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Archive for October, 2012

Oct 31

A Question of Arts Survival?

Lincoln Center, former home to the New York Opera (Photo: Nils Olander)

The Muse Dialogue continues our series on the impact of changing generations on the arts. In this article we ask the question of whether these shifts may imperil certain art forms, and asks the question: Even if Millenials do support the arts, does that mean that they will continue to support all art forms?

Andrew Swensen writes, “The matter for me is not just about “arts marketing.” No, this is a question of the survival of art forms in the face of demographic shifts and concurrent shifts in participation. I do not necessarily ascribe to some notion of arts Darwinism – that some things perish as part of the natural order of things. Yet the truth is that there are indeed some art forms that have largely passed away. Yes, I can’t remember the last time I saw someone working on a fresco.”

Click here to read our latest article from The Muse Dialogue, “A Question of Arts Survival?”

Oct 24

Some [Don't] Like It Hot: A Perspective on Targeting Young Audiences, Part I

Kate Aldrich as Carmen and Roger Honeywell as Don Jose in the Pittsburgh Opera production of Carmen (Photo: Pittsburgh Opera)

Kelly Englert continues our series on connecting younger generations with the arts. She explores the model of PITT ARTS, an initiative at the University of Pittsburgh, which cultivates arts experiences among students. She writes, “Some classical performance arts like ballet and opera have been around for centuries and still endure in our culture. However, as cultural gaps between generations grow wider and wider and new technologies constantly evolve our interests and the way we experience art and music, what does the near future hold for the fate of these and other “traditional” arts? Are these organizations successfully attracting a young audience?” Good questions indeed. Read on and share what she learned when she investigated possible answers in an innovative program that exists in order to connect young adults and the arts.

Click here to read the full text of her article.

Oct 17

Generational Shifts

We know that different generations have different habits and social patterns, and inevitably these shifts affect the arts — in habits of patronage, ways of participation, and means of communicating about the arts. Elyssa Jechow explores the emergence of Millenials, the new twentysomethings, and how their way of viewing the world will shape interactions between this generation and arts organizations.

She writes, “I have met plenty of arts administrators who are still frustrated with the fact that they’re having trouble continuing to attract the dreamed-about big dollar donations, but I think that maybe we need to come back down to reality and focus our efforts a bit more where they are going to start mattering the most. How do we begin to attract and leverage this newly-of-age generation of enthusiastic (yes, we really are) donors and patrons?” A good question indeed, and with this article we launch a new series in The Muse Dialogue, looking at changing demographics and the hard questions that lay ahead.

Click here to read the full text of her article, “Generational Shifts.”

Oct 10

Defining Art, Letter III: Enter Heidegger

Heidegger, “The Work of Art”

Andrew and Alex continue their series on defining art with the third installment: “Enter Heidegger.” Andrew moves the conversation to the “thingness” of art, with a nod to Heidegger along the way.

“If art is a thing, it has its own nature. And if it has its own nature, then there must be something – some thing – out there for us to define. Our problem, however, is that we are trying to use language suited for other things in order to define the art-thing, and that approach does not work.”

Click here to read the full article, “Defining Art, Letter III: Enter Heidegger.”

Oct 4

Defining Art, A Dialogue in Letters

Alexandra Holness offers her response on the question of defining art. For her, art has a special place in the human experiences, and we need a definition in order to identify something that is distinct. Defining it bestows on art the esteem that it deserves. As she writes, “It is something precious, something for which we strive, and something for which artists labor to achieve.” So in our pursuit of the unattainable, we offer up the never-ending process of definition as an act of reverence.

Join us for the continuing conversation with “Defining Art: Letter II. Alex Responds.” (click link to view full article)

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