My, oh my, has it really been two and a half months since the last New Blogs roundup? That’s not good, especially since the onslaught of interesting new content has not let up one bit. With apologies to those who got left out this time, here are some of my newest reads:
Art & Seek
Art & Seek is the culture vulture blog for the Dallas-based public radio station KERA. As such, the bulk of its content is relevant locally to North Texas, but every so often it breaks out some really first-class reporting of national interest, such as the fascinating story of the arts-led transformation of Ben Wheeler, TX. There’s also a lot of info on the fledgling Dallas arts district, if you like that sort of thing.
Good Intentions Are Not Enough
This is a young blog, having been in existence for less than a year, but Saundra Schimmelpfennig is smart, articulate, and HARDCORE about asking the tough questions. Jumping on the charity impact rating bus that the likes of GiveWell and Philanthropedia are currently driving, she distinguishes herself by virtue of her extensive on-the-ground experience as an aid worker, most recently gaining notoriety (drawing readers from the White House and the Secretary of State’s office, no less) for her extensive advice to donors regarding the Haiti earthquake recovery efforts.
Michael Kaiser
Michael Kaiser is probably the closest thing to a celebrity that the arts administration world has. Currently the president of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, he’s known for reversing the fortunes of the ailing Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre among others and a subsequent book, The Art of the Turnaround. He created a collaborative arts management mentorship program called The Arts in Crisis last year to help respond to the recession, and took it on tour over the summer. You can read his latest musings (which rarely break new ground but are good at provoking discussion) every Monday at the Huffington Post.
Theatre Ideas
When last I added Professor and bookworm Scott Walters to the blogroll at the <100k Project (now renamed CRADLE Arts), I passed over his other blog, Theatre Ideas, since it looked like I had missed my chance. He made a dramatic return in October, though, and since then has been offering his fiery commentary at his old digs on a regular basis. If you care about the saga of the stage, this one should be on your list, no question.