One question that emerges is the following: is competition the most progressive way of cultivating an artistic-intellectual community, one that focuses on the reception of artistic initiatives and activities that occur in a particular place?
Read MoreIt seems to me that NMAAHC has the opportunity, not yet fully realized, to bring to African American artists the attention and recognition they deserve, and to place them squarely in the cosmos of American art, and at the same time to “privilege the black voice.” Indeed, the museum brilliantly has accomplished that in its other Culture Galleries.
Read MoreWe’re not handing out gold stars or laurel wreaths in this Challenge, but we do believe in the value of prizes to reward excellence. Prizes for excellence encourage and support writers in the community and by extension, the arts in Philadelphia. Publication of the writers’ works brings new voices to the public realm, spreads the arts to a wider audience and can be a springboard to writing opportunities for winners.
Read MoreIn London for a week of art hopping and beer tasting, I found myself in one of my favorite galleries that combines both–The approach. This sleek contemporary space not only exhibits one of my favorite collage artists–John Stezaker–but also sits above a warm and friendly pub just off the Bethnal Green Tube station in East London.
Read MoreFriend of Artblog and teacher of our Artist and Social Responsibility Project class, Theresa Rose has a wonderful community project she’s curated. 9th Street Stock Exchange, with a title punning on the financial markets, is a collaboration (not competition) between merchants in the Italian Market. Get a ticket for a guided walking tour of the project, only ($5) here.
Read MoreMany submitted, but only 12 were selected as finalists for the Artblog/St. Claire 2016 New Art Writing Challenge! Keep your eye out for all of the winning articles–we’ll be publishing one a day starting soon. From the Colored Girls Museum to the Mormon Tabernacle, you’ll find something to love from these great Philly-centric pieces of writing.
Read MoreSee, when the Art Commission finds fault with a proposal, the relationship between jury and design team becomes that of teacher to student. Desperate for the Commission’s approval (which is required to receive a building permit in Philadelphia), increasingly flustered groups of architects look for hyper-specific guidance from the Commissioners: what materials to pick instead of what they proposed; how many more trees to include on a plan–essentially, “if this is proposal is wrong, tell us how to make it right.”
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