The Internet Archive began digitising books in 2005, because “not everyone has access to a public or academic library with a good collection, so to provide universal access we need to provide digital versions of books”. Today the archive scans 1,000 books a day in 28 locations around the world, through its book scanning and book drive programmes – with the “ultimate goal of [making] all the published works of humankind available to everyone in the world”. Users can borrow up to five books at a time, with each loan expiring after two weeks. – The Guardian
Category: AUDIENCE
Museum Of Contemporary Art Cleveland Makes Itself More Inclusive Very Simply: Free Admission
The move is part of the museum’s 50th anniversary “Open House” inclusivity initiative, which also includes “the creation of a diversity-focused curatorial fellowship (the first recipient is LaTanya Autry, who has held curatorial positions at the Yale University Art Gallery and the Mississippi Museum of Art), an engagement-guide apprenticeship program, enhanced onsite programming for families and teens, and the addition of an education specialist.” – ARTnews
It’s Cold In Minnesota. Dogs (And Their Humans) Need A Place To Walk. Enter The Shopping Mall
“That first weekend there were probably 300 dogs. The area has a huge dog community, and it spread like wildfire.” With stores closed and escalators stopped, the two-story shopping center quickly teemed with dogs and their people, flowing along the perimeter of the mall like the classic image of early-morning mall walkers. What was intended to be a once-a-month winter event turned into a year-round weekly walking bonanza, save for the holiday season, when dog-walking was paused for a few weeks to accommodate extended shopping hours. – CityLab
The Ballet Dancer Whose Workout Film In Pink Stilettos Earned Him Viral Fame
Harper Watters says that sharing his story, including the viral video where he and another dancer wearing pink stilettos dance on treadmills, is good for his dance with the Houston Ballet. “I saw such a response to me sharing myself authentically off stage and outside of the studio, I thought why don’t I do that more in the studio. … And the second I did that, my dancing became so much better and so much more authentic.” – KTRK (Houston)
Marvel Finally Gets A Woman-Led Superhero Movie
What took so long, and is Captain Marvel going to help fix the problem? Maybe. It certainly helps a bit: Captain Marvel stars a woman, of course, but it’s “also the first Marvel movie to have a female director and only the second, after 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, to credit women as screenwriters.” – The New York Times
The 20-Year-Old Who Recreates Iconic Film Scenes On His Instagram
He plans for months but sometimes has to do things as prosaic as waiting for a train with the correct color poles, or taking a coastal bus to a random Welsh beach. “In the last 18 months, Thomas estimates he’s visited 150 film locations. He posts the results to Instagram, where he’s built an audience of nearly 15,000 followers.” And so far, it’s all for fun. – BBC
How Netflix Uses Social Media To Get Its Shows To The Center Of Popular Culture
The company uses its social and brand editorial department as the engine that keeps Netflix shows and movies at the forefront of the pop-culture conversation. By imbuing its social platforms with the personality of a meme-happy fan who lives for TV and movies (rather than being stunt-driven, deadpan, or, worse, mocking the very audience it seeks), Netflix’s approach goes beyond mere promotion and jumps armpit-deep into participation and collaboration. – Fast Company
What It Costs To Have Fun (Ticket Prices Across Arts, Sports, Spectacle)
A comparison of price data across entertainment categories throws up a few surprises. Those who claim that a night at the opera is only for the elite should know that attending a top-of-the-range gig is nearly as pricey: an average opera ticket in London costs £81 ($103), compared with a global average of $96 for the 50 most-lucrative music tours. And the Royal Opera House in London boasts that 30% of its seats go for £35 or under – but good luck finding that sort of deal for Bruce Springsteen or Jennifer Lopez. – 1843 Magazine
Thomas Krens Says Museums Should Be More Like Theme Parks (Seriously)
In a speech in North Adams, Mass., which he wants to transform into “the number one cultural destination in the country,” the man who tried to plant Guggenheims all over the globe argued that museums should become experience destinations with “a for-profit model based on private investment; integrated use of technology like digital modeling and augmented reality; and the ability to draw from ‘deep pools of content’ with ‘huge narrative potential.'” (Oh, and they should maintain “impeccable aesthetics.”) – Hyperallergic
Edinburgh Wrestles With The Question ‘How Much Festival Can One City Take?’
It’s not just the ever-growing Fringe: the International, Film, and Book Festivals are expanding, too. But yes, the Fringe is the biggest issue: it regularly sets attendance records and is now Scotland’s most lucrative event. But as it continues to surge, the side-product problems are causing worry among residents, campaigners, and the government: “It’s clearly not sustainable, but on several levels. The question that everyone is asking is: is growth the only metric of success you have?” – The Herald (Scotland)