Category: issues

Once Haenel publicly accused film director Christophe Ruggia of harassment and “inappropriate sexual contact” that began when she was 12, women in France began speaking out in large numbers. “My story was like the last gram in a chemistry experiment that made everything fall out of solution,” she said. She’s clear about the problem: “Many artists blurred, or wanted to blur, the distinction between sexual behavior and abuse. The debate was centered on the question of [men’s] ‘freedom to bother,’ and on feminists’ purported puritanism. But sexual abuse is abuse, not libertine behavior.” – The New York Times

The objection: “The series depicts fictional atrocities taking place in Nazi death camps, including a game of human chess in which people are killed when a piece is taken off the board.” And factual inaccuracies simply aren’t a good idea at this point: “Inventing a fake game of human chess … is not only dangerous foolishness and caricature, it also welcomes future deniers. We honor the victims by preserving factual accuracy.” – Los Angeles Times

Yes, in recent months, Amazon has removed sellers who are peddling Nazi imagery on ornaments and a beer opener. But these are books, and “Amazon takes a different approach with books than it does with home goods. ‘Amazon’s Offensive Products policies apply to all products except books, music, video and DVD,’ the retailer’s guidelines state.” – The New York Times

Australians took 12.3 million daytrips and 13.4 million overnight trips within Australia that included arts activities in 2018 – an increase of 14 percent and 20 percent respectively since 2014 – with increases found across visiting museums and art galleries, attending performing arts, visiting art or craft workshops or studios, attending festivals, and experiencing First Nations arts and craft. The report also flagged an increasing interest in First Nations arts tourism. – Limelight

“Although it is theoretically ‘points-based’, the reality is that it will be impossible to accrue enough points with a salary below £25,600 (without a PhD) unless the role is on the shortage occupation list; a list which excludes many highly-valued creative professions. In our sector, high skill levels do not always equate to high salaries. There must be recognition of sector-specific means of assessment including auditions, work experience and portfolios.” – The Stage

More than eight out of ten survey respondents agreed that “workers in the arts and cultural sector who share controversial opinions risk being professionally ostracised”. The overwhelming message that comes across from more than 1,000 free text comments – running to 60,000 words – is neatly summed up by one person, who said “I often feel pressured to self-censor for fear of being ‘cancelled’ or bullied for not conforming to the orthodoxy”. – Arts Professional

That system sometimes “reward[s] bad behavior. We reward those who keep spending without regard” and sometimes “penalize organizations that take thoughtful, correct and prudent cuts to their budget and then they get less as a result.” – Salt Lake Tribune

It’s not the liberal arts vs. corporate education. And it’s not soft skills vs. hard skills. It’s both a dichotomy and a lexicon we must eliminate. First, the dichotomy: the education needed for today and the future is one that blends the two instead of treating them as separate and distinct. Second, the lexicon: terminology like soft vs. hard skills inherently undermines the importance of the poorly named “soft” skills while the words “liberal” and “arts” are a poor brand name for an otherwise powerful and relevant pedagogy. – Forbes