Category: issues

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has pulled out of negotiations on broadcasting next year’s Sydney Festival. “Too expensive,” says the national broadcaster. Sydney Morning Herald

Hartford recently cut instrumental music from its school curriculum. City’s residents protest while taking stock of its other arts education programs. Hartford Courant

Five artists – choreographer Donald McKayle, visual artist Alexis Smith, TV producer Darren Star, R.E.M singer Michael Stipe, and director Julie Taymor – sit down to talk about art in the new century. Los Angeles Times 11/28/99

• And:LESSONS OF THE 20TH CENTURY: The wild ride that changed the meaning of visual art. Christopher Knight explains. Los Angeles Times 11/28/99
• And: 100 years of Cal art at the LA County Museum.
• And: A century of architecture.
• And: In TV.  Media. Movies. Dance. Music. Theater.
• And: internet is key to LA theater prosperity. 
                                 Los Angeles Times 11/28/99

heads to this week’s World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle with cultural protection on its mind. CBC

It’s National Buy Nothing Day – culture jamming is a new movement dedicated to resisting the consumer urge when those about you have had their taste shaped by  corporate America. CBC

Trying to save face in a last minute move, England’s Arts Council announces £10 million in grants for touring. But it’s too late to help this winter, and it can’t disguise the embarrassing shortage of productions available for the three major new theatres opening with British Lottery proceeds. London Telegraph

Australia attempts to allow copyright of indigenous cultural art forms. Not so easy to accomplish though, say those at the National Aboriginal Dance Conference, held at the Powerhouse Museum last week. Sydney Morning Herald

Washington public radio station drops morning classical music programming in favor of “Morning Edition.” Music-lovers desert, taking their pledges with them. Washington Post

Many cities believe the key to redevelopment of their downtowns is building entertainment/retail districts. Do they work? A survey. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Heading in to new round of world trade talks, President Jacques Chirac says France supports the concept of cultural diversity and argues that this can only be achieved by acknowledging a cultural trade exemption that allowsnations to protect their cultures from being overwhelmed by competition from outside. CBC