Blog

Sudden Closing Of LA’s Marciano Foundation Raises Questions About Private Arts Institutions

“We need to think about how we regulate these institutions. And maybe ask, why are they tax exempt to begin with? Are the benefits outweighing the costs to the public?” The Marciano situation has also highlighted issues of pay equity at museums, which frequently have a coterie of well-remunerated administrators at the top, followed by a much larger subset of poorly paid workers at the bottom, many part time. – Los Angeles Times

Trust Science? We Need To Know Why

The idea of a monolithic Scientific Method is mythical but it is based on a genuine historical insight. From the early seventeenth century to the present, there are long chains of divergent development connecting the initially imprecise ideas of those we call the “founders of modern science” to the diversity of methods now used in various fields of research. – Boston Review

Record LGBTQ Representation On US TV Series This Year

That means 90 of the 879 series regular characters on ABC, CBS, the CW, Fox and NBC this season are LGBTQ, up from 75 last season. (Additionally, there are 30 LGBTQ recurring characters on broadcast this season.) The 10.2% number, up from last year’s 8.8%, follows records highs in 2016, 2017 and 2018. And it stands as a new record high in the 24 years that GLAAD has tracked LGBTQ representation on the small screen. – Los Angeles Times

Australia Revives Old Small Rural Halls To Create Performance Network

The idea is simple: by showing the communities who manage the halls that live music is an option, a touring circuit will slowly be carved out, which, in turn, will help provide space for music across the country to flourish and grow. Critically, it will also show bigger acts that these rural areas are worth visiting and have the infrastructure to host them. – The Guardian

A ‘Riverdance’ Alum Who’s Now Trying To Strip Away Every Cliché Of Irish Dance

Colin Dunne doesn’t wear the Celtic-ized costumes or hold his torso and arms rigid; he frequently dances in sneakers or barefoot; he sometimes improvises, which is almost unheard-of in traditional Irish dance. And in his newest show, he’s collaborating with a dead fiddler who was even more nonconformist than he is. – The New York Times

Curtis Institute Screwed Up Responding To Sexual Abuse Charges. Now It Has Hired Investigators

A leading expert in the field said Curtis needs to do more: “The problem here is, what the public needs is full transparency. Frankly, I would be very concerned if my child were attending the Curtis Institute right now,” she said. Violinist Lara St. John, who made the charges, on Thursday said that the fact that there would be an investigation had her feeling hopeful. – Philadelphia Inquirer

Artist Dread Scott Is Re-Enacting The United States’ Largest Slave Rebellion

Scott first became (in)famous 30 years ago with his installation What is the Proper Way to Display the American Flag?, which has incited controversy virtually every time it has been exhibited since 1989. This weekend will see his largest-scale project: a re-enactment of the 1811 German Coast Uprising, in which up to 500 enslaved people marched on New Orleans from nearby sugar plantations. Perhaps surprisingly, Scott is doing this with the support of Louisiana officials. – The New York Times