The Brits have fared miserably in recent years in Europe’s biggest pop music contest. Admitting he had accepted “mission impossible”, Lord Lloyd-Webber will only start work on the song for Moscow in 2009 once he has chosen its singer, who will be found through a live BBC talent show.
Tag: 10.19.08
Are Movies Recession Proof?
“In the past four decades there have been seven recession years in this country, and the box office has climbed strongly in five of those years.”
“Climate Of Fear” Invades Stratford
“Stratford’s general director, Antoni Cimolino, admitted that the festival would be running a significant deficit on this year’s operations… Sources close to the festival are estimating the deficit at approximately $3 million, or 5 per cent of their total budget of $60 million. When you hear about a seemingly bulletproof place like Stratford dipping its toe into red ink, the rumours are bound to start flying.”
Bringing Back The Manifesto
London’s Serpentine Gallery has invited a slew of artists to pen manifestos laying out their individual philosophies on life and art in the 21st century, in an effort to revive the written statement of artistic principles that played such an important role in the 20th century art world.
Something For Nothing
“More than £100,000 worth of art is being given away at the Free Art Fair, in London. Some people have queued overnight to get their hands on work by artists like Gavin Turk and Stella Vine for nothing… The idea was to provide an antidote to the hype that surrounded Damien Hirst’s recent record-breaking sale at Sotheby’s, which raised £111m.”
Spamalot To Close This Winter
“After nearly four years, the Tony Award-winning show “Monty Python’s Spamalot” will be shutting its doors at the Shubert Theater on Jan. 18… By the time it closes, it will have earned more than $175 million.”
A Global World? Not When It Comes To Music
“With a weak dollar, strong euro, U.S. visas requiring much paperwork, and risk-wary American presenters, the once-global community of classical musicians has become fragmented in ways that beloved, familiar talents on one side of the ocean are unknown on the other.”
Of Art and Presidential Politics
Americans for the Arts, a lobbying group, has released its assessment of where the two presidential candidates stand on arts issues. Barack Obama “is lauded (along with the Democratic Party platform), for being a consistent arts backer.” John McCain, while not seen as specifically hostile to the arts, is dinged for not taking positions at all on many arts-related issues.
Alabama To House Major African-American Collection
“Atlanta art collector Paul R. Jones has donated his 1,700-piece art collection to the University of Alabama. Valued at $4.8 million, the collection of 20th-century African-American art is the result of more than 40 years of collecting.”