Sure, there's arts and culture in the news....

For those of us who do not make a living from producing art but rather enjoy art itself, where do we turn for arts and culture coverage in the news?

Regional cultural coverage cutbacks hit the Minneapolis Star & Tribune (MPR News: Strib cuts affect arts coverage.) Other evolutionary moments are changing arts coverage. (Example: Although the Pulse remains online after ceasing print publication, let's acknowledge the loss incurred by their staff.)

How does this all add up? Where do we turn? As both an employee and an audience member of Minnesota Public Radio, I'm pondering how our Arts & Culture coverage will change, not to mention wondering if it will grow.

What path should it take? You tell me. And by all means, tell MPR. Become part of the Public Insight Network to help shape our Arts coverage - go ahead, spill - or imagine what you could cover as MPR's next art critic.

___________________________
Julia Schrenkler
Minnesota Public Radio Interactive Producer

Comments: 8

Diana Raabe Jun 29, 2007, 11:29am EDT

This is unfortunate to say the least. To be honest, I turn to the New Yorker to read about art shows and plays. The CityPages is one easy place to go to for author readings, although they usually seem to be about a week behind. The Pulse was a good place for music especially. It was a sad day when they stopped printing.

I subscribe by email to places like the U of M, but it would be nice to have one place to get at least the basic rundown regarding arts and culture.

Now you've tempted me to join the Public Insight bandwagon...where else can one go?

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M M. Jun 29, 2007, 12:15pm EDT

I have read the Star Tribune through its many incarnations since I was old enough to read - and not just the funny papers. Even after moving to St. Paul twenty years ago, I kept my subscription. Yesterday, I cancelled, except for the Sunday edition. Why bother with what has increasingly become fluff? I get my news from MPR, BBC World Service, PBS, the Internet, national magazines, and occasionally cable TV. The cuts in arts coverage were the last straw.

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Julia Schrenkler Jun 29, 2007, 2:31pm EDT

Oh you've got me wonderin', Diana. Do you turn to the New Yorker because of their coverage or their delivery? I've noticed some timely stuff on songwriters (Jennifer O'Conner featured in the critic's notebook springs to mind) and of course the events are worth a look. Their delivery is always good for reading aloud. It is just ... hard to read them and keep track of everything worth seeing once the band/artist/group/show comes to town.

As to where-to-go, I'm looking to folks here to share their links and reads. And of course to tell MPR what you'd like to see in Arts coverage. Of course!

M M., it is interesting that the cuts in Arts coverage @ the Strib was the final straw for you. What do you long for most from the coverages? Smart reviews? Up-to-date event listings with artist/performance background?

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Cynthia J. Jun 29, 2007, 2:35pm EDT

Julia! When do you think MPR will be more attentive to the marvelous art and culture in places like Duluth, Rochester, Moorhead et al...and places in between?

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Julia Schrenkler Jun 29, 2007, 3:00pm EDT

Hey Cynthia, I can't speak to that because I simply don't know at this time. That said, GET TALKIN'. No joke. Get people to tell MPR what they're looking for in coverage.

/just sayin'!

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Diana Raabe Jun 29, 2007, 7:51pm EDT

Great question, Julia. It might be more delivery than coverage, but when I want to know what's really good that's coming up I do check the New Yorker. The latest thing I got very turned onto was Tom Stoppard's play The Coast of Utopia. They made it sound so good that I had to fly out there to see it; I couldn't wait for it to [maybe] come to Minneapolis!

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M M. Jun 30, 2007, 8:31am EDT

Julia, it was not so much the lack of smart reviews and complete listings that did it, but the cutbacks in quantity and the poor coverage of local events. A local paper ought to find a good balance between the local and regional, and the national. Like Diana, I have flown to places to see arts exhibits I knew would never make it to the Twin Cities. I found out about such exhibits from sources such as The New Yorker.

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Julia Schrenkler Jul 3, 2007, 9:37am EDT

Sounds like an adventure, Diana! I know what you and MM mean about not being able to wait or determining something is worth a pilgrimage - in the past we've traveled to catch art exhibits that weren't booked to visit the Twin Cities. That whole "maybe it will end up here" aspect just doesn't cut it.

M M: quantity, balance. Check. I'll pass that on if you haven't joined the Public Insight Network.

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Sure, there's arts and culture in the news. Wait a minute...where? What is the coverage?

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