Seattle Opera has contracted with the city to lease empty Mercer Arena, next door to McCaw Hall, where the opera performs. The Arena will be converted into offices and costume and scene shops, and will allow the company to consolidate its operations. The city will get out from under an expensive and unused venue, and even make some money on the deal.
Tag: 12.05.07
Tate Expansion Gets £50m From UK
“The Tate Modern’s proposals to build a £215m extension have received a £50m boost from the government.” The extension, which should be completed before the London Olympics open in 2012, will consist of an 11-story building housing galleries and performance space.
Kite Runner Actors Leave Afghanistan
“Four boy actors in the movie The Kite Runner have left Afghanistan out of concern they could be ostracized or subjected to violence because of a rape scene in the movie… The four boys, each accompanied by a relative, left Afghanistan and arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Friday.”
Queensland Cuts Threaten Arts Groups
In Australia, “with the arts-as-business model replacing the arts-as-welfare model, community organisations [have] had to fight aggressively to maintain funding… [Now,] long-running community arts organisations are facing imminent closure after draconian cuts in funding by the Queensland Government announced last month.”
Mounties Make Major Piracy Bust
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have issued charges against a Montreal man who they claim plays a major role in the online distribution of pirated films. Geremi Adam was actually arrested 14 months ago, but the RCMP has spent the intervening time gathering additional evidence of his online transactions.
Cleveland Tax Turns Cigarettes Into Arts Dollars
A cigarette tax approved by Cleveland-area voters to support the arts is about to result in a first payout of $15m for 68 cultural organizations. “Dollar amounts are based on budget size, with proportionately more money going to smaller organizations.”
How The Net Is Saving Classical Record Sales
“Pop music can be sold by even the most uncooperative dolt. Classical music, meanwhile, should be the domain of experts. Mercifully, the internet is eradicating from the planet this unique retail model in which the vendor, knowing insultingly little about the product, dictates the terms of the transaction.”