Author Neil Gaiman: “Fans are still creators. Fans demand and make things happen. Mostly, that’s great. But it can tip, and when it tips, it goes into strange places where people feel that by having watched a TV show or bought a book, they feel that you owe them something huge for having done that. Watching the level of crazy that can sometimes happen is hard.”
Category: issues
How’s It Going With The New Times Square Rules For Characters?
“‘Nobody is happy in this spot,’ explained Josh Barillas, a former costumed character who had dropped by to visit his buddies. Mr. Barillas recalled the halcyon era, several months back, when he said could make $200 a day.”
Michael Caine Changes His Name To Michael Caine, Thanks To ISIS
“The legendary British actor, born Maurice Micklewhite, has legally changed his name to the showbiz moniker he adopted in 1954 because of the rise in airport security checks prompted by Islamic State.”
Ten Things That Can Make Your Organization More Diverse
“To make a real impact we need to think beyond the here and now to who the next generation of arts professionals are going to be. We need to go into schools and colleges and talk to young people about the careers that are available to them. We need to take arts and culture job fairs out into communities to tackle socio-economic barriers and increase awareness of opportunities.”
The Art Of Moralizing About The Food You Eat
Perhaps the clearest proof that the way we talk about food is saturated with moralism is the ubiquity of the term “guilt”. Marketing departments have seen the power of this and promoted “guilt-free” snacks and treats. This promises an escape from self-recrimination but simply reinforces it by suggesting that eating the “wrong” kinds of foods does and should make you feel guilty.
Seriously Cute: The Spread Of Kawaii Was, In Fact, A Japanese Government Plan
“The aggressive development of this aesthetic was not fully organic, but in fact developed with a ‘global wink,’ as part of Japan’s plan to build cultural cachet overseas. … The government has embraced the designation, eager to rebrand the world’s perception of a staid culture characterized by honor and samurai to a more playful, feminized Japan.”
One LA Neighborhood Fighting Gentrification Resists Artists’ Complicity In Upscaling
“Since PSSST, Boyle Heights’ newest gallery, announced its grand opening (originally scheduled for May 13) the conflict between the art space and local grassroots organizations has escalated to dimensions greater than each of the actual entities by bringing to question the direct and indirect complicity of artists and cultural spaces in the displacement of long-seated, working-class communities.”
How London’s New Mayor Plans To ‘Democratise The Arts’
Sadiq Khan: “I don’t want Zone 1 to hog the best arts and culture in our city. There are 33 boroughs, I want to democratise the arts so that every Londoner can benefit from the world’s best art. Love London will give you a discount to enjoy that.” (Love London is a planned card for London residents offering discounts on performance tickets.)
Too Cute: The Rise And Fall, Or At Least Leveling, Of Kawaii In Japan
Neil Steinberg looks at how the concept of kawaii arose in Japanese culture, why it works, how it became so prevalent that Japanese cities have officially promoted cute mascots, and what happens when some parts of the culture have had enough of the likes of Hello Kitty.
A History Of Interpreting Blackness To White Audiences
“So much black intellectual energy has been expended on convincing white audiences simply to care about the exploitation of the black poor and the alienation of the black middle classes. The receptivity of particular white audiences has fluctuated over time, and with it—in tandem, arguably—various indicators of racial inequality. Perhaps just as pressing, then, as interpreting blackness for white audiences is interpreting the causes and consequences of white attention for the rest of us.”