Let's Review- Week of 7/4

There was lots of good stuff out there this week. Here’s a quick guide.

Theatre

Courtesy of 2amt- Don’t be afraid to fail. And, if you’re going to fail, fail gloriously. See also, Spiderman- Turn Off the Dark.

Non-Profits

9 questions every organization should ask their board members and every board member should be able to answer. Try this at your next meeting. I think I’m going to.

Seth Godin

The Attention Economy- “Attention is a bit like real estate, in that they're not making any more of it. Unlike real estate, though, it keeps going up in value.”

A Blog You Should Read

The Road Lots Traveled- (And not just because she’s my sister.) Valerie Perry writes about her life working on a cruise ship. Yeah, it will make you jealous. But she’s pretty funny. This week’s post include sea turtles, shipwrecks, Spanish lessons and laundry.

Let’s Review- Week of 2/7

Photo by creativedc. Used under Creative CommonsA run-down of the good stuff I read this week!

ARTS
In the arts world this week, the big news is the dissolution of the Kansas Art Commission as a state-run service. With more states, Texas, South Carolina, and others, putting their arts budgets and agencies on the chopping block (not to mention the NEA!), this move is certainly concerning.
The story: Kansas Arts Commission Fighting for Survival by Jay Dick and Kansas Gov Abolishes Arts Commission by Leonard Jacobs.
What it Means: Okay, it’s official: State Arts Agencies are in Trouble by David Ian Moss
Who will commit to calling/emailing their elected officials? Or joining an organization like Americans for the Arts who work on Arts Advocacy across the country?

THEATRE
If you are like me, you spend many a sleepless night wondering how to reach new audiences. Jim Stark offers a reassuring explanation of why theatre-goers are of an, um, wiser demographic. Feel better now?
Well, that doesn’t let us off the hook for making relevant, meaningful art for our communities! Attendance Matters by Pete Miller. And not just for revenue.
Thoughts, theatre people?

THE SUPERHERO SHOW
I’m addicted to news about “Turn Off the Dark”. There. I said it. It is my guilty pleasure. So with the reviews and the brouhaha surrounding them this week, I had a lot of fun. I should probably try to be more balanced here. But I’m not. It’s my blog. And this is what I liked. Here you go:

The review by Ben Brantley for the New York Times
A defense of the critics: Spidey, Your Time is Up by The Playgoer
Matthew Freeman, over at On Theatre and Politics, loves to hate it as much as I do. Along the same lines, Matthew Yglesias, of Think Progress has been tweeting and retweeting new phrases spawned by this show-  my fave by @capntransit “In Japan they say, ‘This political debate is degenerating into a Broadway musical’.” Bwahahaha.

CREATIVITY
Artists create. But sometimes we get stuck (I’m experiencing a bit of that now, but more on that next week). Britt Bravo sums up Tina Seelig’s 9 Ways to Unlock Your Creativity Quotient. Do any of these sound fun to you? Would you try them?

THINGS I NEEDED TO HEAR THIS WEEK
This might just be for me. But, I have to think, if it resonated for me, it will for someone else. I left my “pay the bills job” this week. And these posts were perfectly timed.
“So be smart, be strategic, be brave but by all means . . . go for it.” by Adam Thurman
“You don’t need more time...you just need to decide.” by Set Godin

I hope you’re inspired!

Top Ten Performing Art Blogs

My Google Reader feed consistently has hundreds of entries.  I subscribe to blogs on politics, theology, dance, Pilates, theatre, mental health and more! I want to share with you my Top Ten, Must-Read, Go-To Blogs in the performing arts.  

Dance

1. Dance Advantage-  Nichelle Strzepek has created, I think, the best site for dance info. She writes for teachers, parents and students. Her topics run from choreography, to educational theories to tips of the trade. I linked to her in the post before this! Guest bloggers are regularly featured, deepening the offerings at Dance Advantage. Anyone involved in the dance world should be reading!

2. Dancing Perfectly Free- With sneak peeks and reviews, Dancing Perfectly Free is perfect for seeing who’s performing what, when, where.  Great for dance current events!

Theatre

3. On Theatre and Politics- This blog combines two of my interests.  Freeman’s posts are always funny, always insightful, and often about “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark”.  Which, for theatre people, is like a train wreck; you just can’t look away!

4. The Clyde Fitch Report- I think I should have called this heading Arts and Politics, because that is what it has become! Named for the playwright, CFR is heavy on theatre news, but also includes arts advocacy and the hilarious Brown Tweed.

Performing Arts

5. Fractured Atlas- For most artists, Fractured Atlas is THE resource- free courses, discounts on health insurance, micro-grants, etc.  The blog encompasses all of those things.  Fractured Atlas regularly introduces new members and partners, exposing great work being done around the country.  The blog also features thoughts on business, policy and more.

Arts Advocacy

6. ARTSBLOG- Contributors from around the country write on topics near and dear to many artists: Advocacy, Education, Policy, Leadership, Research, and more.  A great resource for current events and the state of the arts across the country.

7. Arts, Culture and Creative Economy- As a resident of Philadelphia’s Main Line, this blog is especially relevant for me.  Written by Gary Steuer, Philadelphia’s Culure Czar, this blog focuses on the arts as an economic force. Full of stories, stats, and a Philly spotlight.

Arts Business

8. The Art of the Business- Written by Rebecca Coleman, this blog is a great look at social media and technology for artists. 

9. The Mission Paradox Blog- Artists often struggle to find balance between creating meaningful art, and creating art that sells.  Adam Thurman asks the tough questions of artists and art organizations, to move you forward.

The Definitive Blog for Everything

10. Seth’s Blog- no matter your occupation- Seth Godin’s writings challenge you to go deeper, push harder, learn more, step up, examine the status quo. An absolute daily read!