“Adding to doubts about his institution’s direction, Leonard Riggio, the [New York-based] Dia Art Foundation’s biggest benefactor, has decided to step down as chairman of its board… The decision comes as the institution is reeling from the loss of Michael Govan, its director for 12 years, who resigned in February to run the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. And six weeks ago, Dia lost its vice chairman, Ann Tenenbaum. She resigned after 12 years on the board, saying she was stretched too thin by family responsibilities and board commitments at other arts institutions.”
Tag: 05.17.06
Recording Companies Sue XM Radio Over Device
The recording industry is suing XM satellite radio over a device that allows customers to record music from the satellite radio service. “The recording industry said XM’s Inno device, which stores music and divides it into tracks, infringes copyright. The lawsuit seeks $150,000 in damages for every song copied by XM customers to an Inno gadget.”
San Antonio May Pursue A PAC
“A consultant hired by the city [of San Antonio] to study local needs for cultural facilities has sketched a recommendation for a new multi-hall performing arts center — price tag unknown — and about $20 million in upgrades to existing venues.”
Richmond Ponders Extra Funding For Evicted Arts Groups
The city of Richmond, Virginia now finds itself without a primary performance venue, after the Carpenter Center, home to multiple area arts groups, closed for a multi-year renovation. In the interim, the Richmond Symphony, Virginia Opera, Richmond Ballet, and other Carpenter tenants are looking to the city to help them offset the revenue shortfall from being homeless. But divvying up the stopgap funds has proved to be a bit of a challenge for city officials.
Where Prestige Takes A Back Seat To Local Pride
They may not have million-dollar endowments or prestigious boards, but across the country, history is quietly accumulating in thousands of unheralded neighborhood museums. “A local museum is a community’s autobiography, a way of saying: This is who we are, and this is how we got here. For researchers, the museums are invaluable archives, whether housed in multimillion-dollar, state-of-the art facilities or inside the stately rooms of storied mansions.”
Tony Awards – This Year’s Surprises?
“In most cases, the notable absences are within categories, not entire categories themselves. But an exception is the brand-new award for best performance by an actor or actress in a recreated role, which was expected to go to either Jonathan Pryce for stepping into “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” or Harvey Fierstein for recreating the role of Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.” To the surprise of many, no award will be given this year in this category.”
This Year: A Gentler Turner Prize
The Turner Prize is famously provocative. Not this year. “None of the artists shortlisted this year were setting out to be controversial. ‘They are trying to deal with the issues around them in the 21st century’.”
The Getty Speaks Greek
“Once the issue is settled, [Getty Museum director Michael] Brand said, the two sides expect a “fruitful cooperation” that “could include long-term loans” of artworks. Greece is seeking the repatriation of a rare gold funerary wreath, a tombstone and a stone torso of a young woman, all acquired by the Getty in the 1990’s. It has also demanded a votive relief that J. Paul Getty, the museum’s founder, bought in 1955. Asked whether he felt pressure to cede some artifacts to shore up the Getty’s reputation, Mr. Brand responded with a terse “No.”