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30 years ago, Prince changed the way artists negotiate with the music industry

Jun 7, 2023
By changing his name to a symbol, Prince changed how musicians negotiate with record labels.
Prince performs during Super Bowl XLI. The rock star in 1993 changed his name to a symbol, setting the stage for how musicians negotiate with record labels.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Ukrainian artists look abroad for help as they defend their culture against Russian invasion

Feb 24, 2023
Actors, dancers, singers and theater producers in Ukraine say they are determined to protect their national identity from Russian aggression.
Musicians perform during a candlelight concert in Kyiv on Dec. 1. Despite the Russian onslaught, Ukrainian artists are doing what they can to keep their culture alive.
Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images

How the pandemic pushed this nonprofit worker to start her own businesses

In addition to her day job, Jennifer Barton of Buffalo now sells mugs and other goods she makes, plus owns a community art studio.
Jennifer Barton at her studio in Buffalo, New York.
Brandon Watson

Programs pilot guaranteed income for artists

Jul 5, 2022
Most guaranteed income programs are geared at disadvantaged populations. These are tied to people's work.
Organizations in New York, San Francisco and St. Paul are piloting guaranteed income programs for artists. Recipients don’t necessarily have to put the funds toward art.
mixetto/Getty Images

Merck Mercuriadis says hit songs are in an asset class all their own

Jun 14, 2022
The Hipgnosis founder says his goal is to make money for shareholders and “change where the songwriter sits in the economic equation.”
Hipgnosis founder Merck Mercuriadis says songs are a safer investment than assets like oil and gold because they’re less sensitive to market conditions.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW

A Warhol painting could fetch $200 million. What's so special about it?

Warhol's Marilyn Monroe silkscreen is valuable, yes, but not very innovative, says art critic Blake Gopnik.
According to critic Blake Gopnik, it's not the price tag that's interesting, it's the "retread."
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

“Summer of Soul” producers on battling Black erasure to make the film

Jul 22, 2021
Why the Harlem Cultural Festival, known as “Black Woodstock,” was forgotten for decades.
The 5th Dimension performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969, as seen in the new documentary "Summer of Soul."
Courtesy Searchlight Pictures

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60 years ago, pop art was born in a department store window

May 5, 2021
Why Warhol's commercial art made waves, according to art critic Blake Gopnik.
Andy Warhol's 1961 department store window display paved the way for his first solo pop art show the following year, "Campbell's Soup Cans."
Sion Touhig/Getty Images

For Broadway performers, a year of pandemic unemployment and reflection

Apr 2, 2021
As Broadway eyes reopening, a performer reflects on a year offstage.
"I think theater is resilient," said Broadway's Kathryn Allison. "There's nothing like sitting in a theater with a group of people, watching something that you know tomorrow's audience will never see."
@anniek_with_a_camera

Arts venues welcome COVID grant program to get through 2021

Jan 22, 2021
Hard-hit venues such as concert halls and theaters are preparing to apply for $15 billion in grants included in the latest relief bill.
Between April and July last year, the fine- and performing-arts industries lost about $42 billion in revenue, according to one estimate.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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