Category: issues

“The loss of a species is also a loss of the images, stories, symbols and wonders that we live by – to call it a cultural loss may sound too cerebral: what we lose when we lose animals is the very meaning of life.”

“Maria Miller, a junior minister in the Department for Work and Pensions, is the surprise replacement for Jeremy Hunt as culture secretary in David Cameron’s first major cabinet reshuffle. … She will also become minister for women and equalities in addition to the [Department of Culture, Media and Sport] responsibilities.”

“As Jeremy Hunt leaves the DCMS today, he will do so with the distinction of being the least mourned secretary of state in the culture department’s history – as least as far as the arts world goes. … Why has Hunt been so loathed? To answer that, one needs to go back several years, to 2008.”

“Sir Peter Bazalgette, the man who will forever be known for introducing Big Brother to British television, is to be the chairman of Arts Council England. Bazalgette was on Tuesday named as the successor to Dame Liz Forgan – one of the last decisions made by the outgoing culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, who was reshuffled to the Department of Health.”

“Canada needs a new innovative economic ‘road map,’ firmly linking dynamic creative and cultural sectors with open and welcoming business and technology sectors. This collaboration is essential to our achieving the Canada we want to be.”

“As the government attempts to pull back $2 billion in grants, the Australian Major Performing Arts Group” – an umbrella for the country’s top theatre, dance, opera and classical music organizations – “will seek assurance that the delayed National Cultural Policy at least will maintain funding in real terms.”

“New history textbooks from the Afghanistan government leave out some key episodes in the country’s recent history. The BBC’s Bilal Sarwary explains, from Kabul.”

Women and men both benefit from seeing strong women on TV – even if there’s sexual or other violence toward women in the same show.

Terry Teachout thinks so, and he explains why – with reference to Shakespeare, Neil Simon, Mozart, Sondheim, and chuckling about funerals.

Citizen Khan “was supposed to be a ground-breaking new BBC comedy which
finally placed a modern Asian family centre-stage.” But complaints are stacking up – and prompting an investigation.