“A group of more than 80 science fiction and fantasy authors are protesting at the possibility of one of the genres’ biggest conventions being held in [Jeddah] in 2022, saying that ‘the Saudi regime is antithetical to everything SFF stands for’.” – The Guardian
Tag: 07.28.20
How America’s First Drive-In Classical Concert Since Lockdown Turned Out
San Diego’s Mainly Mozart got together an eight-member chamber group headed by L.A. Phil concertmaster Martin Chalifour to play octets by Mozart and Mendelssohn in the parking lot of a SoCal horse-racing track. – Newsweek
Picasso Murals Safely Removed From Doomed Building In Oslo
“The removal of a pair of concrete murals by Pablo Picasso was completed Tuesday from a government building in the Norwegian capital of Oslo whose demolition was under way.” (That building, called the Y block, was damaged in the 2011 bombing-and-murder spree by right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik.) “The total cost of the removal of the art pieces — to be preserved and installed elsewhere — and the demolition is estimated at 59 million kroner ($6.4 million).” – Yahoo! (AP)
Reimagining Los Angeles’ Approach To Culture
Even in the best years, funding for arts and culture in our city does not meet the needs of the communities we serve. It is time to expose this hard truth and build the support needed to focus on culture and creativity as a primary driver of racial equity, create healthy communities, assure key economic recovery, and build vital long-term sustainability. – KCET
Watching Online: The Differences Between Audience and Viewer
Amid this deluge of performance art offerings flowing into my house, I realized two words marred my experience: remote and control. With remote clenched in one hand and phone in the other, it hit me: No longer a member of an audience, I had become merely a viewer now. – ArtsandCultureTexas
AMC Theatres Makes Deal For Quicker Video Releases
In a stunning reversal, AMC Theatres has struck a historic agreement with Universal that will allow the studio’s movies to be made available on premium video-on-demand after just 17 days of play in cinemas, including three weekends, the two companies announced Tuesday. – The Hollywood Reporter
Want A COVID-Safe Space For Your Play That’s Easy, Quick, And Cheap? Try A Circus Tent
“Every day we read about a new proposed seating plan or air-filtering system being trialled in an Edwardian playhouse to enable safe, socially distanced theatre in a building designed for the opposite. A big top is far more spacious.” You can fit in hundreds of people with plenty of social distance, and raised sidewalls provide plenty of air circulation. What’s more, argues Circus250 ringmaster Dea Birkett, a big top offers plenty of advantages in terms of diversifying your audience. – The Stage
This Ballet School Is Actively Helping Dancers Deal With Body Image Struggles
The pressure on ballerinas to maintain extremely thin figures is notorious for leading to eating disorders. The Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, England’s second city, is meeting this problem head-on. (video) – BBC
Black Voice Actors: Yes, There’s Been Progress, But Not Nearly Enough
“The sudden rise of calls for color-conscious casting comes after years of criticism about whitewashed roles. But while many Black voice actors are glad to see white actors leaving roles where they played characters of color … they believe more meaningful changes are needed for truly equitable hiring.” – Vulture
What The Philadelphia Museum Of Art’s Workplace Assessment Found (It Wasn’t Pretty)
The study, conducted by outside consultants at the board’s request after two major scandals broke earlier this year, “found problems and deficiencies at all levels of the hierarchy — from the boardroom on down, museum leaders told staff members at an online meeting Tuesday.” At least, said one staffer, “I was encouraged by how honest [the presentation] felt.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer