Thursday, 04 April 2019
Music has the power to help set things right, even on issues as fraught as Brexit, but only if the sector pays more than lip service to ‘critical reflection’ and a ‘diversity of opinions’, writes Richard Bratby.
Lack of clarity about Brexit is creating serious concerns for festival promoters, record shops and musicians about the impact of increased bureaucracy on their ability to make, create and sell music, writes Michael Hann.
Museums and galleries’ increasing experiments with using 3D-printed replicas for ‘touch exhibits’ suggest we are finally beginning to realise the potential of 3D printing technology, write Myrsini Samaroudi and Karina Rodriguez Echavarria.
Wednesday, 03 April 2019
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, the superstar conductor at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, is a force of reckless positivism who has made all things possible for women on the podium, writes Norman Lebrecht.
If governments really care about developing creative citizens and reaching larger slices of society, shouldn’t they be finding extra money for this work, rather than re-directing stretched arts budgets towards ‘cultural democracy’, asks Nan Van Houte.
Yes, visits to the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) are down – but it’s dangerous to focus on metrics of quantity alone when assessing whether arts organisations are successful, argues NPG Director Nicholas Cullinan.
Monday, 01 April 2019
Algorithms may be able to identify what people care about, but for the inspiration needed to make a connection with them, look to the world of the arts, says Bruno Bertelli.
The 'visual word-of-mouth' phenomenon prompted by Instagram can be part of the artistic experience. But should it be influencing curatorial activity? Ben Luke reports.
Thursday, 28 March 2019
Rejecting arts sponsorship deemed unpalatable suggests a naïve, defensive sentiment that culture should be expunged of the compromises of the outside world – but arms are still made, oil is still pumped, and profits still accrue, writes JJ Charlesworth.
North Wales Police, concerned about vulnerable young people being used to sell drugs on behalf of dealers living miles away, has begun working with Theatr Clwyd to teach school pupils about such ‘county lines’ drug dealing operations. Can it work, asks the BBC.
Musician Lucy Rose did not know she needed therapy until she wrote her fourth album, when her songs were suddenly charged with a raw and at times desolate emotion. Mark Savage explores how her own art delivered the support she needed.
Monday, 25 March 2019
European museums’ excuses for not repatriating objects acquired through the power imbalances of colonialism are wearing increasingly thin. It’s time for wholesale change, writes Emma Lundin.
Friday, 22 March 2019
A new study has found that of the 40,000 works of art in 18 of the major US museums’ online catalogues, 85% of artists are white and 87% are men. Melian Solly asks why the imbalance has changed so little in recent years.
Thursday, 21 March 2019
The National Portrait Gallery has decided to reject a grant from the Sackler Foundation, but its continued acceptance of money from oil giant BP suggests its ethical principles are as muddled as ever, argue Culture Unstained.
It’s become more uncomfortable to see English actors put on accents and tell the world they’re German, Russian, Swedish or Italian. But is the trend for ‘keeping it real’ – a movement that is creating more work for disabled actors, ethnic minorities or transgender performers – hindering artistic growth? Vanessa Thorpe weighs in.
Monday, 18 March 2019
The three-year Arts in Medicine programme at the largest municipal health system in the US is being used to tackle symptoms of burnout and compassion fatigue in healthcare teams. Robert Glatter explains how.
Friday, 15 March 2019
Why is the Jewish theatre tradition so much stronger in the US than the UK, asks David Jays. And how is work as an actor, director or writer conditioned by the Jewish experience?
Thursday, 14 March 2019
More than 5,500 pieces of Indian art and handicrafts are on display at the Jaya He, GVK New Museum, a large new art space in Mumbai which happens to be in an airport. Vindu Goel visits the site.
‘Trickle down diversity’ – the idea that the more BAME people working in senior positions in the creative industries, the more diverse they will become – is a seriously flawed concept that might actually do more harm than good, writes Marcus Ryder.
Wednesday, 13 March 2019
Folk music has always been political, but a new wave of British and Irish artists are dragging commentary on issues as diverse as abortion rights, the refugee crisis, and the loss of minority languages into the mainstream. Jude Rogers and Ammar Kalia survey the scene.