As he prepares to retire after 34 years of leading the American service/management/advocacy organization, Ivan Sygoda talks about grant-making, “choreoturgs” (dramaturgs for dance), and what he (and we) miss about the NEA of the 1970s.
Tag: 07.14.13
How Should We Measure The Quality Of Higher Education?
“I recognize the importance of looking at higher education critically to determine what impact the experience has on individuals and societies but we seem to repeatedly resort to the same fallback strategies of “counting what can be counted” for lack of an effective methodology for an alternative.”
Fired Cairo Opera House Chief Named Egypt’s Next Culture Minister
“Former Cairo Opera House chairperson Ines Abdel-Dayem has been told by Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi that she will be appointed Egypt’s new culture minister, a source has told Ahram Online.”
World Piano Competition Draws Big Fans In Cincinnati
“The excitement of seeing top-notch talent go fist-to-fist in thrilling performances all week has swept up the community. Each round saw increasing attendance and the finals were sold out by Wednesday. At the last minute, a live webcast was added, and on Saturday, the competition sold $5 tickets to view a live feed to a recital hall at CCM.”
Hollywood Or Silicon Valley – What’s The Better Investment?
“The common refrain I hear from venture capitalists is that nine out of 10 start-ups fail within the first two years. In Hollywood, only seven of 10 movies fail at the box office — meaning they do not make back their original investment, according to producers and executives. But that one tech company in 10 that does not fail can reap huge returns. Far larger than Hollywood.”
How Data Will Transform Our Understanding Of The American Novel
“Can the technologies of Big Data, which are transforming so many areas of life, change our understanding of American novels? After conducting research with Google’s Ngram database, which tabulates the frequency of words used in more than five million books, I believe the answer is yes.”
Cory Monteith, 31, Star Of ‘Glee’
Monteith’s “Glee” character Finn resisted joining the glee club but “became a crucial member, sharing vocal duties on its signature cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin.'”
The Magna Carta Turns 800 Soon, And The British Library Is Partying
“The four surviving original copies of Magna Carta will be brought together in 2015 for the first time in history, the British Library has announced.”
Spotify Pays Musicians ‘Fuck All,’ Band Says
“The music industry is being taken over by the back door and if we don’t try and make it fair for new music producers and artists then the art will suffer. Make no mistake. These are all the same old industry bods trying to get a stranglehold on the delivery system.”
Does The UK Lag Behind The US In Casting Black Actors?
“The black British story isn’t always being told. It’s amazing to me as we are so diverse in this country.”