International News in 2002
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Arts and culture policy-related news from online news services. Subscribe to our newsletter, ACORNS. To alert us to international news please email us.
March 2002
Arts council changes tune with shift to folk and rock
The Scottish Arts Council has announced that upcoming music funding will focus on traditional music, rock and jazz. A council spokesperson said, 'Lots of areas have not had the resources or the attention paid to them and they will be our priorities for the next five years.' more >
April 2002
NAC announces new panellists
South Africa's National Arts Council has completed its first funding session for 2002, simultaneously announcing and introducing its new Advisory Panellists. more >
Primary schools adopting new way of creative writing
More junior primary school students across the island of Barbados should soon benefit from using an alternative way of writing creatively. The Barbados Government Information Service presents this news feature. more >
May 2002
Guide to arts education opportunities released
The US government's new bipartisan education act, 'No Child Left Behind', includes the arts in the definition of 'core academic subjects'. This could lead to a huge improvement in national education policy. more >
Why arts coverage should be more like sports coverage
Senior Editor Chris Lavin, from the San Diego Union-Tribune, wrote and delivered this speech last week to the national convention of arts service organisations. more >
Arts education money slashed in California budget
One year after California's Governor Gray Davis lifted the hearts of arts teachers across the state by showering the California Arts Council with money, he has proposed slashing its budget by more than half. more >
Lobbyists toast new copyright act
Champagne was flowing freely in room B-340 of the Rayburn House office building on Thursday afternoon as scores of politicos gathered to toast a controversial copyright law. In between raised glasses of bubbly, some of Washington's most influential lobbyists and politicians sung the praises of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and said it had successfully limited piracy and promoted creativity. more >
Readers desert UK libraries
Readers are deserting Britain's libraries, depressed by their shabby decor, peculiar opening hours, and the impossibility of getting hold of a new bestseller. However, more people use the service access the internet and study. more >
Donkeys and elephants inject politics into art
In Washington, a conflict involving the First Amendment is increasingly likely to go to court. It is the latest example of the vexing questions that arise when officials pay for exhibitions and think that they can decide what is appropriate. more >
Former Australia Council chief lands top gig in London
Another Australian has landed a plum British cultural job, with the surprise appointment of Sydney Opera House CEO and former Australia Council boss Michael Lynch as the head of central London's most controversial arts complex, the South Bank Centre. more >
Producers unite against American rule
The controversy generated by the US Screen Actors Guild's 'Global Rule One' has been reverberating at Cannes, where producers from five English-speaking countries have joined forces to denounce the guild's attempt to 'impose working conditions on actors beyond the union's jurisdiction'. more >
2002-2003 'South African Handbook on Arts and Culture' launched
The second edition of the 'South African Handbook on Arts and Culture' was launched in April, in response to numerous local and international requests for an updated version. more >
WIPO phonograms and performances treaty is legal
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has announced that its Phonograms and Performances Treaty (WPPT) entered into force on 20 May. more >
Rescue hope for Afghan treasures
International conservation experts are meeting in Kabul for talks on how to save Afghanistan's cultural heritage. A key item is the feasibility of restoring ruined treasures such as the Bamiyan Buddhas. more >
Calabash Literary Festival promoted in the Big Apple
Jamaica's 2002 Calabash International Literary Festival, held 24-26 May, enjoyed a special launch in New York earlier in the month. more >
GATS a growing threat to cultural policy
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), one of the agreements of the World Trade Organization (WTO), came into force in January 1995. Already, GATS places constraints on the ability of sovereign governments to implement cultural policies and programs. Proposals in a new round of liberalisation talks and the comprehensive negotiating agenda adopted by the WTO, can only bring further restrictions on governmental measures that support domestic cultural expressions and ensure cultural diversity. more >
A tilt toward the third world at the Sao Paulo Biennial
Physically, the Sao Paulo Biennial is the largest celebration of art in the world, exceeding even its better-known counterpart in Venice. But organising such a show has always been a process fraught with controversy and adversity, and the 25th biennial has proven no exception. more >
American arts agencies contend with state budgets
After nearly a decade of robust growth, legislative appropriations for state arts agencies contracted slightly in fiscal year 2002, as both the national economy and state budgets softened, according to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA). more >
UNESCO news
UNESCO will showcase launch the compilation of a new representative list of world cinema this week, and last week celebrated Africa Day. more >
Free trade regimes kill cultural diversity, says Canadian activist
The wider acceptance of comprehensive free trade regimes may have worked to advance economic benefits in many countries, but it is hardly a welcome sign to the growing number of advocates working to preserve cultural diversity throughout the world. more >
Canadian Booksellers angered at the expansion of Amazon
Booksellers are calling on Sheila Copps, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, to block the expansion of Amazon.com into the Canadian market, warning their businesses will be devastated if the U.S. online giant sets up a domestic distribution arm. more >
Novels lose out to newspapers
According to research into reading habits, newspapers are more popular than novels among Britons reading for pleasure. more >
The effect of Globalisation on Geoculture
The Association of the Taxation of financial Transactions for the Aid of Citizens (ATTAC) explores the 'geocultural stakes' in modern global activity, based on the premise that 'cultural matters...are quite absent from contemporary strategic debates, including those about the consequences of globalization'. more >
US arts community urges government to restore individual fellowships
Six years after the US Congress stripped individual artists of direct support via the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), 'Arts Wire' asked its readership to comment on the impact this continuing lack of recognition has had. more >
June 2002
Libraries growing spanish-language collections
According to a national survey of American librarians, Mexican immigrants are the largest Hispanic population served by libraries, and immigration law, health and 'how-to' titles are the Spanish-language books that register the most demand. more >
Why is arts journalism marginalised in so many publications?
Literary critic Carlin Romano believes that 'until arts journalists and their supporters examine the intellectual issues of their trade as seriously as investigative reporters probe their own dilemmas over protecting sources or going undercover, they'll continue to be enablers of their own marginalisation.' more >
Commerce Follows Artists Into the SoHo of Shanghai
The New York Times is taking an interesting look at community revitalization through the arts in Shanghai. 'The creekside area that has been revitalized is often called Shanghai's SoHo. But as was the case with its namesake in Manhattan, the tug of commercial possibilities may uproot the growing artists' community'. more >
Interim Chief Named at National Museum
The Washington Post reports that Douglas H. Erwin, a paleontologist, has been appointed the interim director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, the second most popular museum in the world, more >
Major press strike threatens Norwegian film industry
A virtual all-out journalists' strike in Norway is threatening to undermine the viability of theatrical film releases in the territory. more >
Insurers push booksellers to the margins
Add to the woes of independent booksellers the growing cost of insurance. Insurance premiums have risen sharply this year, and some independents fear this may put them out of business. more >
Federal cuts to arts training boards hit hard
State and territory arts training boards across Australia have had their budgets cut by 40% in the 2002/2003 Federal Budget, leading to some being forced to close up shop and others wondering how they will continue to provide services. more >
Tax laws work against non-profits
Boston Museum of Fine Arts' Director Malcolm Rogers is campaigning against a measure approved by the state's House of Representatives, to eliminate tax deductions for charitable contributions. more >
Entertainment industry survey
A new survey by Pricewaterhouse Coopers says that the worldwide entertainment and media sector is at the beginning of a rally that will see spending of US$1.4 trillion by 2006. more >
Volunteer research to assist policy decisions
The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries (UK), has commissioned a demographic profile of volunteers throughout the arts sector. Noting that the information regarding volunteers has been scarce, the report aims to build a strategic view of volunteering to assist in future policy decisions. more >
Music industry trouble
The US$14 billion recording industry is struggling through its first sales slump in a decade. It's time to face the music: radio sounds like a broken record, CD prices are heading off the charts, labels are out of tune with the digital age and new acts are failing to strike a chord with listeners. more >
Global search for new Te Papa head
The Museum of New Zealand board is moving quickly to begin an international search for a new Chief Executive, after the shock departure of Dame Cheryll Sotheran. more >
Non-profit arts groups generate US$134 billion annually
Non-profit arts groups throughout the US generate at least US$134 billion in economic activity each year, according to a national survey released by an advocacy group. more >
Cuban dancer appointed UNESCO ambassador
Cuban ballerina and choreographer Alicia Alonso has been appointed a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her 'outstanding contribution to the development, preservation and popularisation of classical dance' and for her 'devotion to the artform', according to a recent UNESCO news release. more >
'Funding for Arts Month' at the Foundation Center
During the entire month of June, the US Foundation Center will offer a wide range of arts-related programs, publications, and web-based content and services, to enhance existing resources and develop new ones for particular audiences. more >
Training young musicians a serious business
Are we being serious enough about our youth music in New Zealand? more >
American schools rescuing native language and culture
'The Christian Science Monitor' explores the growing prominence of Native American tribal immersion in schools, focusing on language and culture. more >
Human Knowledge Held Digitally May Be Lost
'Human Knowledge Held Digitally May Be Lost' reports on a paper presented at a recent UNESCO meeting, which notes that an 'enormous trove of digital information covering all areas of human endeavour could be lost if specific techniques and policies are not developed to conserve it.' more >
Setting Online Works Free Doesn't Please Everyone
In 'Setting Online Works Free Doesn't Please Everyone' the Seattle Times investigates the debate over digital rights and intellectual property, finding that 'It's an uphill battle to convince people that individuals can make their work freely available over the Internet, available for folks to use however they want without any obligations.' more >
Bush announces new member for National Council on the Arts
US President George Bush has announced the nomination of National Gallery of Art Director Earl A. Powell III to serve on the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body of the National Endowment for the Arts. more >
Controlling copyright through technology
In 'Controlling Copyright Through Technology: When Elephants Dance' Michael Fraase examines the idea that 'the fusion of the entertainment industry with consumer electronics is creating a breed of giants which is trampling underfoot historically-established guarantees of moral rights and fair use.' more >
Art Godfather shares his skills
When Fatu Feu'u shocked his family and gave up his nice secure job as chief designer for an Auckland textile company in 1988, he was given a farewell gift he still uses today. more >
New York fine art dealer sentenced
Imposing a harsh penalty, a federal judge in New York has sentenced a well-known antiquities dealer to 33 months in prison for dealing in antiquities recently excavated from Egyptian soil. more >
US artists oppose war on terror
The organiser of an artists' petition against the US Government's 'war on terror' has said some people were afraid to add their signatures. more >
Movies, TV not to be changed by Sept 11
The President of the Motion Pictures Association of America says the US entertainment industry will not alter movies or television shows to help the war on terrorism. more >
'UK heritage needs £4 billion'
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) estimates that the sum required to put the UK’s heritage 'in good order' over the next 10 years will be nearly GB£4 billion. more >
Digital divide still growing, according to UN conference
The digital divide still yaws as widely as ever, with billions of people still unconnected to a global society which, on its side, is more and more wired,' commented United Nations' Secretary-General Kofi Annan recently. more >
South African broadcaster makes first film investment
For years, major South African broadcasters have avoided investing in feature films - a move many local producers claim has prevented the rise of a viable local film industry. more >
Copyright: Decide it in the open
The future of copyright is being decided behind closed doors, by representatives of a nervous industry given decision-making powers by equally nervous governments, eager to wash their hands of responsibility for arbitrating disputes. more >
Our shrinking language tapestry
The headlong rush of progress and development has made the world poorer. Of the roughly 6,000 languages (plus their dialects) spoken around the world, 3,000 or more are classified as endangered, seriously endangered, or dying. more >
Irish government's new film policy considered out of place
Ireland is struggling to retain its attraction as a location for film producers, thanks to increasing labour and service costs, growing competition from cheaper foreign locations, and now, a new government arts department that seems oddly unenthusiastic about film. more >
Alan Parker rallies industry to develop skills strategy
Alan Parker, chairman of UK support body, the Film Council, has called on the film industry to support a major research project that will inform a new and comprehensive skills strategy for the sector. more >
Arts survey shows funding climate favorable
A recently released survey paints an upbeat picture of the arts funding scene in America. 'Arts & Economic Prosperity: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts Organisations and Their Audiences' surveyed the period 1992-2000. more >
Global art show with an agenda
Costing US$11 million and occupying five huge sites, 'Documenta 11' is the biggest, most expensive version yet of this mega-survey of contemporary art, to which, improbably, more than half a million people flock every five years. more >
The librarian's web dilemma
Libraries in the US are facing two issues: how to protect children from stumbling onto pornography while surfing the web, and how to deal with adults who seek out materials that are inappropriate for children's eyes. more >
A film peers into Tehran
For 14 years, Reza Khatibi was an Iranian living in exile in Paris, but he was not a political refugee. more >
The quest for immortality
The largest exhibition of ancient Egyptian artefacts ever to tour North America and Canada will open at the National Gallery of Art in Washington on June 30. more >
The Middle East's e-War
In 'The Middle East's e-War,' 'Foreign Policy' explores the power of electronic connectedness in the Middle East conflict, noting that: 'Websites are having a broader influence by challenging the hegemony of established media.' more >
New operas are booming
US orchestras may be grappling with dwindling audiences and the indifference of the young, but opera companies are doing quite well. more >
Online forum on cultural diversity
The Organisation of American States is inviting participation in the online 'Dialogue and Discussion Forum on Cultural Diversity in the Hemisphere'. The forum is being convened in preparation for the First Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Culture and Highest Appropriate Cultural Policy Authorities, to be held July 12-13, in Colombia. more >
The state of UK museums under review
'Resource', the Council for Museums Archives and Libraries, has announced the release of a new comprehensive report, detailing the state of the UK's museums and galleries. more >
South Africa's black writers explore a free society's tensions
The new South Africa dazzles and disorients, offering young blacks previously unimaginable opportunities, even as AIDS and crime threaten to shatter their dreams. more >
UNESCO to add new sites to World Heritage List
UNESCO has announced that up to eleven new sites may be added to its World Heritage List on June 27. more >
At least in public, Americans endorse books
Are Americans reading more, or do they just want you to think they are? more >
A drama for the public theatre's board
Joseph Papp founded the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1954, to bring plays like 'Much Ado About Nothing' to people without charge. more >
WIPO members working towards trademark harmonisation
Member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have moved forward in discussions on a comprehensive program to harmonise trademark law internationally. more >
Papers for Culture and Public Action now available
Several papers addressing culture and development have been made available on the World Bank website, in preparation for the 'Culture and Public Action' conference, to be held in Washington, DC, June 30 - July 1. more >
NYC Arts budget cut
'After five years of strong budget support from the city of New York, arts groups will have to weather a cut in funds under the municipal budget adopted last week, but the 5 percent reduction agreed to by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the City Council is a vast improvement over the 15 percent cut initially proposed by the mayor, arts groups say, particularly considering that the city has a $5 billion deficit to close and a downtown to rebuild.' more >
Why the arts flourish in rural and small communities
'Authentic Passion: an introduction to the arts in rural and small communities,'discusses why arts flourish in rural and small towns in every form because of committed artists and arts activists and how the arts form part of the traditions of those who live there. more >
Web Thinkers Warn of Culture Clash
'Web Thinkers Warn of Culture Clash' reports on cautions expressed by leading Internet analysts and developers at the annual Internet Society conference who feel 'The Internet's potential for promoting expression and empowering citizens is under threat from corporate and government policies that clash with the medium's long-standing culture of openness. more >
Cultural Loss in New York
'Cultural Loss In Lower Manhattan' covers Heritage Preservation's publication 'Cataclysm and Challenge: Impact of September 11, 2001, on Our Nation's Cultural Heritage' and focuses on the massive losses of the Five Points archaeological collection. 'Only 18 of about one million unique artifacts documenting the lives of nineteenth-century New Yorkers survived.' more >
FBI investigates Americas libraries
The American Associated Press has reported that the FBI is visiting libraries nationwide and checking the reading records of people it suspects of having ties to terrorists or plotting an attack, library officials say. more >
Art Museums in a Family Way
The article 'In Family Way', notes a transformation taking place in art museums. 'These temples of contemplation that once catered mostly to adults now offer a full menu of programs aimed at families -- not to mention school groups, singles, teenagers, seniors…' more >
Australian Council considers giving up instrument collection
The Australia Council wants to sell a valuable 18th-century Italian cello, currently on loan to young musician Liwei Qin. more >
July 2002
Capitalising on arts
Arts leaders in Sacramento, America have begun to consider the possibility of asking voters to approve a regional bond measure that would create a permanent endowment for the arts. more >
Smoke rises over a new opera sponsor
The violent passions of Bizet's Carmen pale beside the row brewing offstage at Glyndebourne at the news that the opera house has accepted almost GB£200,000 from British American Tobacco to stage its new production. more >
Public support for Korea's cultural industry
The Korean government has considered culture technology a core technology for state development and, subsequently, published a comprehensive plan for developing skillful workers related to the culture industry. The results have been promising. more >
Egypt marks World Refugee Day
'Moments to be free' gives a first hand account of Egypt's Refugee festival. 'The twists and turns that characterise the lives of the tens of thousands of refugees in Egypt was brought into sharp focus... at the American University in Cairo to mark World Refugee Day.' more >
Steps to Art for pre-school education
Americans for the Arts, children's shoe manufacturer Elefanten USA, and recording artist Laurie Berkner have partnered to create Steps to Art(tm), a program to raise funds and awareness for early childhood arts education programs. more >
Resource further develops cultural diversity initiatives
Resource; the counicl for Museums, Archives and Libraries has recently boosted its Learning and Access Team, with three new appointments. Over the next year, the Team will be spearheading a new programme of projects intended to address some of the fundamental challenges of cultural diversity in the museums, archives and libraries sector. more >
'Superarchives' to contain scholarly output
'Superarchives' Could Hold All Scholarly Output,' reports on a new effort to create archives linked between higher education institutions that would invite 'professors to upload copies of their research papers, data sets, and other work. The idea is to gather as much of the intellectual output of an institution as possible in an easy-to-search online collection.' more >
Treasuring African American Memories
A videotaped oral history archive that consists the reminiscences of older, distinguished African-Americans, has been established as part of the National Visionary Leadership Project. more >
Lightning law to privatise 'la bella Italia'
Last month, the Italian parliament passed a bill put forward by the Italian Minister of Economics, Giulio Tremonti, to help reduce the public debt. more >
Photography a Jewish tradition
'Behind a Century of Photos, Was There a Jewish Eye?,' notes that from the early days of photography to the present, a staggering number of influential figures have been Jewish. more >
Churchill Fellowship for public art study
Senior Arts Queensland officer, John Stafford, has been awarded a Churchill Fellowship by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust in Australia to study public art programs in the USA. more >
World Cup a forum for cultural exchange
The Japanese Art Scene Monitor has reported that throughout the duration of the World Cup soccer, many regional governments made the most of opportunities to promote foreign culture amongst local communities. more >
New Head appointed at the Yokohama Museum of Art
The Japanese Art Scene Monitor reports that Koji Yukiyama has been appointed Head of the Yokohama Museum of Art, replacing Tetsuro Kagesato who left in April last year to take up a professorship at Tokyo’s Joshibi University of Art and Design. more >
WIPO Director General visits Germany
Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Dr Kamil Idris, met in Berlin recently with officials from Germany’s Federal Government and Parliament, to discuss the promotion of awareness of intellectual property’s critical role in spurring economic growth and cultural development. more >
WIPO making progress on traditional knowledge
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has reported that the third meeting of its Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC), held in June, covered practical measures, as well as broader policy and legal issues concerning the protection of traditional knowledge. more >
UNESCO to launch Global Alliance for Cultural Diversity
International cultural agency UNESCO has announced that it is to launch a global campaign aimed at encouraging governments and the private sector to develop publishing, music, film, multimedia, crafts, design production and distribution firms in as many countries as possible. more >
Reining in expectations at the Lincoln Centre
Bruce Crawford, the new chairman of Lincoln Center, suggested in a recent interview that putting the price tag of US$1.2 billion on the center's ambitious redevelopment was premature and that the project's cost and scope may have to be more modest. more >
Arts organizations searching for funds
'Arts Organizations Searching for Funds' reports on the seemingly that 'crazy times' that many US arts managers are currently facing. The confusion of emotions comes from the fact that many politicians in election years are 'trumpeting' their commitments to the arts, while simultaneously slashing state arts and cultural budgets in a down economy. more >
African-Americans slowly fill orchestra seats
'African-Americans Slowly Fill Orchestra Seats' reports that 'In classical music, black singers and conductors have gradually become more visible over the years. But some concertgoers are asking: Where are the black instrumentalists?' more >
Iran Bans Dancer From Teaching
A ruling was handed down by an Iranian court earlier this month noting that teaching traditional Iranian dance corrupts the nation's youth. An Iranian-American dancer was banned from leaving Iran for 10 years and from giving dance classes for life. more >
New York Public Library announces new fellows
The New York Public Library has announced its 15 new fellows for its Center for Scholars and Writers. 'The Center offers a nine-month fellowship that allows researchers and creative writers to work at the library on projects involving the use of its collections.' more >
Heritage buildings to get pop idol treatment
'Heritage Buildings to Get Pop Idol Treatment' reports that 'A Pop Idol-Style' TV show for historic buildings is to be launched in the UK, to attract support for the restoration and upkeep of crumbling architectural treasures around the country. more >
Digital challenge facing art schools
'More Art Students Create on Digital Canvases' reports on the increase in art students who do their work digitally and the challenge this presents for art schools. more >
Art and music are being squeezed out of UK schools
According to a report recently released by Cambridge University academics, art and music are being squeezed out of primary schools throughout the UK through the government's testing regime. more >
Cannibal culture
'Cannibal Culture' examines cultural ignorance in terms of how, we, as a society are often unaware that works that we are familiar with often borrow, were inspired by, pay homage to, reference, appropriate or downright steal from works that we may or may not know. more >
Textiles: a Hands-On Folk Art
'Textiles: A Hands-On Folk Art' notes that 'One of the grand narratives running through the American Museum of Natural History can be found in its textiles.' more >
US Opera-Symphony to merge
The boards of the Utah Symphony and the Utah Opera are set to vote this July, on a proposal to merge the two organizations. Two officials address the concerns that linger as key vote approaches. more >
The new world border
'The New World Border' reports that whilst 'International theater festivals have become a staple of summer, foreign artists wishing to perform in the U.S. have never had a tougher time entering the country'. more >
Things can only get better for arts in the UK
It's time for Britain's Labour government to announce its support for the arts. But New Labour has never been publicly at ease with the arts. more >
Study shows Valley residents crave culture
A recent survey released by 'Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley', notes that its residents crave more culture, but the civic and political support doesn't measure up. more >
Effect of zero arts funding in the US
The afterwake of Americas FY 2003 budget has left many state arts groups counting zeroes. Thirteen arts groups have been notified that they will receive no state program funding next year, leading some to ask, 'So why not cut everyone's grant and share the pain?' more >
50,000 go to Night of the Museum
The first Night of the Museum on Wednesday attracted more than 50,000 visitors. more >
It was logical to create FilmFour. But what is logical isn't necessarily the answer
David Aukin, former head of film at Channel 4, on how the drive for box-office success proved fatal for FilmFour. more >
Rio's Theatro Municipal Scales Back Season Plans After Budget is Slashed
Rio de Janeiro's most important opera and classical music venue, the Theatro Municipal, has scaled back its plans for the current season, after the new state government cut its R$27 million (US$9.5 million) budget in half. more >
Deutschland of opportunity
Berlin is like no other city on Earth, in that it spent 50 years divided squarely in two, then attempted to readapt to existing as a single entity. That kind of dichotomy can make or break any attempt at a coherant arts scene. more >
Bollywood film stars in grip of mafia extortion
Bollywood film stars and producers are in the grip of a terrifying extortion campaign unleashed by mafia dons who are threatening to kill them unless they pay huge amounts of money, police have told AFP. more >
Bringing it all home
A new generation of collectors is attempting to repatriate many of the artifacts, and in the process, is driving up the cost of Chinese art worldwide. more >
UK Archives under review
Resource; The Council for Museums Archives and Libraries has been invited by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to carry out an in-depth analysis and review of the state of the UK's unique and diverse archives. more >
A memorial remembers the hungry
The new Irish Hunger Memorial in New York City has been rivaled as the equivalent of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, an unconventional work of public art that strikes a deep emotional chord. more >
World record auction price for Tolkien book
A remarkable signed first edition of JRR Tolkien's novel 'The Hobbit' has sold for a world record GB£43,000 (NZ$139,973) at auction in London. more >
Bollywood king of Kandahar again
The influence of Bollywood films so feared by the Taliban is indeed spreading through Afghan society. more >
Young Mexican writers bid farewell to magical realism
When Latin American literature began to make inroads outside of Spanish-speaking circles, it was the magical spell of tropical worlds that drew readers from Europe and North America. more >
Brown pledges GB£75m arts boost
Chancellor Gordon Brown has promised to give an extra GB£75m to the arts by 2005/6 in the government's comprehensive spending review. more >
National Endowment for the Arts recieves funding increase
Following the ongoing debate over funding to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the USA's House of Representatives has voted to increase the NEA's funding for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 by $10 million, to $126 million. more >
Founding Director of South African CCA, passes away
The South African Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) is sad to announce the passing of Adriaan Donker, founding director of the CCA from 1996 through 1998. more >
Effect of zero funding?
As the state of Connecticut declares a budget crisis, some small arts groups are getting the bad news that their state funding has been zeroed out. Some of those left out are award-winning and have been funded for years. more >
BBC World Service loses 3m listeners
The BBC World Service was listened to by an average of 150 million people last year - 3 million down on the previous 12 months and 5 million below its audience target. more >
Boston loses big in Harvard museum fallout
The news that Harvard University has cancelled its plans to build a riverside art museum to be designed by the celebrated architect Renzo Piano isn't surprising. But it's a body blow to the mood of robust expansion in the area. more >
BBC a turn-off among black audiences
The BBC has lost the following of black and Asian viewers in the last year despite the director general Greg Dyke's declaration that he was going to end the 'hideously white' ethos of the corporation both behind and in front of the camera. more >
Director named for the new Bard Performing Arts Centre
Jonathan Levi, an arts educator, editor and writer, has been named as the director of the new Bard Performing Arts Center, designed by Frank O. Gehry more >
Purchase power collapse
Britain's major museums have slashed their budgets for acquisitions of art. more >
Technology leaders write to entertainment industry
Technology executives, including Microsoft's Steve Ballmer, Dell Computer's Michael Dell and Intel's Craig Barrett, have said in an open letter to entertainment industry executives that they were not about to create technology that limits computer users ability to copy and play digital media. more >
Money for National Endowment of the Arts
The US House of Representatives has voted an increase in the budget for the National Endowment for the Arts. more >
CBS network 'fails minorities'
A multi-ethnic coalition has demanded more racial diversity both in front of and behind the cameras at US television network CBS. more >
Korea scores with film fans
South Korean producer and former chief of the Korean Film Commission's international business department Paul Yi says the relationship between his country's film and sport industries is complex. more >
A British theatre report may reignite racism claims
British theatre is unfairly discriminating against black and Asian administrators, according to a survey by the Independent Theater Council. more >
Museum boom will be followed by bust
'Museum boom will be followed by bust' examines the worldwide growth in the number of new museums, noting that they have become 'valued as much for their contributions to wider agendas for social inclusion and economic regeneration as for their intrinsic worth.' more >
HIV muppet won't appear in US
PBS, responding to several Republican lawmakers' concerns, said Tuesday that it had no intention of introducing an HIV-infected Muppet to American airwaves. more >
Instruments insured at a premium
For some musicians the cost of insurance is prohibitively high - in some cases thousands of dollars a year - and they have had to forego the privilege of playing such a rare instrument. more >
Traditional Knowledge law drafted in Pacific
The Australian Attorney-General's Department (AGD) has reported in its latest newsletter that the Working Group for Legal Experts on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Culture recently met in the New Caledonian city of Noumea, to consider a draft model law on the subject. more >
Media baron puts £50 million Rubens in a new frame
A newspaper owner who last week paid GB£49.5 million for a Rubens painting, making it the world's most expensive work of art, was yesterday scraping together an extra £20,000 because he was unhappy with the frame. more >
UNESCO announces international literacy prize winners
Cultural agency UNESCO has announced that projects and programs in Egypt, Eritrea, Uganda and Pakistan are the winners of its 2002 international literacy prizes, rewarding exceptional work in the fight against illiteracy. more >
George Michael asked to write song for Olympics
LONDON - British pop singer George Michael is considering a request from the Athens Olympic Committee to write a theme song for the 2004 Games, a spokeswoman for the artist said. more >
The birthplace of Impressionism
Some Parisians are trying to recapture the spirit of bygone days now immortalised in art galleries around the world. more >
ICOMOS releases report on cultural heritage in danger
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to UNESCO, has released its second worldwide report on cultural heritage sites which it views as 'in danger'. more >
Russian call for Hollywood quota
One of the most influential people in Russia's film industry has called for a cap on the number of Hollywood movies allowed to be shown in the country, so local film-makers have a chance to compete. more >
Report on UK Tax scheme released
Resource, The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries has recently launched its 2000/02 report for the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme (AIL), which enables taxpayers to offer works of art and important heritage objects into public ownership in lieu of inheritance tax. more >
Plans for African-American Museum advance
Plans are moving ahead for a National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC. more >
Brazilians spin: remix music biz
Now, a group of musicians, software engineers, DJs, professors, journalists and computer geeks have decided to 'call for noise' against the current rules of copyright established by the music industry. more >
No drama on foreign films
An Australian Film Commission study into foreign film and television drama production here has concluded both local and foreign industries do, and should, work together for mutual benefit. more >
Cultural diversity or cultural indifference?
Cultural diversity is an orthodoxy commonly preached these days, but is it a policy that deadens art? more >
Mexico's widest-ever release threatened with ban
El Crimen Del Padre Amaro - due to get the widest release ever for a Mexican film, on 300 prints - is provoking controversy ahead of its scheduled local release on August 16th. more >
Findings from Arts & Economic Prosperity now available online
Americans for the Arts has recently released the findings from Arts & Economic Prosperity: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts Organizations and Their Audiences, online. more >
Culture and development conference in South Africa
The International Network for Cultural Diversity has recently extended its links with South Africa, in planning to hold its third annual conference in Cape Town, and appointing a local to its secretariat. more >
No joking or singing on flight, Indian movie stars told
Indian movie stars were told not to crack jokes, sing aloud or flex their muscles while flying to Malaysia and Singapore this week, following an incident in which an Indian actress sparked a terror alert at a US airport. more >
Making theatre accessible to the hearing impaired
The relationship of deaf people to the arts is said to be attracting growing interest. In recognition of this Deaf Way II, an international festival and conference on issues involving deaf people and the arts, recently took place in Washington. more >
16th Macao International Music Festival
Scheduled for the 16th consecutive year, the upcoming Macao International Music Festival will take place on October 4 - October 23, 2002 offering fourteen different concert programmes. more >
Festival of Contemporary Music an American affair
The annual Festival of Contemporary Music under a new director, composer Bright Sheng, capitalized on the presence of musicians studying at the Tanglewood Music Center, and devoted itself entirely to American music for the first time in several decades. more >
How to preserve digital art
Digital technology is so ephemeral that current digital artworks may no longer be viewable 10, 20 or even 200 years from now. A consortium of archives is launching a new project that seeks to document and preserve variable media art, and establish rules for the field. more >
China's Great Wall under attack
According to experts China's burgeoning tourism and construction sectors pose a growing threat to the Great Wall, disfiguring swathes of its ancient facade and wrecking its landscapes. more >
England's AHRB set to become research council
According to a recent British government report, the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB), which funds research in these disciplines, should be given full research council status along the lines of those funding science and medical research. more >
Power of the new in the arts
'Why are we so welcoming of experiment in science and so wary of it in the arts?'Art is communication. Art is a dialogue, not only in our own time, but across time. The responsibility of the artist, in any medium, is to make it new. more >
Urdu website breaks new ground
The launch of BBCUrdu.com is a landmark in online publishing as it is the first news site to use Urdu text, rather than scanned-in images of printed materials. more >
US to return to UNESCO?
The United States had many good reasons for leaving the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) back in 1984. But now, it seems, there are just as many good reasons for returning to it. more >
Policy research on community arts: A collective endeavour
'Policy Research on Community Arts: A Collective Endeavor' examines how 'the breadth, depth and value of a broad array of artistic activity evident in many American communities are not easily apparent or grasped. more >
Grant to Stonehenge unlikely to be a Panacea
A grant for a new visitor centre at Stonehenge, may mark the end of decades of wrangling between heritage and highway authorities over what to do about one of the most famous ancient monuments in the world. more >
New York Philharmonic acquires diary of founder
The New York Philharmonic has landed a vast collection of papers and other effects belonging to its founder, the violinist Ureli Corelli Hill, that illuminate the origins of the orchestra. more >
Cultural Policy: The Voice of State Legislators
This report details the results of a structured survey of Maine State Legislators involved in the New Century Community Program, aimed at advancing economic and social development by strengthening arts and cultural resources. more >
Advocates Band Together To Affect Policy
A recent report released by The Pew Charitable Trusts shows that advocates on the state level are having success developing reliable funding for arts and culture. more >
Lincoln Centre faces orchestra strike
Just hours before the opening of the Mostly Mozart festival, the Lincoln Center announced the cancellation of 20 of the series' concerts, due to an ongoing labour battle. more >
US Arts festivals reach all time high
This summer the number of arts festivals throughout America has reached an all-time high of about 3,000, drawing an audience estimated at up to 130 million. more >
A preview of Egypt's 14th Festival for Music and Song
Egypt's 14th Festival for Music and Song will be held at the open-air theatre of Cairo's Open House, and promises to deliver powerful decibels and stimulating rhythms. more >
Washington Chamber Symphony Disbands
The Washington Chamber Symphony, which presented a series of venturesome and enormously popular concerts at the Kennedy Center for more than a quarter-century, has voted itself out of existence. more >
Visa delays give fits to planners of arts festivals
Getting visas for foreign artists to come into the US to perform has become tougher. Visas are delayed, or in some cases denied, sometimes for reasons that are understandable and sometimes for reasons that seem arbitrary. more >
Restoration for 'Freedom' Murals at Archives
Two of Americas most historic murals, marking the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are to undergo restoration. more >
August 2002
British Library closed by strike action for first time
The British Library was closed for the first time in its history by a strike on July 29. The 24-hour closure was over the library's refusal to raise a 4% pay award to staff. more >
Reuniting China along artistic lines
The Palace Museum in Taiwan, which holds some of China's great art treasures, has begun to change following the Nationalist Party's fall from power. more >
National Museum of the Philippines becomes interactive
A feature article on the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) website details the new software package that has put the National Museum on the map with its sophisticated yet accessible museum management. more >
Renowned curator moves to Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art
Japanese Art Scene Monitor has reported that long-time curator at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Michiko Kasahara, has recently moved to the the city's Museum of Contemporary Art. more >
Increased ethinic diversity for UK museum and library staff
Resource, the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, has recently announced the creation of new ethnic-minority traineeships, which are viewed as a step towards addressing the overwhelmingly 'white' profile of museum and gallery staff in the UK. more >
UNESCO activating in Asia
UNESCO has recently held an international symposium on the preservation of Afghan cultural heritage in Japan, as well as the Childrens' Performing Arts Festival of East Asia. more >
Sudanese judges visit WIPO
The President of the Supreme Court of Sudan, Jalal Al-Din Mohamed Othman, recently led a delegation of his colleagues to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for talks. more >
UK Museum visits soar after entry fees are scrapped
It has recently been claimed that visitor numbers to Britain's museums have seen a "spectacular" rise as a result of a government policy, last winter, restoring free admission. more >
Illegally exported Roman sculpture returned
The Princeton University Art Museum (PUAM) has returned to Italy an ancient Roman sculptural relief it bought in 1985, but which a curator discovered had left Italy without an export permit.