AL GORE “favors public funding for the arts, has a passion for van Gogh—and relaxes by painting abstractions.” While GEORGE W. BUSH “takes a moderate stance on government support and has a taste for American Western art.” – ARTnews 10/00
Category: issues
THE CHEAPENING OF APPLAUSE
“New inductees into the world of performing arts can’t seem to differentiate between what is merely mediocre and what is truly exceptional. This is can be seen clearly at the end of every performance I have attended over the last 2 years. Every performance, good, bad, or ugly received a standing ovation from the audience. Every one. Ultimately, this cheapens the performance.” – *spark-online 10/00
ART OF CONVERSATION IN CANADA
“What I’ve been thinking – just to while away the gaps in the dinner banter about Toronto real-estate prices – is that there can’t be many other nationalities that can devote three hours to watching an opera and then, by way of commenting on the experience, step amid the throng of fellow opera-lovers from the theatre foyer into the crisp, clear air, and, pondering the immensities of beauty and life and death that are still swirling around the memories of so stunning a performance, ask what parking level the car is on.” – The Globe and Mail (Canada) 10/09/00
FIGHTING THE DOT-COMMIES
San Francisco’s dotcom companies are hiring guards to protect their offices, which have recently been vandalized by protestors. “The uprising against “dot-commies”, who are blamed by residents for ruining the city’s mellow reputation and artistic heritage, is led by two protest groups, the Yuppie Eradication Project and AARGG! (All Against Ruthless Greedy Gentrification).” – The Telegraph (UK) 10/08/00
FIXING THE ARTS LOTTERY
The British government arts minister who has advocated Richard Branson taking over the running of the national arts lottery was formerly on Branson’s payroll. – Ananova 10/08/00
THE ARTS IN DENVER
How big a deal are the arts in Denver? A new study paints the picture – the arts are the city’s seventh largest employer. They had a $844 million local economic impact last year, up 31 percent since 1997. – Rocky Mountain News (Denver) 10/08/00
FUNDING BOOST FOR NEA
US Senate approves $7 million increase in budget for the National Endowment for the Arts. It’s the first funding increase in eight years. – Washington Post (Reuters) 10/06/00
- DETAILS of Congressional funding for America’s cultural institutions (including money to build an exhibit at the National zoo for farm animals? “This will raise the lowly mule, chicken and pig to the same status as the zoo’s celebrated cheetahs and mountain lions.”) – Washington Post 10/06/00
SEE YOU IN THE FUNNY PAGES
A writer uses the dissemination of comic books as a model to imagine a brave new world where artistic products are distributed solely according to their merit and interest. – *spark-online 10/00
OLYMPIC ARTS
The Olympics are over and the Sydney Games are judged a success. But there was an arts festival attached to the games too (as required by the IOC). How’d it go? – Sydney Morning Herald 10/06/00
- HIGHS AND LOWS: Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and French ballerina Sylvie Guillem pulled in audiences – the Asian Youth Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony and Australian Ballet attracted disappointing houses. – Sydney Morning Herald 10/06/00
OUT DAMN DOT
Artists in San Francisco march on city hall to protest high rents and evictions due to the Dot-com boom. – Los Angeles Times (Reuters) 10/05/00