Organizers called off the festival, scheduled for July 3-23, within minutes of an announcement by France’s President Macron that, because of the COVID epidemic, it would be unsafe to hold major summer events until at least mid-July. – France 24
Blog
Quibi Sees 1.7 Million Downloads In Its First Week
“The 1.7 million figure that [CEO Meg] Whitman cited does not indicate how many people signed up for the app, which is offering an extended 90-day free trial. Once the trial ends, Quibi … which offers shortform episodic programming … designed to be viewed on the go … will cost $5 with advertising and $8 without advertising.” – The Hollywood Reporter
Indie Bookstores In Crisis Turn To GoFundMe, But Site Won’t Turn Over Contributed Money
“High-profile booksellers seeking recourse have flocked to the platform. … Yet a number of the stores that were among the first to launch successful campaigns in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic are complaining that, to date, GoFundMe has not released the funds promised them. While some of the bookstores PW contacted declined to go on the record, others are going public.” – Publishers Weekly
Metropolitan Opera Plans A Gala For The Quarantine Age
“The ‘At Home Gala’ the company is planning for Saturday, April 25, … will feature more than 40 artists, including stars like Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann and Renée Fleming, performing from their homes and streamed on the company’s website, metopera.org.” – The New York Times
Even Burning Man Has Been Canceled
The giant annual alterna-conclave doesn’t take place until the end of August, but even so, “the organizers of Burning Man announced on Friday that they will not be assembling 80,000 people in the Nevada desert this summer to build giant works of art and then set them on fire.” – The Guardian
Pandemic Could Be An Opportunity To Rethink How Cities Work
We’re using cities differently while we’re under lockdown, but urbanists see this as an opportunity to maybe challenge the ways we have constructed and use urban areas. Cars, for example – do they have to be so dominant? – Wired
Peter Sellars On Art And Creativity After COVID
“My feeling is truly we are in the midst of a new era trying to be reborn,” he said, reached by phone in Culver City. “And, yes, the labor pains are fierce.” – Los Angeles Times
Essential Tool To Survive The Pandemic? Imagination
“Pandemics, wars, and other social crises often create new attitudes, needs, and behaviors, which need to be managed. We believe imagination — the capacity to create, evolve, and exploit mental models of things or situations that don’t yet exist — is the crucial factor in seizing and creating new opportunities, and finding new paths to growth.” – Harvard Business Review
Broadway Musicians Petition Their Union To Allow Streaming Of Show For COVID Relief
The show is a Disney concert from last year that producers want to use to raise money for COVID relief. All the unions had agreed except for the musicians union. “As musicians we have lost the opportunity to perform publicly, but this use of our recorded performance could have been a great tool to raise funds for people in our community that are in need,” the petition states in part. – Deadline
Dance That Becomes Dis-Dance
So how do you dance with others when you have to keep your distance? Online of course, and Dis-Dance parties allow you to dance together from the safety of your own room. – The News Hour (PBS)