Category: issues

“It looks to me very much like a significant section of the public, having given up on attempting to understand the reality they are actually living in, have instead reasoned that they might at least be able to comprehend the sprawling, meaningless, but at-least-still-finite ‘universes’ presented by DC or Marvel Comics. I would also observe that it is, potentially, culturally catastrophic to have the ephemera of a previous century squatting possessively on the cultural stage and refusing to allow this surely unprecedented era to develop a culture of its own, relevant and sufficient to its times.”

Editor Laurent Sourisseau: “We have drawn Muhammad to defend the principle that one can draw whatever one wants, … [but] the mistakes you could blame Islam for can be found in other religions. … We’ve done our job. We have defended the right to caricature.”

“China deported 20 foreigners from Britain, South Africa and India because they watched video clips that advocated terrorism and religious extremism, official state media has reported, while two of the tourists reportedly said they had done nothing more than view a documentary about Genghis Khan.”

“The irony is that if Arizona lawmakers had never squashed one Mexican American studies class—in a single district in one city—Curtis Acosta would have no interest in duplicating that same class across the country. Certainly, California and Texas public schools would not be considering to offer the course in all its high schools. And Tony Diaz would never have become the book smuggler.”

“‘We do not know which arts leaders we are cutting out of this nation’s future,’ writes celebrated Australian composer Liza Lim. ‘We damage the vibrancy, the diversity and inclusiveness of this nation’s art making … by attacking the seed-beds of arts endeavour through cuts of this scale.'”

During an event hosted by the Creative Industries Federation, Morgan said that the speech she made in November – which drew fierce criticism from the cultural sector – was intended to encourage pupils to study science, technology, engineering and maths, rather than discourage them from the arts.

“If you’re plugging away at your art, or haven’t quite made that scientific breakthrough you feel is close, don’t give up. Time and discipline won’t guarantee success — Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hours-of-practice rule has been effectively debunked — but they do seem to be an essential precursor to creating genuinely important work.”

“MGM Resorts International plans to build a $100 million, 5,300-seat theater at its Monte Carlo casino-hotel to attract top musicians for weeks at a time. The project will be built next to a larger, 20,000-seat arena now under construction.”

Lyn Gardner: “Very little work would ever make it to the stage if it was not for people giving their labour away for free, or being paid very poorly for what they do. … Just because you are doing a job you love, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be properly paid for it.”