Roberta: Hi everyone, it’s Roberta.

Ryan: And this is Ryan, and this is the Midweek News

Roberta: On Artblog Radio. All right. Hi Ryan. How are you doing this morning?

Ryan: I’m doing well, Roberta. How you doing?

Roberta: Okay. Okie dokie. Go Birds.

Ryan: Go birds.

Roberta: I’m wearing some green today. I wore green yesterday. And everybody said to me when we all were talking the day after, did you see the game? And I have to say, well, my way of seeing the game is to not see the game because my nerves can’t handle it.

Did I tell you this?

Ryan: No.

Roberta: I sit and read a book or watch a different video. And then occasionally I fire up my phone and search Eagle score, and it comes up, and then I get that flash of, oh my God, they’re ahead by 24 points to nothing. And then I really calm down and I go back to doing what I was doing, and then I check back later.

So I didn’t see the game, but I followed the score.

Ryan: That’s good. My phone stopped working, so I went to a show, a play. I went to a play on Thursday and then my phone stopped working. So the bottom half of my screen was working fine, and the top half of my screen stopped working. So I couldn’t put in my passcode because two is my first number.

Roberta: oh no.

Ryan: So I couldn’t press the two. So I was locked out of my phone for a few days. So then I ordered a new screen. So during the Super Bowl, I was installing a new screen on my iPhone.

Roberta: I didn’t even know you could do that. You’re installing a new screen so the software in the back was not compromised, but the screen was compromised.

Ryan: Yeah, the screen is its own touch-sensitive pressure system. Right. So it’s its own mechanism, and then you just have to disassemble it, and then you just disengage the earpiece and the front-facing camera and the button. So a few ribbon connectors and teeny tiny screws. Oh, man. Teeny tiny screws.

So small. But it worked out. Yeah, my phone worked. Made a phone call, received phone calls can log in again, so…

Roberta: Wow. Ryan. Your skillset never ceases to amaze me,

Ryan: And then especially as the mother of invention, right? So you just gotta do what you gotta do to make it work.

Roberta: True, true. So I’m a big delegator. I believe in delegating those things that I am not ever going to learn how to do. But I really appreciate the get up and go to go ahead and fix it yourself. I really value that. That’s great.

Ryan: And if it didn’t work out, I would just go down to the store, the camera shop down the road and have them do it.

Roberta: Yes. And I was thinking yesterday in the newspaper, obviously, there was no news, everything was the celebration. Celebrate, celebrate and talk about all the players and the coaches and all that, which is great and perfect the way it should be today. Of course there were the police reports of who got stabbed and that one got shot and people arrested for, you know, altercations with police and it’s like, oh my goodness.

Ryan: People get excited. They get “feel their feels” excited. Yeah. There were 30 something arrests and people were very excited and they took down, you know, the stoplights.

Roberta: That’s what I’ve read.

Ryan: Why is it the go-to in the city to climb poles and take out stoplights? Okay. Yeah, my cousin texted me. He is like, ‘Has the riot begun?’ I’m like ‘Let me look out the window. No, we’re okay here.’ Not as much fireworks in my neighborhood as I was expecting.

Ryan: Plenty of jubilance, a lot of honking, but not a lot of fireworks this year.

Roberta: Yeah. Well they’re, the buildings are still green. I was downtown, I was in Center City. Last night and you know, the tops of the buildings, every building that has lights, has green lights. City Hall looks like the Wicked Witch of the West with that intense green. With a yellow clock face embedded in it. Oh my gosh. Such a scene.

Ryan: And the parade is coming up on Friday.

Roberta: Yes.

Ryan: It looks like it’s going to be good weather. On Valentine’s Day. Good weather for the Super Bowl Parade party.

Roberta: Love and love on Valentine’s Day.

Ryan: Love and love. Love your bird’s parade party. It looks like a nice fish day though.

A little chilly, but not too bad. Love and love, love, love your birds.

Roberta: As long as it doesn’t rain, I think the rain is leaving. It looks like a nice brisk day though.

Ryan: A little chilly, but not too bad.

Ryan: It looks warm. We’ll see what happens. It looks like more rain on Saturday. And that’s your Philly fun forecast. Let’s see what happens. Right. Oh boy. I’m ready. I’m ready for spring.

Ryan: Thanks a lot. Fun forecast. Let’s just move on over, winter. Oh boy. I’m ready. I’m ready for spring. Thanks a lot, Punxsutawney Phil. Let’s just move on over, winter.

Roberta: In the news. I guess we could get right into that.

Ryan: Let’s get into the news. Yeah, we did some, but let’s get into more important news.

Roberta: I think I’m going to highlight first the opportunity. There are grants now of $3,000 that you can start applying for. This is for individuals in the arts, not organizations, individuals who were negatively impacted by the pandemic.

This is Biden-era Pandemic recovery money that is still in orbit out there and is now being managed by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. So we’ll put in the dates and you can — apply February 24th through March 21st. It’s available to 150, so they have enough money. To fund 150 individuals to the tune of $3,000 for pandemic recovery.

So if you’re an artist and your show got canceled and you had all kinds of costs affiliated with that, you could qualify, or you’re an actor and your shows got canceled and you lost all that revenue from that. And there’s a lot of people out there in Philadelphia that were affected.

Ryan: Yeah, that would be good.

Roberta: Yes. Next, I’ll just mention Pennsylvania Academy of The Fine Arts has a new curator of historical American art by the name of Lea Stevenson. And Lea is not replacing Anna Marley, who was both the American art curator and head of exhibitions. Lea Stevenson is now the Curator of Historical American Art.

So congratulations. I’m glad to see they’re hiring people and she comes with a very all laudatory background and resume, so probably going to be great for the institution. And in 2026, they’re apparently coming out with a complete reinstall, contextualizing the historical paintings and artifacts with more contemporaneous work. That should be very good. Also, that new reinstall is probably geared to the semi sesquicentennial, whatever it is that’s happening in 2026.

Third, I want to mention, we got a note from Sarah McEneaney, artist-activist in Philadelphia, much beloved artist. We all love Sarah, and she is asking people to intervene with letters of support, for Scout, the Bok buildings developer, who is trying to buy several UArts buildings that are up for bankruptcy auction — the Hamilton building, I believe, and the Furness building. Furness is a dormitory and the other — Hamilton — is the administration building with that fabulous atrium and the pillars out in front. The person that owns the Bok or heads up the Scout Team is Lindsey Scannapieco, and they are an arts and culture-oriented developer.

Now Scout wants to purchase these buildings and there are people you can write to, like the Mayor and council members Squilla, Kenyatta Johnson, Nicil Saval. Even the PA attorney general if you want to, and some of the judges, so we can put a link into that if you are interested in advocating that University of the Arts buildings remain arts type buildings, because that’s what would happen if scouts comes in and redevelops the building. It would be a mixed use art, living, working space with little event space and coffee shop or restaurant. Sounds like a really good use for the buildings. A court hearing is scheduled for February 18th during which a judge will hear arguments regarding the objection and the bids and will make a determination. Inquirer article about the current bids.

Who should I reach out to?
Trustee Alfred T. Giuliano atgiuliano@giulianomiller.com
Judge Brendan L. Shannon – Judge_Brendan_Shannon@deb.uscourts.gov
jill_walker@deb.uscourts.gov
PA Attorney General’s Office – info@attorneygeneral.gov
press@attorneygeneral.gov
Senator Nikil Saval – saval@pasenate.com
City Council President Kenyetta Johnson – kenyatta.johnson@phila.gov
City Councilmember Mark Squilla – mark.squilla@phila.gov
City Mayor Cherelle Parker – Cherelle.Parker@Phila.gov

My final news is sad news. There were two deaths this week that were announced. Walter Robinson died. Walter is someone I worked under at Artnet. He was the editor and I freelanced the “Philadelphia Story” column for a number of years. He was the original founding editor of Artnet. Artist Critic, very downtown scene writer in New York, 74 years old. Also, Robert Straight died. The Philadelphia artist  showed at Paul Cava Gallery back in the day, and Schmidt Dean Gallery. He was a teacher, an educator at the University of Delaware for many years.

Sorry to hear about those and we’ll put links to more information you can read up on them. Sorry to end on that down note, but it, those really struck me, those two in the same week. It was kind of a blow. So anyway, that’s my news. Over to you, Ryan.

Ryan: There’s a lot of events happening. Second Thursday is happening this week. Friday is Valentine’s Day, so there’s plenty to do. So if you haven’t celebrated your Gallantine’s day, there’s still times for all those who celebrate.

People’s Light Theater that’s in Media Malvern, Pennsylvania. You’ve missed the anti-Valentine’s Day show that they do every year. The last one, this one was on February 5th, but they do have a Valentine’s drag brunch that’s actually in the evening, which I don’t know why they call it brunch, but I guess brunch could be anytime nowadays. So they’re doing a fun, fun Valentine’s dinner brunch show at the theater that is February 14th at 7:30. Showtime’s at 8:30 and they’re at 39 Conestoga Road in Malvern. Actually, I said Media. I meant Malvern.

And another show for Valentine’s Day. There’s a lot of people, something that I’ve enjoyed is that crafty. make your own card. So I’ve gone to a couple different things.

My daughter’s now at the Fabric Workshop and Museum, and they did some openings for card making, some other things. Second State Press is having one as well. So speaking of second Thursday, they’re having their event for Make your own card. So that’ll be at the Crane Arts that second Thursday, which is the 13th, the day before Valentine’s Day.

So you’ll be able to sneak your piece in just in time. There’ll be snacks and drinks, just the standard normal second Thursday openings. But come make a card for your Valentine’s sweetheart

And then, post Valentine’s Day, a show that would be interesting to me, at Esperanza Art Center, which is over towards my old neighborhood.

This is way North Philly. It’s 4261 North Fifth St. Tommy Mesa and Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia are doing a show February 15th. At 7:00 PM and it looks like a really great show. If you look at this bronze calendar, they have a lot of really interesting events that are coming up at Esperanza.

A speaker series. They’re doing virtual events. They’re doing craft shows. They’re doing film nights, lots of music, theater. They’re really packing their calendar. Take a look at Esperanza Art Center, 4261 North Fifth this, February 15, 7:00 PM is Tommy Mesa and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. So those are my three for the week.

Obviously, Valentine’s Day is going to keep a lot of people preoccupied, but back to a normal week next week. And, you know it’s always remarkable to me when people tell me the statistic that Valentine’s Day is the number one breakup day of the year, which I think is ironic and sad. So anyway, hope you have a safe Valentine’s Day.

Roberta: Is that true or is that an urban legend about Valentine’s Day being a big breakup day? That sounds too ironic.

Ryan: You know it does, I don’t want to believe it. I believe what it comes down to is people are feeling like they’re not sure they want to still be in the relationship, and then it comes around Valentine’s Day and they’re like, do I really want to buy this person a gift and go to dinner with a person that I may want to end it with in the next week, two or a month? Let’s just get it over with now, just pull that band aid. So Valentine’s Day number one breakup day.

Roberta: Tough love. That is tough Love. There is indeed a lot of good stuff On Artblog. Coming up is a piece by Susan Isaacs on Rozeal. who is a Black artist. And this is at a museum called the Biggs Museum, which is in Dover, Delaware. some, or Maryland perhaps. I’ll have to look that up (Dover, DE)

And the museum is free and this sounds like a very powerful show of art by a woman who has spent time in Japan and was highly influenced by the Japanese culture, which comes up in their art. And also by spirituality.

We’re working on that. That piece should be up this week. Very excited to have that up.

Ryan: And then my review is coming up as well. I went to go see Professor Qui in at the Interact Proscenium Theater at the Drake. I love seeing shows there.

Roberta: Yeah. Wait for it. Everybody, spoiler alert, I’ve seen this review. It’s really good. You’re going to love it.

Ryan: Oh no. But I’m excited about it too, and I, I love seeing shows there.

Roberta: We’ll see you all next week and thanks for being here, It’s Roberta. Bye-bye.

Ryan: And this is Ryan, and this has been Artblog’s Midweek News. Thanks for listening, everybody. We’ll see you next time.