Latest news with #arts
CBS News
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Israeli producer uses arts to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about Middle East
Israeli producer uses arts to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about Middle East Israeli producer uses arts to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about Middle East Israeli producer uses arts to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about Middle East An Israeli producer is using an immersive play to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about conflicts in the Middle East. Ami Dayan has been doing theater for a long time. "Oh, about after 'The Big Bang,' I started kind of practicing it," said Dayan. Born and raised in Israel, he left his country and family behind to come to Colorado twenty-six years ago. A rocket propelled grenade impact strike marks the wall of a bomb shelter in Kibbutz Be'eri, the scene of an attack by Hamas militants which killed 120 people, close to Gaza in southern Israel, in this photo from Oct. 20, 2023. OLIVER MARSDEN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images The conflict between Israel and Palestine has always been a part of his life, but he noticed that people in the United States had a hard time talking civilly about the issue. "Israel and Palestine seems to be the forbidden conversation," said Dayan. He says after the terrorist attacks on October 7th, 2023, he noticed people started talking about it in a way he had never heard before. "The whole thing is coming bubbling up, and people are reconsidering the positions like they haven't. I think for a very long time," said Dayan. So, he decided to use his background and professional experience to try to help his community talk about this sensitive issue. Ami Dayan He created "Conversation: Israeli Palestinian Conflict," an immersive theater experience. It's a play where prominent Israeli and Palestinian figures came together for what audience members thought was a panel about the topic. In reality, it was all theater, including questions from the audience, which were pre-scripted and asked by actors. That way, audience members on all sides of the issue can both feel heard and have their beliefs challenged. "People think that they are misunderstood. And the other side doesn't get any of what they see as reality. And the truth is, nobody knows. Both sides are right. Both sides are wrong," said Dayan. It wasn't until the show was over that audience members were let in on the secret. "A lot of audience members don't grasp until the curtain falls that the four volunteers that actually spoke are actors. They thought that they were just members of the audience that got up there," said Dayan. Ami said that it presented some challenges for the actors. "Sometimes somebody is in the middle of the soliloquy and somebody in the audience responds, yeah, and it gets interesting," said Dayan. CBS "Conversations" ran from May 22nd through 31st at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder. It tragically fell between the killing of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., and the terrorist attack on Jewish marchers on the Pearl Street Mall. Ami said they want to make sure the play is as up-to-date as possible, so they discussed the shooting of the staffers and if he were to do it again, he would include the attack in his hometown. "Not only the event, but also the main conversation following it, which is really about the difference between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism," said Ami. He knows that may be an unpopular decision, but he thinks it's necessary "People say this is not the time to have the conversation. It's too fragile, right now. It's too sensitive right now. I think that if we don't have the conversation, all we're doing is locking ourselves in our own beliefs, in our own understanding of reality and making extremism more and more likely to erupt," said Dayan. Ami said he knows he isn't going to solve the decades-old dispute with just one play, but he thinks we must start somewhere. "We certainly cannot fix anything. We can talk about it, and that's what we're trying to do," said Dayan.
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Redhill theatre to be brought back into use after Raac discovery
Council leaders have voted to save an iconic theatre which was shut two years ago over unstable and Banstead Borough Council's executive has agreed to bring the Harlequin Theatre in Redhill back into theatre has been shut since September 2023 when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was discovered at the Biggs, the council's leader, said: "Deciding how best to deal with the Raac in the theatre has been very complex but now we can really push forward with getting the theatre back open as quickly as possible." Allocating £4.5m from the authority's reserves to fund the work is set to be finalised at a meeting in council will also look to appoint a specialist company to market and seek expressions of interest for a third-party to run the told BBC Radio Surrey the theatre had become "a cultural hub for community via the arts"."We recognise the importance of it and we're doing everything we can as a council to make sure that legacy and the theatre continue," he added. David Fisher, from the Harlequin Support Group, which was representing users of the venue, said he was "delighted" with the added: "It's critical from our point of view that once the decision is confirmed at the full council next month that we proceed very quickly to the contracting process," he added. On Thursday, the executive also agreed the next steps for the creation of an additional arts and cultural venue in Redhill, which would be run by a leader said the council had already received interest from more than one local organisation to run the site.
South China Morning Post
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Singapore bans Wild Rice's theatre performance for ‘glamorising' drug abuse
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said on Friday it had banned a performance by theatre company Wild Rice for undermining Singapore 's anti-drug policy and public confidence in the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). A revised script for a dramatised reading, titled 'Homepar', was submitted on June 5, with IMDA assessing it to be in breach of the Arts Entertainment Classification Code (AECC). This was done in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), it added. IMDA noted that the revised script had 'substantially changed' from the version that was submitted on April 21. 'The new material depicts and glamorises drug abuse and portrays an undercover CNB officer shielding abusers from detection,' it said. 'It undermines Singapore's anti-drug policy, our drug rehabilitation regime, and public confidence in the CNB. Performances that undermine Singapore's national interest are not permitted under the AECC.' IMDA said it had previously informed Wild Rice that the earlier script submitted met classification requirements and could be staged under an R18 rating.
The Independent
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The foodie French town that's less than two hours from London and is perfect for a weekend break
On the Eurostar from London, you can be in Lille faster than it takes to travel to Margate, making it ideal for a chic long weekend away sampling the region's best food and drink and enjoying the festival atmosphere. The French city has been under the rule of various entities, including Flemish, Burgundian, and Spanish Netherlands, as well as Romanesque-Moorish, Gothic-Classical, Neo-Renaissance, and Art Nouveau styles. The buildings and monuments of these eras fit together like pieces of an elegant puzzle. The sheer amount of lavish buildings is almost indecent and you will spend hours taking it all in. Stroll the city's pedestrian-friendly boulevards and the narrow streets that spider out in Vieux Lille (Old Lille), and stop for a long lunch in Place aux Oignons (named for the delicious smell from it's estaminets – cafés, bars or bistrots typical to Northern France). This year, as every three years, Lille is hosting Lille3000, a legacy of the city's stint as European Capital of Culture in 2004. The arts and culture Fiesta programme runs until 9 November 2025, and there are parades, performances and exhibitions to enjoy and explore across the city and sprawling metropolitan area. Venues are deliberately diverse, and include Gare Saint Sauveur, a former goods train station; the grand 19th-century Palais des Beaux-Arts; and the vast Tripostal, a converted 1950s mail sorting office. The Pom Pom Pidou exhibition at the Tripostal is Fiesta 's flagship event, where specially curated artwork borrowed from the closed-until- 2030 Centre Pompidou in Paris is ordered chronologically, around themes that represent the entire 20th century – a gargantuan task that has been wonderfully executed. Over three colourful floors, work by artists like František Kupka, Henry Valensi and Marcel Duchamp evoke movement and joy, and demonstrate how 20th century art turned everything upside down (see the legs-in-the-air Le mannequin by Alain Séchas on all the posters: this artwork that questions the traditional was chosen to represent the exhibition). Lille3000 is just one part of the urban regeneration that has been ongoing in Lille since the 1990s, when industrial decline meant mass unemployment and widespread poverty. Today, the city has invested in public transport and cycle routes, revitalised former industrial buildings and revamped its historic buildings. It's a laidback place to spend time doing not much more than dropping into an art gallery, browsing the second-hand book market in the handsome Vielle Bourse (Lille's old stock exchange) and wandering the trails in the lush green Parc de la Citadelle. If you can muster the energy, climb the 400 steps of the Lille Town Hall Belfry, a Unesco World Heritage Site, with panoramic views across the city. You'll want to dedicate a lot of your time in Lille to food and drink. Nibble a sweet vanilla waffle at Méert (one of the oldest pastry shops in the world), try a Welsh (a beer-soaked bread with cheddar cheese, ham and mustard) or beef stew cooked in beer at an estaminet, or enjoy dinner at one of the oh-so-cool restaurants flanking Parc Jean-Baptiste Lebas. You won't go wrong with a seafood extravaganza at minimalist Krevette from Michelin star chef Florent Ladeyn: start with oysters with ginger and move on to sea bass in basil and garlic with a little wild cauliflower, or asparagus with rhubarb shavings, or silky soft tuna tartare, then finish with creme brulee topped with horseradish. It's an adventure, paired with incredible wines. The foodie scene in Lille is excellent and you'd need to return for many, many long weekends to wade through all the brunch spots and cafés – oddly (and perhaps comfortingly?), many of them with British names, like Made's Garden by Mademoiselle, Nuts! and Wally's Coffee. And to drink? If Paris is all wine bars, then Lille is brewery tap rooms – there are more than 250 in the Lille region. The city is the capital of French Flanders, and its Flemish history means a close cultural as well as physical relationship with Belgium, and with craft beer. Célestin, a microbrewery in Old Lille, traces its roots back to 1740 and is probably the oldest in the city, and some nice choices in the old town include La Capsule at 25 Rue des trois Mollettes and Bettignies (of the Brussels Beer Project) at 3 Av. du Peuple Belge. If you're interested in the history of beer making in Lille, then take a walking tour with tastings with L'Échappée Bière. In December, Lille hosts a gorgeous Christmas market, and on the first weekend of September, the city centre is taken over by 'La Braderie', one of Europe's largest flea markets. And of course, there's the Fiesta until November this year. But honestly, the Hauts de France capital is more about strolling through interesting streets to find a restaurant for a long lunch, then a quiet bar for a refreshing beer and a spot of people watching. English language guided tours of Old Lille are typically available on Saturdays at 11am – book in advance with the. Rachel Mills was hosted by Hauts de France Tourisme and Hello Lille, and stayed at L'Arbre Voyageur How to get there Eurostar trains travel direct from London St Pancras to Lille, from £39 one-way. Where to stay A great budget option is JOST Hostel Lille Centre. For a comfortable mid-range option on the edge of the old town, look no further than Hôtel l'Arbre Voyageur. To push the boat out – with a spa – book historic L'Hermitage Gantois.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Bloomberg Arts Internship Opens Up An Industry To Vital New Talent
Bloomberg Arts interns make their final presentations, August 2024, New York City. When measuring economic activity, it's easy to overlook the arts. They are an ornament, people say. A nice-to-have luxury. A sector with hazy and intangible returns. And the riskiest career you could ever choose. All typical—even pervasive—beliefs. But moving into the second quarter of the 21st century, also outdated. With the rise of AI, the culture industry offers jobs that reward human skills and return quantifiable value back to the community. The Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI), a program of Bloomberg Philanthropies, supports this changing role of arts and culture. By awarding stipends to rising high school seniors and assisting the organizations who bring them in as interns, BAI helps young people better understand the cultural sector and develop qualities that will help them succeed in college and beyond. The Bloomberg Arts Internship was the inspiration of author and Bloomberg Philanthropies board member Walter Isaacson. According to Kate D. Levin, who oversees the Arts Program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, Isaacson made the perceptive observation that in large cities like New York, culture is a major industry but one with limited career access, especially for young people from underserved communities who don't have connections and can't afford an unpaid internship. That aligned with Michael Bloomberg's long-standing belief in the importance of urban areas and his support of overlooked communities. So, in 2012 the Bloomberg Arts Internship was created with the goal of opening up an industry to new talent. Kamora Monroe and Tyhe Cooper at the Bloomberg Arts Internship final presentations, August 2024. Tyhe Cooper, Production Editor at the arts journal Brooklyn Rail and a BAI mentor, explained the core issue that BAI is working to solve. 'I don't come from a wealthy background—cultural or otherwise,' said Cooper. 'So understanding how to enter the art world was very confusing for me. You're not able to get the experience that everyone is asking for because that experience is only available through unpaid positions.' The problem is equal access to that experience. And arts organizations have not been transparent about why it doesn't happen, said Wei Du, BAI mentor and Assistant Director of Public Programs at the Queens Botanical Garden. 'There's very little room for formal growth and formal development in the cultural sector. It's just people climbing the ladder in all kinds of backdoor ways. They should have a clean pathway into these skills, these responsibilities and these competencies.' BAI interns, Karandeep Singh and Markayla Pollack, planning their Christmas ornament making workshop ... More in the QBG Education Department office. It's not only fairness. Growing the intern population equitably serves the mission of many organizations. 'We have a uniquely diverse audience, even compared to the other institutions in New York,' Du continued. 'We're not trying to serve one or two demographics that happen to be in our neighborhood. We really are a garden for the world. And having interns come through the Bloomberg Arts Internship allows us to have a workforce that's reflective of our audience. They bring things that you can't put a price on in terms of cultural literacy, in terms of language skills and perspective.' In addition to their onsite work, BAI interns attend weekly Bloomberg-led workshops on college readiness and professional development. They have writing instruction, learn how to create a resume and LinkedIn profile, and practice public speaking. Their mentors, however, see even greater value in the immediacy of what happens on the job. 'When you're doing an exercise just to do an exercise, it can feel like homework again,' explained Abbey McClain, Executive Director of Touchstone Gallery & Foundation in Washington, D.C. 'But if you have to write an email to communicate with an artist or interview an artist, it's real life. You're thinking about it. You're doing your rereading. You're looking it over and asking your friend to review it. You're doing all the things that are real life. And you take it seriously.' Before schools and degrees, this on-the-job learning was more common. Medieval guilds introduced young people to the realities and possibilities of work at an early age, and that model continued until relatively recently. Our modern educational landscape is more varied than the master and apprentice model, but the same benefits of learning-by-doing still apply. Kamora Monroe, Production Intern, with the Brooklyn Rail's July/August 2024 issue. When Kamora Monroe, a graduating senior at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, began her internship with Brooklyn Rail, her mentors and supervisors Tyhe Cooper and Charles Schultz made sure that she worked in every area of the journal's operation. That included artist and gallery outreach, research, writing, editing and production. After a few months, Monroe was assigned to cover 'Monuments of Solidarity,' LaToya Ruby Frazier's 2024 show at the Museum of Modern Art. The review she wrote has a strong point of view. Monroe owns her perspective and gives the reader a reason to see the exhibit. 'I was very, very grateful to be able to do that, because this is no one's first job—ever,' Monroe remembered. 'The people [at Brooklyn Rail] saw me as an individual who was smart enough and worthy enough to do something like that. At the time, I didn't see myself that way. A 16-year-old girl from Midwood High School writing and publishing an art review? It's unheard of.' This kind of work experience is rare for teenagers who don't have resources or family connections, and that's part of what makes it so valuable. 'The fast-food industry is an enormous vector of employment—and that's great,' said Levin. 'But these roles are much more nuanced in terms of the interpersonal demands.' Bloomberg Artist Internship, 2014 cohort, New York City. That was certainly the case for Celeste Lannen, a BAI high school intern in 2014. She did outreach that summer with the Dance Theater of Harlem, getting on the phone with public schools to promote their scholarship programs. It was all new for Lannen, who stretched beyond her comfort zone as spokesperson of a storied cultural organization. But ten years on, that experience led to where she is now. Lannen is Assistant Director of Collective by 92NY/Talks at the 92nd Street Y. She runs their Young Patrons program, booking and producing events for young audiences. 'I'm programming talks with artists, authors, celebrities that would appeal to people in their 20s and 30s,' said Lannen. 'I reach out to publicists and a lot of them reach out to me. Being able to make a pitch started at BAI, and I'm still doing that to this day, figuring out how to put our best foot forward to compel people to want to come and speak on our stage.' Last year, BAI facilitated more than 1,100 internships with 150 organizations in seven cities—Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. In 2026 the program will expand into Los Angeles. All BAI interns start as rising high school seniors and then have the option to continue with their mentoring organization through their senior year. More recently, BAI began offering opportunities for committed students to extend that partnership into college. A new alumni network in all seven cities makes sure that interns support one another as they make the transition into their first careers. How successful is the program? According to Kate D. Levin, close to 60% of interns place out of remedial writing when they get to college. And the program's alumni enroll in college at rates nearly 30% higher than the national average. But the human relationships that students cultivate may, ultimately, be the most enduring measure of BAI's impact. Executive Director, Abbey McClaine, with Touchstone Gallery Assistants Daryle Locko and Arthur Webb, ... More and BAI interns London Wright, Erin Kilgore and Taylor Freeman after an installation. For Abbey McClain of Touchstone Gallery, it's her ongoing connection with former interns that show the real strength of BAI. McClain makes sure they feel comfortable calling or texting anytime for advice. As she said, many of the same issues around networking, maintaining contacts, and navigating job searches and interviews will follow her interns from high school to college and beyond. And, finally, there's the pride on both sides in seeing growth and promise fulfilled. Tyhe Cooper of Brooklyn Rail remembered watching Kamora Monroe deliver her final presentation at Bloomberg Philanthropies headquarters. 'When Kamora talked about what she'd done and what she'd learned it was beautiful. I got really emotional about it.' 'Some of these folks are so talented,' said McClain. 'You can't wait until they become your colleagues. You can't wait until they take over your office when you retire.'
