Category: issues

At a Senate hearing on Wednesday in Canberra, officials at first weren’t able to say at all how much of the aid had been distributed to struggling arts organizations. Later, they said that just under $50 million had been allocated, all of it to film and television; meanwhile, those who work in live performance and visual art grow ever more desperate. – The Guardian

“That shocking stability is exposing a long-standing disconnect: Without the college experience, a college education alone seems insufficient. Quietly, higher education was always an excuse to justify the college lifestyle. But the pandemic has revealed that university life is far more embedded in the American idea than anyone thought. America is deeply committed to the dream of attending college. It’s far less interested in the education for which students supposedly attend.” – The Atlantic

“Until its COVID-forced closure in March, the Kimmel was earning 93% of its income,” mainly from touring Broadway shows and rent from its resident groups, “leaving just the small remainder to be made up in donations — an unusually lopsided ratio among nonprofits. Now, though, with ticket sales gone, the Kimmel cannot lean on a list of loyal donors to the extent that some other groups can.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer

“According to study authors, the creativity toolkits used in the arts and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are actually very similar. Fundamentally, both rely on being open to new ideas, employing divergent thinking, and maintaining a sense of flexibility, they say.” – Fast Company

The history teacher’s lesson “was related to the ongoing trial over the 2015 attack at the Paris offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which came under fire for its caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. Islamist extremists killed 12 people, and 14 defendants stand accused of giving the gunmen logistical support.” Protests in support of the teacher erupted across France over the weekend. – NPR

It’s remarkably reminiscent of the NEA Four, for those who lived through that terrible time: A queer artist wants to use their body for their work; gets approval and funding; word is leaked to conservative outlets; said outlets absolutely flip out and condemn the council; council removes funding. All too gross and familiar. “The decision to kill the contract raises worrying questions about the potential government overreach and the possibility of censorship in Australian cultural policy at a time when the financial crisis in the sector is already threatening to shut out marginalised voices for good.” – The Guardian (UK)

One jazz venue: “Our club has £52 left in our business account for the future. … Without change I fear that the future of the arts in this country, especially for those less well off, will be in jeopardy.” – The Guardian (UK)

The new €50 million support for live events in 2021 (as well as funding for music and equipment grants) for next year in Irish venues, announced in this week’s budget, is the first time the commercial entertainment sector has received state support. – Irish Times

“The policy, billed as the Basic Income Pilot for Artists, outlines details including directing almost $6 million in funding to arts organizations, artists, art teachers, and cultural workers, in addition to a Universal Basic Income program. Under the basic income, 130 artists will be selected to receive the [$1,000] monthly stipend for at least six months, beginning in early 2021.” – Artnet

A formal complaint filed with Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority charges that Boris Johnson’s government is insisting that all organizations receiving rescue money from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund promote the Fund on their social media accounts. – The Independent (UK)