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Arts in the Media
The California Arts Council’s Arts in the Media page keeps up with news, features and editorials on arts-related issues from major news sources. Other information resources on the California Arts Council’s website include Arts Insider News (short arts-news items written by California Arts Council staff), California Arts Stories (arts-related feature stories from the California Arts Council), What’s New (eNewsletter cover stories and content summaries), and Press Releases from the California Arts Council. Please note that because of space restrictions, the Arts in the Media section does not include reviews of specific artistic events or calendar listings, but does include feature stories, profiles, editorials and other news items on the arts in California. To have us include an arts news item in this section, please submit information and web link to the web page editor at editor@caartscouncil.com. Please note that some items may be more appropriate for our Arts Insider News or California Arts Stories sections. The information in this section is provided as a service only, and the California Arts Council does not endorse or support the organizations listed. Listing of news items is at the discretion of the California Arts Council. Questions and/or concerns about listings may be directed to the web editor at editor@caartscouncil.com. Venice: City law regarding murals and signs sparks debate The Argonaut (Coastal Los Angeles County) 05-27-2008 A decree from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety that murals painted on public or private property are required to have a permit or face removal and a possible fine for the property owner has stunned members of the vast Los Angeles artistic community, exacerbating an already fierce debate around First Amendment freedoms and the legality of a municipal law that equates art with signs. At the heart of the dispute is a sign ordinance that some say blurs the line between signs and murals, a distinction that evokes passionate responses from a number of local artists. Vandalism and art, writ large Los Angeles Times 05-08-2008 L.A. muralists often see their works ruined -- both by vandals with spray cans and numbskulls with paint rollers. Sacramentan paints a picture of chronic pain Sacramento Bee 05-07-2008 Chronic pain had taken much of the joy out of Mark Collen's life. What he did gain from the ordeal, eventually, was an artistic outlet. Having never taken an art class, Collen nonetheless created a stark mixed-media piece featuring a photo of himself entombed in packing tape, except for a single eyeball, and a poem about suicide. That first foray into art as therapy has since led the 47-year-old Sacramento man to create a not-for-profit online gallery, www.painexhibit.com, in which he solicits images of work from others who suffer from chronic pain. Arts education funding in limbo Orange County Register 05-07-2008 Progress toward improving arts and music education in California public schools could be adversely impacted if local educators are permitted to use funding designated for these programs to save other classroom jobs and services during the state's fiscal crisis, arts education advocates said Monday, May 5. The nonprofit California Alliance for Arts Education, which hosted a telephone press conference from its Pasadena headquarters, is concerned that hundreds of millions of dollars that have been allocated to arts programs statewide could be lost if California lawmakers authorize school districts to seize part or all of the earmarked funds to solve their budget shortfalls. Mind Your Business: Don't Lose the Rights to Your Artistic Creations Animation World Magazine 05-06-2008 The "Orphan Works Act of 2008" (H.R. 5889) and the "Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008" (S.2913) were released to the House of Representatives and the Senate recently. While at first glance the law seems to be a "last resort" in a search for the owner of any photograph, artwork or sculpture, the devil, as they say, is in the details. Redlands public art ordinance defeated in City Council vote Riverside Press-Enterprise 05-06-2008 Opponents and supporters in Redlands Tuesday evening spent almost two hours debating a proposed public art ordinance that would have been paid for by developers. City leaders opted not to impose the 1 percent fee on developers but they still plan to explore other options to create public art in Redlands. Chanticleer Sings in the Missions Monterey County Californian 05-03-2008 Clad in white tie and tails, the 12 Chanticleer singers venture this month down historic El Camino Real and into the muted confines of California's deep past. Called "the world's reigning male chorus" by New Yorker magazine, the Grammy Award-winning ensemble will perform concerts in nine of the state's 21 missions. Venues include missions in San Juan Bautista, Soledad, Carmel and Santa Cruz. Parents and Musicians Band Together Alameda Sun 05-02-2008 In the face of drastic cuts in school programs, from athletics to elementary music education, parents and the schools' Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) are pulling out all the stops to raise money to save the music for the little ones. That means a range of activities from big-name concerts to bake sales, soliciting donations large and small, and collecting pennies from the pockets of the district's youngest pupils. Justice at Last for Kent Twitchell Downtown LA News 05-02-2008 It has been nearly two years since Kent Twitchell’s massive mural of pop artist Ed Ruscha was rudely painted over by work crews. Now, following last week's $1.1 million settlement between the artist, the federal government and 12 other defendants--including the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, which was readying the building at 1031 S. Hill St. for a new YWCA Job Corps Center when the mural was painted over--the 70-foot-tall "Ed Ruscha Monument" could find a new home in Downtown. Palm Desert's art guru seeking to spread civic vision Desert Sun 05-01-2008 Palm Desert public art manager Richard Twedt has a passion for his job that reaches beyond the city limits. After drawing more than 180 artists and public administrators from around the region to last month's Desert Cities Public Art Forum in Palm Desert, Twedt is now taking on the establishment of a Desert Cities Public Art Coalition. Arts Council Cuts in Long Beach, Fears '09 Budget Long Beach Downtown Gazette 05-01-2008 Harry Saltzgaver, Executive Editor of a local Long Beach community paper, notes, "Budget cuts, including one layoff, have been made at the Arts Council for Long Beach in an attempt to finish this fiscal year in the black and prepare for what is expected to be a difficult 2008-09 budget." Artist Kent Twitchell settles suit over mural Los Angeles Times 05-01-2008 Los Angeles artist Kent Twitchell has settled his lawsuit against the U.S. government and 11 other defendants for painting over his six-story mural "Ed Ruscha Monument," painted on the side of a federal government-owned downtown building, for $1.1 million. The settlement, disclosed Wednesday, is believed to be the largest awarded under the federal Visual Artists' Rights Act or the California Art Preservation Act, both of which prohibit desecration, alteration or destruction of certain works of public art without giving the artist 90 days' notice to allow the artist the option of removing the artwork. Possibly largest settlement for Public Art lawsuit Forbes 05-01-2008 A muralist reached a $1.1 million legal settlement with defendants accused of painting over his large-scale portrait of artist Ed Rusha on a government-owned building that houses a U.S. Labor Department jobs program, the muralist's lawyer said. The U.S. government and the Labor Department will together pay $250,000 of muralist Ken Twitchell's settlement, perhaps the largest-ever payout in a case concerning state and federal laws that require artists to be notified before their works are destroyed, attorney Bill Brutocao said Wednesday. Meeting on the Right Side of the Brain New York Times 04-30-2008 Some in the business world are learning the benefit of "Right-brain meetings" -- conferences that use comfortable, colorful furnishings and accessories ranging from Slinkys to the video game Guitar Hero to help drum up better brainstorming. The recent trend is due in part to recommendations from creativity and creative economy experts like Daniel H. Pink (A Whole New Mind) and Richard Florida (Rise of the Creative Class). OPINION: Arts Education, Politics, and Research New York Times 04-27-2008 Ann Hubert, a writer for the New York Times, takes a look at arts education as an issue during the presidential race and discusses some of the recent studies concerning the field. Al Young, California Poet Laureate, speaks to NPR's Morning Edition National Public Radio 04-26-2008 Al Young took to writing poetry, as he describes it in one poem, "to make out the sound of my own background music." He's the poet laureate of California, celebrating National Poetry Month with a collection called Something About the Blues. Latino artists help revamp East L.A.'s core Los Angeles Times 04-26-2008 People often refer to the heart of East Los Angeles, but it never seems to be in the same place. In newspapers, the term turns up all over the map. That's because the area is more identified by its busy arteries -- Whittier, Atlantic or Cesar Chavez -- than by any essential center. Finding the heart of this sprawling Latino neighborhood was on the mind of artist Linda Arreola when she won her first public art commission recently. Her task was to design a sculptural piece for the expansive new courthouse plaza at the East Los Angeles Civic Center, a refurbished and re-purposed government complex that will be dedicated next month. Her design started with the idea of a public square that would serve as a focal point for residents. Home is where the art is San Jose Mercury News 04-25-2008 With chronically dwindling funding for art education, Main Street School has turned to a revolutionary source for help to stir up the creative side of children: parents and grandparents. Although some are not artistically inclined, 45 relatives of the elementary school's budding Kahlos and Van Goghs have volunteered to teach detailed painting, drawing and other artistic endeavors as a supplement to basic classroom art instruction. But they don't just hand out coloring books and a box of crayons while the real teacher takes a snooze. Volunteers participating in the Art Docent program are trained in a standards-based curriculum focused on sequential learning. Clowning for Schools San Francisco Chronicle 04-25-2008 Arts education is on the chopping block with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed $4 billion cut in education spending. In Alameda, facing a possible $4.5 million in education cuts, veteran clown Jeff Raz is offering a partial solution Sunday with two performances of his 4th Annual Circus for Arts in the Schools. New Bills Would Limit Liability on Use of "Orphan Works" Digital Media Wire 04-25-2008 A bipartisan group of powerful lawmakers this week introduced legislation that would mitigate the legal risk and potential damages associated with the use of "orphan works," or songs, books or other copyrighted media where the creator or owner cannot be identified. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) are sponsoring the Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008 in the Senate, while House Judiciary IP Subcommittee Chairman Howard Berman (D-Calif.) and House Judiciary Committee ranking member Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) introduced The Orphan Works Act of 2008 in the House. Los Gatos' Jazz on the Plazz series returns San Jose Mercury News 04-24-2008 Summer's within shouting distance, and in Los Gatos that means a return not only to warm weather but also to cool music. For two decades, the town has celebrated summer with its Sunday afternoon Music in the Park concert series, presented by the Los Gatos Arts Commission. California Poetry Out Loud on Capital Public Radio Capital Public Radio 04-24-2008 California Poetry Out Loud finalist Roshawnda Bettencourt talks with Capital Public Radio's "Insight" program days before leaving for Washington, DC, to compete in the national contest as California's representative. (audio link available) The California Music Project fights the decline of music in California schools Metro Active (Silicon Valley) 04-23-2008 Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos and Flea (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) recently lent their names and music to a single cause, producing a CD and donating time to tackle an issue important to them. What cause would bring such diverse, well-known artists together? Nothing less than the decline of music education. Ups and downs of Los Angeles arts funding Los Angeles Times 04-23-2008 Under proposed budgets, the Los Angeles City's Cultural Affairs Department spending would be trimmed, while county arts spending would rise. COLUMN: a look at San Jose City Hall happenings, including Public Art San Jose Mercury News 04-23-2008 Columnist Sal Pizarro writes, "I took a few minutes to check out the new City Windows Gallery with Barbara Goldstein, San Jose's public art director. On the west side of city hall, the space has long been planned for retail. But as nary a coffee shop has opened there, the city encouraged the Office of Cultural Affairs to install artwork in the empty storefronts. "The current exhibit, running until July 20, is "Look again . . . the art of recycling," which fit in perfectly with the Earth Day theme. All the pieces were created from recycled materials by artists with San Jose connections." Flag utilizes objects from state's artistic heritage Pasadena Star-News 04-22-2008 Forming a state flag with everything from Dorothy's ruby slippers to a star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, assemblage artist Jillian Kogan wants to spread the message that the arts helped shape California. The California Arts Council project--coming at a time when the state's arts funding is drying up--will go out next month on television statewide as a public service announcement. Artist Ann Chamberlain dies at 56 San Francisco Chronicle 04-22-2008 Ann Chamberlain, a much-loved San Francisco artist and teacher whose poetic installations in hospitals, libraries and other public spaces explored history, identity and the intersection of personal and communal memory, died on April 18 of breast cancer at her San Francisco home. Cathedral City Public Arts Commission makes monumental decision Desert Sun 04-22-2008 First, statues of late actor George Montgomery and musician-actor Buddy Rogers were erected in downtown Cathedral City's Town Square. Then, a statue of fallen city soldier Pfc. Ming Sun found its home in January at Patriot Park at Dinah Shore and Date Palm drives. Now, Cathedral City resident Caley Rhodes Sr. is in talks with city officials about installing a piece of public art at Town Square in memory of his deceased wife, Virginia "Jinx" Rhodes. While the proposal has tentative approval by local officials, Councilman Chuck Vasquez said he thinks the city needs to be "very careful" about not having too many monumental statues. Artists' eco message on new canvas: billboards San Francisco Chronicle 04-22-2008 To celebrate Earth Day, Peter Schulberg's "ReVisions," a collection of paintings done on recycled vinyl, along with other pieces made from re-purposed materials, will be in the Thoreau Center for Sustainability. In addition to the gallery, ReVisions includes a public art component. Schulberg secured nine 14-by-48-foot billboards in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Union City and San Jose on which Clear Channel Outdoor and CBS Outdoor have agreed to let him display original art for one month at no cost. These pieces come from an artist who so hated billboards that he regularly photoshops them out of photos. Bay Area youth orchestra plays traditional Chinese music San Jose Mercury News 04-21-2008 Traditional Chinese music is almost a lost art as a result of China's and Taiwan's westernization, which began around 1900 and accelerated in the late 20th century. Educated Chinese families in China and Taiwan, as well as in this country, now typically have their children study piano or violin. These days, though, youngsters of Chinese descent in Silicon Valley are increasingly choosing traditional Chinese instruments, thanks to the Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra. OPINION: A grand park plan in Los Angeles? Not really Los Angeles Times 04-21-2008 Christopher Hawthorne, the Los Angeles Times architecture critic, takes a look at two proposals for a public park in downtown Los Angeles. California public schools seek private money just to cover the basics Los Angeles Times 04-20-2008 Foundations are nothing new, but they're multiplying as huge budget cuts loom. And beyond enrichment, their goals now are saving teacher positions and keeping class sizes down. The Los Angeles Times takes a look at the steps that schools, parents and students are taking to keep quality education (including arts education) as part of California public schools. Q&A with California Poet Laureate Al Young San Francisco Chronicle 04-20-2008 Poetry is music, everyone knows. But few poets connect the two as fluently as California Poet Laureate Al Young. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger named him poet laureate in 2005. And on April 13, Young received the Fred Cody Award for lifetime achievement in literature from the Northern California Book Reviewers. Young lives in Berkeley and likes to sing ballads and standards, backed by musician friends. The San Francisco Chronicle sits down with Young for a printed interview. Dedicated PTA mom is keeping arts alive in school San Francisco Chronicle 04-20-2008 Kathryn Longtin is a dedicated PTA mom and art instructor who is passionate about keeping the arts alive in the public school system. For three years, the 53-year-old married mother of two has volunteered 40 to 50 hours a week building the Art Vistas program at Allen Steinbeck Elementary School in San Jose, despite her battle with Stage 3 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Staying in Vegas? Not the Guggenheim Los Angeles Times 04-19-2008 The Guggenheim and the Venetian had just announced that the contract to operate the "museum" -- actually four linked galleries -- was coming to an end, and as a thank-you to the public the $15 fee was being waived through the last day, May 11. "It was a mutual decision," a Guggenheim spokeswoman said of the closing. West Covina Councilman: Revamp art fund Pasadena Star-News 04-18-2008 Four years after West Covina established a fund for developers to pay for public art, the account is overdrawn and only one project has been completed, city officials said. The art fund was established in August 2004 to help developers meet city rules calling for public art at new developments. Developers can pay a fee to the fund instead of creating their own art. The problem, said City Councilman Mike Touhey, who asked the council to look at the issue, is that developers are choosing to install their own art instead of contributing to the fund. That, he said, leads to projects that the city might not approve. Music program in Monterey area Monterey County Herald 04-17-2008 "The 2008 programs and events for three terrific regional music festivals have been announced. The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz and Music@Menlo, along with our own Carmel Bach Festival, bring first-rate artists to the central coast region," noted a central coast columnist. "Attending these festivals you will hear treasured masterpieces from six centuries of music from the Renaissance to premieres of 21st century compositions." OPINION: Painting over O.C.'s Latino past Los Angeles Times 04-16-2008 "While Los Angeles County celebrates Chicano art with the fabulous "Phantom Sightings" exhibition at LACMA, Orange County deals with its own brown Botticellis the way it always has: with dismissals, ignorance and a can of paint thinner," writes Gustavo Arellano, a contributing editor to the Opinion section of the Los Angeles Times, author of the book Ask a Mexican! and a staff writer for the OC Weekly. San Francisco Symphony's Adventures in Music has lasting impact San Francisco Chronicle 04-15-2008 Thanks to an ambitious music education program from the San Francisco Symphony, kids across San Francisco know how to listen and learn, with music and with life, writes contributing writer Mary Ellen Hunt. Artists loan pieces for public art display North County Times 04-13-2008 A group of artists and community leaders in Fallbrook are preparing to launch an innovative art-borrowing program with a new sculpture called "The Fat Happies." Larry Miller, chairman of the Art in Public Places Committee, said the sculpture will be displayed for 18 months outside the Mike Choate Early Education Center beginning in May. An art adventure is just steps away, say Pasadena officials Pasadena Star-News 04-12-2008 You can stretch your legs and enjoy some art, and never have to go indoors. Just get your hands on a new brochure from the Cultural Affairs Division of the City of Pasadena. The Pasadena Public Art Walking Tours brochure provides information and maps for eight different self-guided routes boasting from six to 17 stops to view public artwork. "We have some hidden gems here in Pasadena," said Rochelle Branch, the city's cultural affairs manager. Local officials frame their turf as picture perfect Los Angeles Times 04-11-2008 In a scene reminiscent of the mass introduction ritual depicted in "Sex in the City," two dozen regional and local film commission leaders hopped between tables of filmmakers. They each were hoping to lure film crews home with them. Norman Thaddeus Vane was just four minutes into his speed-dating matchup when he fell in love . . . with Palmdale. Vane and 75 other studio and TV production executives, independent producers and location scouts learned about movie-making opportunities in cities and counties across California.
Poet Al Young to receive Cody Award San Francisco Chronicle 04-11-2008 California poet laureate Al Young will receive the Fred Cody Award for lifetime achievement when the 27th annual Northern California Book Awards are given out at a gala celebration at the San Francisco Public Library on the afternoon of April 13. The Fred Cody Award is named for the beloved bookseller who founded Cody's Books with his wife, Pat, in Berkeley in 1956. Tax-free poetry Sacramento News and Review 04-10-2008 Want to create real economic stimulus? Stop taxing artists. That's the most intriguing suggestion put forward by California's poet laureate, Al Young, in his keynote address to the gathered poets laureate of California's cities and counties. Coro Hispano brings Latin missionary music to Fallbrook North County Times 04-09-2008 The vocal and instrumental ensemble Coro Hispano de San Francisco was established in 1976 to mark a bicentennial. Not for the United States' birthday, but for the 200th anniversary of the settling of its namesake city. Coro Hispano arrives at the Bob Burton Center for the Performing Arts as part of the Fallbrook Music Society's series. The ensemble's Sunday concert is courtesy of a grant from the California Arts Council and plays into the forte of the group's director, Juan Pedro Gaffney -- chronicling the music of the missions across the state as well as Latin music from Spain to South America of that era. FORUM: Arts more than simple fun North County Times 04-09-2008 We can no longer allow the arts to take a back seat in our classrooms. They are much more than just "fun extra" classes for our kids. Participation in the arts opens up children's worlds and minds, and offers them skills they need for a bright future. And chances are your students are being cheated out of a complete education. A recent study by Arts Education Partnership polled 1,000 voters who indicated, nine out of 10, that they believe that arts are essential to students becoming good citizens and innovative workers. Music Legends Herb Alpert and Lani Hall Donate $15 Million To CalArts KHTS 04-09-2008 Eight-time Grammy award winner and A&M Records co-founder Herb Alpert and his wife, Grammy-winning vocalist Lani Hall, have made a $15 million gift to the School of Music at CalArts. President Steven D. Lavine announced that the school would be renamed The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts in recognition of this historic gift and The Herb Alpert Foundation's long-time support of CalArts. Redlands' proposed public art ordinance draws debate Riverside Press Enterprise 04-06-2008 This city may become a place where some of the art you see in public is the result of developers being required to create it. On April 15, the City Council plans to consider an ordinance to require commercial and residential developers to commission public art worth 1 percent of their project's value or pay a fee of the same amount. Under consideration for four years, the proposal has generated considerable support and opposition. Continental Divisiveness: New York and L.A. Theater LA Weekly 04-04-2008 If a toilet fails to flush on Eighth Avenue, the Village Voice theater critic Michael Feingold blames Los Angeles, claims the Los Angeles weekly. "He's not alone, but merely a charter member of a cadre of national critics who have been attacking Los Angeles as the embodiment of everything that's gone awry in America since 1963." LA Weekly takes a look at the clash between actors, artists and theater lovers on the coasts. California playwright's move east LA Weekly 04-04-2008 His play is a Broadway hit, but don't ask Mark Stewart, aka Stew, to come home again. The Los Angeles Problem: perception that success in Hollywood means "sell-out" LA Weekly 04-04-2008 "There's this thing we all grew up on," says Los Angeles writer Michael Elias, "that all the people who sold out in life went to Hollywood. They still consider moving here the Mark of Cain." Feedback sought on public artworks in Antioch Antioch Press 04-04-2008 The Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch is seeking feedback from the public for two new public artworks in Antioch. Two sites have been chosen for the creation of new art: the entry to Prewett Park and the intersections of Rock Springs and Dallas Ranch. Both locations are on highly visible roadways and within walking distance of schools. Capital Improvement Funds set aside during the development process in the Hillcrest and Lone Tree assessment districts provide the funding for two new public artworks. California's civic poets convene to share ideas Sacramento Bee 04-03-2008 California is a leader in all kinds of fields, from making movies to making wine. It also happens to lead the nation in putting poets to work.The state's poets laureate are in Sacramento for the first such gathering of its kind. Step out for a stroll through Ventura's downtown art scene Ventura County Star 04-03-2008 If you're in Ventura, don't run. Don't walk. Crawl. On select Fridays the public is invited to the Gallery Crawl, an invitation from Ventura's cultural community for everybody to slow down, stop in and take a closer look at the work of regional artists. The event has been held the first Friday evening of each month for the past six months. Artists are stationed in five or six galleries around Ventura to discuss their work or answer questions. Playwrights on Writing: Series on the theater craft Los Angeles Times 04-01-2008 An occasional series appearing in the Sunday Calendar of the Los Angeles Times that gives voice to some of the nation's most prominent playwrights. Scroll through for the list of writers and links to their articles. L.A. Wants to Whitewash Graffiti Mural Associated Press 04-01-2008 It was a graffiti artist's dream come true: 10,000 square feet of concrete and a permit to paint. Families brought their kids to watch as hundreds of muralists, using their own materials and working for free, sprayed technicolor shades on the steep banks of an ugly, manmade riverbed. Not everyone was pleased, however, with the results of the civic-minded effort, which had the city's blessing but has rekindled debates over whether Los Angeles County should condone a practice it pays millions to combat. Some politicians protested that parts of the mural are obscene and have attracted gang-related tags in a city where graffiti already mars homes, sidewalks and buildings. The county has given organizers until April 2 to whitewash the mural, and neither side is backing down. Ballet amid the bullets in Iraq Los Angeles Times 04-01-2008 Students of the Baghdad School of Music and Ballet find a respite from the violence. But the tensions are never far away: Most leave their violins and flutes at school to avoid attracting the attention of religious militias by carrying instrument cases in the street. Former teacher tries to offer more arts ed for students, even as budget picture looks bleak Palo Verdes Penisula News 03-28-2008 Since December 2005, when 4th District Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe announced that Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District was a recipient of a Los Angeles "Arts for All" grant, officials have worked to improve arts education for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Julie Beckman, the district's arts facilitator who taught for 17 years at Silver Spur Elementary School, gave the School Board an update on the progress of arts education in late March. Desert Public Art Commission, Council at odds Desert Sun 03-28-2008 The Palm Springs Public Arts Commission and City Council have been at odds lately, with the commission criticizing the council and the council voting down the commission's recommendations. Orange County parents hope to save K-3 music program Orange County Register 03-26-2008 Chaparral Elementary's K-3 music program -- like others in the Capistrano Unified School District -- could lose its funding, and the school is asking the community to help by dining out. The school district funds a 30-minute music class per student per week for those in kindergarten through third grades. According to Barbara Scholl, director of music for the district, for some, it's not enough. OPINION: Different generations, different tastes in art Ventura County Star 03-25-2008 Re: Chuck Thomas' March 16 Opinion page column, "Art vs. 911: Unspoken priorities:" The issue of fashion and taste comes up every time I show someone vintage photos of the Schiappapietra mansion in downtown Ventura. People gasp when I show the slide of the parking lot that occupies the mansion's former footprint. The 18-room Italian villa was the most ornate Victorian mansion in Ventura, but it was razed to make room for a parking lot because tastes had changed. Carlos Martinez leaves his mark on the Fresno Art Museum. Fresno Bee 03-24-2008 Carlos Martinez is leaving after four years as executive director of the Fresno Art Museum. "We will miss him a lot," says Fresno Arts Council's Joyce Aiken. Five leaders of cultural L.A. weigh the city's past, progress and its potential Los Angeles Times 03-23-2008 Los Angeles, the "city of the future," is once again trying to establish itself as an internationally recognized cultural center. To explore these changes and discuss the challenges and issues facing arts institutions, The Times recently brought together the leaders of five major institutions in the city. Participating in the roundtable with Times editors and writers were: Deborah Borda, president and chief executive of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Assn.; Placido Domingo, general director of Los Angeles Opera; Michael Govan, director and chief executive of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Michael Ritchie, artistic director of Center Theatre Group, which includes the Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum and the Kirk Douglas Theatre; and James N. Wood, president and chief executive of the Getty Trust. Nearly all of them came to Los Angeles from the East Coast less than three years ago and discovered, to their surprise, a landscape ripe for development. Music comes to missions with California American Masterpieces Salinas Californian 03-17-2008 Five choral concerts to be held in April and May at various locations throughout the state, including Hartnell College in Salinas and in missions throughout Monterey County, promise to transport their audiences two centuries back in time. The concerts are part of the Musica Festiva de las Misiones tour, an initiative of the California Arts Council. OPINION: Schools must work to avoid more music cuts San Jose Mercury News 03-14-2008 Since the 1980s Alameda has provided music education to its elementary students. Music in grades 1-3 has now been eliminated entirely by the district in favor of not reducing PE classes in grades 1-3 as part of the shared cutbacks. Since the early 1990s the elementary music and PE programs have worked as a team, splitting an hour of instruction between the two subject areas, 30 minutes to each during the classroom teacher's prep period. The board's action has destroyed this relationship, eliminating music in grades 1-3 entirely in favor of a full hour of PE during the prep period. Expanding PE and eliminating music does not save a cent. Insights Gained Into Arts and Smarts Education Week 03-12-2008 Findings released this month from three years of studies by neuroscientists and psychologists at seven universities help amplify scientists' understanding of how training in the arts might contribute to improving the general thinking skills of children and adults. Pasadena Cultural Affairs Manager Rochelle Branch has a big job: bringing culture to everyone Pasadena Weekly 03-12-2008 Expanding access to the arts for all Pasadena residents and helping local artists and arts organizations stay busy are two key missions of the city's Cultural Nexus plan, but getting the job done won't be easy. In many ways, it's an evolving process that will never be complete. Adopted by the Pasadena City Council in July 2005, Cultural Nexus is essentially the city's evolving cultural plan - the same way there are plans for things like growth and development, traffic management and public parks - and is managed by the Cultural Affairs Division of the Planning and Development Department and the Pasadena Arts and Culture Commission. At the helm of the Cultural Affairs Division is Rochelle Branch. Taking art to the streets of L.A. County Los Angeles Times 03-12-2008 The new Los Angeles County Administration Building rises four stories above Vermont Avenue, between 83rd and 84th streets, its clean lines and green-glass front striking a contrast with the auto body shops and parking lots nearby. But something else also sets the county social services hub apart from the squat concrete structures around it: tile murals inside and outside the building, glazed with digitally manipulated photographs of oak trees to soften the bustle of South Los Angeles. Completed this December, the building is the first developed under the Civic Art Program, which allots 1% of new county buildings' construction and design costs for art. Poetry Out Loud competition is all about the drama Sacramento Bee 03-06-2008 Stanza and deliver: There were competitors from 18 other schools at the Sacramento County Poetry Out Loud competition, but when the dust cleared after two rounds, Lana Preszler and Christy Cunningham--just Preszler and Cunningham--were asked to recite once more. Smart Arts: study examines the affect of arts on the brain Science Daily 03-06-2008 Learning, Arts, and the Brain, a study three years in the making, is the result of research by cognitive neuroscientists from seven leading universities across the United States. In the Dana Consortium study, researchers grappled with a fundamental question: Are smart people drawn to the arts or does arts training make people smarter? For the first time, coordinated, multi-university scientific research brings us closer to answering that question. (Information on this study was distributed to attendees at the California Arts Council statewide conference on March 4, 2008.) State creates corner on Web for kids San Jose Mercury News 03-04-2008 The state of California unveiled Kids Corner, a Web site designed to bring government closer to children. State officials hope to provide school-age computer users with an expansive collection of links and information, ranging from research tools to entertaining computer games to a not-so-exciting 5-minute, 45-second video of Caltrans engineers singing about driver safety. Oceanside arts panel elects new chair North County Times 03-04-2008 The city Arts Commission, whose chairman resigned in February over a perceived lack of support from City Hall, elected Carolyn Mickelson as its new leader Monday. Mickelson, a board member at the Oceanside Museum of Art, replaces John McDonald as head of the volunteer panel that makes arts-related recommendations to the City Council. During his two years on the panel, McDonald pushed aggressively for Oceanside to take a "strategic," rather than piecemeal, approach toward public art. But he quit last month, saying some city staffers didn't share his philosophy about "weaving arts into the fabric of the city." Discuss: L.A.'s arts and culture scene Los Angeles Times 02-26-2008 Summary of the longer discussion with the heads of five prominent institutions looks to the future of the arts in Los Angeles, stressing education, community and collaboration. Ten Things to Know About Arts Education in California Ventura County Star 02-26-2008 In honor of March, which is Arts Education Month: The California Alliance for Arts Education has a full time job. Their job is to make sure that every student in the state of California receives an education in all of the visual and performing arts. See their "Top 10" list of arts education facts folks should know about. OPINION: Why Arts Education Matters Education Week 01-30-2008 A longtime East Coast school administrator says that arts education is necessary for our nation's future. "For years, we have watched arts classes give way to the seemingly more 'practical' courses that politicians and policymakers assume have a direct link to professional and economic success. But in an increasingly globalized economy, one in which an ability to innovate and to imagine new possibilities is critical to America's ability to compete, we still train our young people very narrowly to work in an industrialized society." Arts Education Touted as Key to U.S. Innovation Agenda Education Week 01-30-2008 A majority of U.S. voters agree that building students' imaginations to equip young people with the ability to innovate is as important as teaching them the academic basics, according to a poll commissioned by an advocacy coalition for education in the arts. The Washington-based Arts Education Partnership cited the results, released today, in urging that the arts not be overlooked as policymakers emphasize the so-called STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as the keys to boosting innovation and U.S. competitiveness in the world economy. Arts Funders Launch Statewide Collaboration Irvine Quarterly 01-10-2008 For many California arts organizations, the process of applying for grants can be a major headache, with almost as many different application requirements as there are grantmaking organizations. But starting in January, the state's largest arts funders will take a major step toward streamlining that process with the launch of the California Cultural Data Project, a statewide collaboration that will standardize the information that funders collect from grant-seeking arts and cultural organizations. More than 30 major private and public arts funders have joined the collaboration. Midori becomes a U.N. Messenger of Peace Strings Magazine 12-21-2007 United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon chose violinist Midori to be a Messenger of Peace during the International Day of Peace in September for her work in spreading music education to the disadvantaged. As a Messenger of Peace, Midori will lobby for the Millennium Development Goals, which are eight targets that must be reached by 2015. These targets include reducing and eradicating poverty, hunger, child mortality, and HIV/AIDS, and promoting education, maternal health, environmental sustainability, and global partnership. IRS Gives Small Groups Grace Period for Filing New Form 990 Chronicle of Philanthropy 12-20-2007 The Internal Revenue Service delivered an unexpected holiday gift to small nonprofit organizations that have worried about how they would be able to adjust to filing the revised Form 990 -- the main tax form for nonprofit groups. The tax agency said during a news conference that it plans to phase in the new form over three years, beginning with the 2008 tax year. All nonprofits must file forms, says IRS San Luis Obispo Tribune 12-20-2007 The end of the calendar year also marks the end of the fiscal year for many nonprofits. Starting next year, every nonprofit must file an annual return with the IRS. In the past, only organizations with revenue more than $25,000 had to file, but the IRS now requires all organizations to file. Pittsburg looks to art for revitalization Next American City 12-01-2007 In the last half-century, Pittsburgh has lost over 50 percent of its population. Politicians, city officials and activists remain stumped: How can a city built on a blue-collar foundation adapt to the changing nature of the country? Kyle Holbrook believes the key to changing the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Wilkinsburg--and other struggling neighborhoods like it--involves occupying youth in productive, non-criminal activity: Specifically, art. |
