“It may seem surprising, but in this age where geographic mobility and instant communication have increased our exposure to people outside of our neighborhoods or towns, American regional dialects are pulling further apart from each other, rather than moving closer together. And renowned linguist William Labov thinks there’s a connection between political and linguistic segregation.”
Tag: 03.28.12
Remains Of Western Europe’s Oldest String Instrument Found In Scotland
“The small burnt and broken piece of carved piece of wood was found during an excavation in a cave on [the isle of] Skye. Archaeologists said it was likely to be part of the bridge of a lyre dating to more than 2,300 years ago.”
Time To Cash-Mob The Performing Arts?
Yes. It’s important to provide discounts for younger and less educated audiences, but, says an arts marketer, cash mobs could resist the culture of Groupon and day-of-show discounts, and say “This is important. This has value.” (And help the arts at the same time.)
Report: One In Ten Arts Companies Losing Arts Council England Funding Is Closing
“Dance companies are suffering most from the cuts, with 36% of respondents in this field saying they are closing. None of the respondents from the dance sector described themselves as healthy financially. In addition to the cuts to their arts council funding, 30% of respondents from all sectors said they were also facing reductions to their local authority grants. This “double whammy” of ACE and local council cuts has been one of their biggest concerns.”
Australian Ballet Launches 10-Part Web Series
As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, “Australia’s national ballet company is profiling a year in the life of two of the company’s dancers, senior artist Amy Harris and Queensland corps de ballet dancer Jake Mangakahia.”
Is Turkey’s New Blockbuster About The Conquest Of Constantinople Too Nationalistic?
“A scimitars’n’CGI blockbuster account of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in the 15th century, it is the country’s most expensive film ever ($17m budget), most popular (4.6m tickets in its first 18 days) and most lucrative ($29m and counting). But if you think the smell of unanimity is in the air, think again. Plenty of folk have queued up to question Fetih 1453‘s take.”
Judge Blocks Attempt To Scuttle SAG-AFTRA Merger Vote
“A federal judge has a blocked a request for a temporary injunction that would have scuttled a vote on merging the Screen Actors Guild with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Ed Asner, Martin Sheen and Ed Harris were among a group of actors who filed a lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles last month seeking an injunction to stop SAG from calling for a vote on the proposed merger with AFTRA.”
‘Arabic Booker’ Goes To Novel About Lebanon’s 1860s Civil War
Well-known Lebanese author Rabee Jaber won the $50,000 International Prize for Arabic Fiction for The Druze of Belgrade, which “moves from Beirut just after the civil war in Mount Lebanon to Belgrade and the Balkans, following the misadventures of a Christian egg seller who is forced into exile with a group of Druze fighters.”
Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum Will Reopen This Fall After 8-Year Renovation
“The director of Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum says the famed site of modern and contemporary art will reopen to the public in its permanent location on Museum Square on Sept. 23.”
A Renaissance In Cambodian Arts
“The country’s rich artistic culture was destroyed in the 70s by the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Today, despite terrible poverty, a revival is taking place – and it is gaining international recognition.” The cultural ferment extends beyond salvaging the country’s traditional art forms: lively contemporary work is being made in fields ranging from painting to art rock.