Bruce Ridge: “I think sometimes the negative perception can be a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. … The true story to be told is how resilient our orchestras have been. We’ve emerged from the recession with tremendous growth in many places. … The arts in America generate over $135 billion in economic activity every year and support over four million full time jobs for Americans. Often lost in this discussion is that art is good business.”
Tag: 11.03.15
Something For Everyone At Philly’s Barrymore Awards
“The equal-opportunity Barrymore nominations turned into near-equal-opportunity wins at Theatre Philadelphia’s celebration of itself. The most wins were four each, going to Theater Exile’s The Whale, a play about a morbidly obese gay man, and to Norristown’s Theatre Horizon production of the Stephen Sondheim fairy tale musical Into the Woods. Beyond that, most of the nominated entities went home with more than a little something.”
Prix Goncourt, France’s Top Literary Prize, Given To Mathias Énard
“France’s oldest and most prestigious literary accolade … has been awarded to the Arabic and Persian scholar Mathias Énard for his novel Boussole (Compass). … Its reward comes not in the prize money – at just €10 it is roughly the same amount as the first Prix Goncourt 1903 – but the massive book sales it guarantees, making the author a fortune.”
‘Starchitects’ And The Conservatives Who Hate Them
Kriston Capps argues that it’s time to ditch that term altogether, because it has turned into a “partisan slur”: “The conservative pearl-clutching over starchitects is performed. It’s registered in bad faith. It’s at root an allergy to program, funding, public works, or intangibles that have nothing to do with the built environment. The objection to starchitects is dressed up in Culture Wars theatrics, meant to elicit partisan alignment around political identity in the face of difficult design questions.”
Peter Donaldson, BBC’s ‘Voice Of Radio 4,’ Dead At 70
“It seemed fitting that, when in the 1980s the authorities wanted someone for a pre-recorded radio announcement telling Britain that it was under nuclear attack, they turned to him. It meant, he observed with typical wryness, that he became known as ‘the voice of doom’.”
‘Christploitation’ Flicks: The Godless ‘Guardian’ Looks At The Lucrative Niche Market For Christian Movies
“In the past five years, 21 Christian films have opened in wide release, meaning in more than 600 cinemas in the United States. All 21 are rated as ‘rotten’ on Rotten Tomatoes … And yet, Sony, Fox and other studios have established divisions for the express purpose of faith-based cinema. Why? Because these movies are produced with a different mindset than your standard narrative fare – and each of the 21 films made substantial profits.”
Next In Audience Development: Scans That See Inside Your Head
Brainsights is a Toronto company that specializes in scanning people’s brainwaves in order to see if they’re responding to companies’ messages and content, whether they’re emotionally engaged, and whether they’ll remember any of it.
Amazon’s New Bookstore – Community Center For The 21st Century?
“Amazon Books, like a Barnes & Noble of yore, comes complete with plush leatherette chairs for relaxed reading. There are open areas for browsing and chatting. There’s a kids’ area. (“Relax, read, and discover great books with your children,” the release invites.) Which is also to say that Amazon Books is trying to be a place of community—a place where people will meet and hang out.”
What Happens To The Arts As Technology Evolves To The Next Level?
“How do you modulate the effects of technology so that organizations, artists, and audiences remain on equal footing with technology itself, as well as with the companies that provide it? And who will — and who should — have the final say about whether a particular product or protocol is suitable to a particular art form: the presenters, the artists, or the audience?”
‘It’s Relentless. I Did 50 Days In A Row Without A Break’: A Dancer’s Diary
“In the first of a new series exploring dancers’ lives, Xander Parish of the Mariinsky Ballet gets into the role of Romeo, explains how to be the perfect partner and considers his hectic schedule.”