A US judge has ruled that ISP Verizon must turn over names of cutomers suspected of downloading illegal copies of music to music producers. “The latest rulings mean consumers using dozens of popular Internet file-sharing programs can more easily be identified and tracked by copyright owners. Even for consumers hiding behind hard-to-decipher aliases, that could result in warning letters, civil lawsuits or even criminal prosecution.”
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Open Art Bazaar – Trying To Protect Italy’s Artifacts
There are about 6000 archaeological sites in Italy. And artifacts are stolen every day. Combatting the ever-growing trade in stolen art is a special squad of Italian police. “In more than 30 years of activity, the squad has retrieved about 185,000 works of art and 456,000 archaeological objects. The original force of a few dozen police officers has grown to 300, with branches throughout Italy and liaisons throughout the world. Its database of stolen art, called Leonardo, catalogs more than two million objects.”
Stolen Iraqi Art Turning Up
Some of the art stolen from Iraq’s National Museum is beginning to turn up after appeals in Baghdad. “Officials are using tips from citizens to hunt down stolen items, and trying to prevail on thieves to turn them in voluntarily. Muslim clerics, at the officials’ urging, have announced over mosque loudspeakers that anyone with looted items should return them to museum curators, no questions asked. U.S. reconstruction officials said they plan to air similar messages on Iraqi radio stations starting tonight. ‘It’s already working. I’ve heard from our friends that a number of objects were collected in mosques in the neighborhood after appeals from the imams of the mosques’.”
Hear Before You Play – Website Auditions New Music
So you’re an American orchestra looking for contemporary music to play. But it can be frustrating hunting down and auditioning scores. So the American Music Center has created NewMusicJukeBox. “The site offers access to audio recordings, downloadable music scores, and information on new music artists. Its creators describe it as an online marketplace where producers, performers, orchestra administrators, concert programmers, movie directors, choreographers, students, and audience members can easily hear music 24/7 by American composers.”
Reality Bites: Reality Craze Means Unemployed Writers
One thing about all those reality shows dominating the TV schedule – they don’t need writers. And so many sitcom and drama writers in Hollywood are hurting for work…
Cincinnati Boosts Arts Spending
While cities and states across America are cutting their arts budgets, Cincinnati is doubling its arts spending. “Even as budget cuts are forcing the elimination of entire city services, city leaders are doubling government support of the arts. City Council will vote today on a plan by Councilman Jim Tarbell to divvy up an unprecedented $2.2 million in grants to 17 organizations, including $350,000 to the opera to help fix up the north wing of Music Hall. “I will admit that I don’t know much about the opera, the symphony or the ballet – though I do enjoy going to them. It has just seemed to me that the city must recognize its growth potential, and the arts provides the biggest growth potential I can think of’.”
Wanted: One Saddam Lookalike
A play about the Iraq war opening in London, has posted an audition notice for a Saddam Hussein lookalike. “Open auditions for the part start next week at the Riverside Studios in west London. According to an advert in today’s edition of the Stage, “a black beret and flak jacket will be provided”, and in a further concession to lookalikes now gone to ground, moustaches will also be on offer.”
Public Protest Across US Over Education Cuts
US state governments with budget problems have been proposing cuts in education. But the public outcry is strong. “Since January, hundreds to thousands have protested in Arkansas and California, Maryland and New Jersey, Texas and at least 15 other states. The crowds in Frankfort and in Oklahoma City topped 20,000. New Yorkers hope a May 3 event will draw 30,000 in support of public schools. “The scale of the protests is as large and as extensive as we’ve seen since the ’82-’83 recession. And now, schools are more reliant on the states. So when the states cut back, the impact on local school districts is more severe than anything we’ve ever seen.”
Conceptual Construct – The Art Of Learning Performance Art
How does someone learn to be a performance artist? Can you learn how to smear that chocolate over your body or lock yourself up in a suitcase? “More students are studying performance practice, and more are studying its history and theory, in a range of departments: art history, performance studies, anthropology, curatorial programs. Still, even with performance as something of an entrenched category in the current cultural climate, it’s a lucky student who can find a sympathetic mentor in most traditional art schools.”
New Jersey Artists Protest Cuts
New Jersey’s arts council says that Gov. James McGreevey’s proposal to cut the state’s arts budget by 50 percent rather than eliminating it is not enough. “Of the cuts McGreevey made in the budget – which include social service programs and higher education – the loudest outcry has been from arts groups, who have made daily pleas at performances, waged letter writing campaigns and sent a barrage of e-mails to lawmakers.”