Category: issues

“After initial COVID-19 shutdowns in March, many organizations made significant investments in reopening this summer or moving activities online, … ‘and now it appears they won’t be able to reap any impact from that investment, at least for quite a while.’ … For groups that showed resourcefulness in moving operations online and making attendance safe for visitors, the new restrictions feel like a step backward. More critically, the new constraints threaten an already fragile sector.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer

The city is taking the rare step of creating a “mission-driven” real estate development company so that it can create, purchase, manage and lease property for arts and cultural spaces — which could include a wide range of venues and organizations, including galleries, bookstores, nonprofit dance companies and cultural community centers. – Crosscut

In Seattle, arts organizations report that their fundraising is up — sometimes dramatically — over what they typically raise. – Seattle Times

One publisher, who has fled and has seen 40 family members and friends associated with him detained or jailed, says, “The state only wants its garden to have one type of flower … the red ones. Green, blue or white flowers: if they are not red, they will be cut down.” – NPR

The urgency of this vision has never been more apparent than in 2020—amid a global pandemic, heightened focus on social justice and racial equity, a huge economic downturn, and a contentious presidential election. These issues have impacted every community across the country and devastated artists, nonprofit and for-profit creative businesses, educational systems, healthcare, and trust in government. And because of long-term systemic inequities, these challenges have more severely affected people and communities of color. – Americans for the Arts

“With no support from the government, a collapsed economy that has made financial hardship a normal part of life, and a spike in coronavirus cases that has overloaded hospitals, the Lebanese have been left to fend for themselves, rebuilding and reconstructing their beloved city with grit and determination.” – Artnet

“The ministry of culture released the names of more than 2,000 beneficiaries of its 400 million złoty ($106 million) support fund [last] Friday. Soon after, critics began scrutinizing the list, which included not only cultural foundations, orchestras, theaters, entertainment venues, and arts schools, but also several successful singers and actors.” A big backlash ensued, with accusations of corruption and cronyism flying. – Artnet

This skeptical, Hobbesian view of human nature, in which war is an “integral part of human experience,” may be unflattering to our species, but it at least keeps us on our toes. – Washington Post

Dr Charlotte Faucher, who oversaw the research, said the fear was that a lack of clarity on insurance, visas and travel restrictions, paired with potential complications caused by the global pandemic, would make European collaborations too risky. – The Guardian