louvre of “[leaving] Italy on the margins of a major cultural event” when “Leonardo is Italian; he only died in France” and cancelled all loans from Italy for the event. But, after a meeting last week, differences have been ironed out and the Louvre show will proceed as planned. – Hyperallergic

Gender-Switched ‘Company’ And ‘Come From Away’ Lead Olivier Award Noms

Come From Away, a Broadway transfer about the Newfoundlanders who welcomed grounded airlines on 9/11, and director Marianne Elliott’s revival of the Sondheim musical Company with the commitment-shy lead Bobby changed to Bobbie, each received nine nods. Leading the play category with eight nods is The Inheritance, a seven-hour epic about a group of gay men in New York. Among the many notable acting nominees is Ian McKellen, who could receive a record sixth Olivier for his King Lear. – The Guardian

Has Email “Productivized” Smart People Into Being Stupider?

On his website, Donald Knuth offers the following explanation for his refusal to use email: “Email is a wonderful thing for people whose role in life is to be on top of things. But not for me; my role is to be on the bottom of things.” The idea that the life of a professor should be radically different than other professions, and that universities should take far-reaching steps to allow faculty members to be “on the bottom of things” is easy to dismiss as eccentric utopianism. But the time has come to take Knuth’s vision seriously.  – Chronicle of Higher Education

Artist-Endowed Foundations Are A Growing Force In The Arts World

“Although representing only a small portion of all private foundations in the U.S., by virtue of their strong focus in the arts and direct charitable activities involving their art assets, artist-endowed foundations are an increasingly influential force shaping cultural philanthropy and stewarding the country’s artistic heritage.” – Inside Philanthropy

A Major New Player In Miami’s Visual Arts Scene Reveals Its Plans

The ArtCenter is finally announcing plans for its Cinderella-like windfall (one that, thanks to investments, has since swollen to $100 million, more than the endowment of any other South Florida visual arts organization, many of whom have been struggling to fund-raise even a fraction of that sum). It will be moving to the mainland Miami neighborhood of Little Haiti, where it will build a new $30 million, 40,000-square-foot art center with 22 studios for resident artists, a 2,500-square-foot exhibition space, a 120-seat theater, as well as classrooms and work spaces for an expanded array of instructional courses on mediums like painting and filmmaking. – The New York Times