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Toronto City Council finally earmarks billboard levy for arts funding. Bravo Beautifulcity.ca!
TORONTO, ON- "COUNCIL INCREASES ARTS SPENDING BY $10.5 MILLION ANNUALLY
Museums the world over are doing amazingly well, says Fiammetta Rocco. But can they keep the visitors coming? The Economist, 21 December 2013
WORLD- "Museums used to stand for something old, dusty, boring and barely relevant to real life. Those kinds of places still exist, but there are far fewer of them, and the more successful ones have changed out of all recognition. The range they cover has broadened spectacularly and now goes well beyond traditional subjects such as art and artefacts, science and history (for a sample of oddball specialities, see chart). One of the biggest draws is contemporary art. To be sure, museums remain showcases for collections and repositories of scholarship, but they have also become pits of popular debate and places where children go for sleepovers (pictured, above, at the British Museum). They are no longer places where people look on in awe but where they learn and argue, as they would at universities or art schools. Sir Nicholas Serota, director of Britain’s Tate galleries, describes the museum as ‘a forum as much as a treasure box’."
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Cultural News, a monthly global round-up of what’s happening in culture, is a free service of Lord Cultural Resources. Excerpts are directly quoted from the articles – please click on the links to read the full articles on the original news sites. To receive it in your inbox rain or shine, please press the subscribe button above - it will take less than 30 seconds to become a subscriber. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest digest of cultural news.
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Our Clients and Lord Cultural Resources in the News
Cutural Tourism Plan follows Chicago Cultural Plan eNews Park Forest, 30 January 2014
CHICAGO, IL- "Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Choose Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) today unveiled the first-ever cultural tourism strategy to position Chicago as a premier global cultural destination. Based off the findings from an eight-month analysis, the cultural tourism strategy calls for the implementation of a neighborhood tourism plan, promotion of cultural asset infrastructure and enhanced tourism sales efforts to achieve the Mayor’s goal of attracting 55 million visitors a year to Chicago by 2020, which will add an additional 30,000 tourism-related jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue into the city of Chicago. "Tourism is a key driver of our economy and we are committed to bringing a more comprehensive strategy and focus to this area," said Mayor Emanuel. “This cultural tourism strategy will ensure that we can grow and invest by focusing on tactics that will attract more visitors and place Chicago at the center of the global conversation." " "
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum To Expand
NASHVILLE, TN- "It all started in 1961, when the Country Music Association (CMA) announced the creation of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Three inductees were chosen that year - Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, and Fred Rose and their names were announced at a CMA banquet. For the next six years, plaques for the three, as well as plaques for the next classes of inductees were displayed at the Tennessee State Museum. In 1967, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum became home to America's music in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2001, a brand new, $37 million landmark building was completed. The museum houses a vast amount of collections."
Winnipeg museum goes from vision to reality Daily Commercial News, 21 January 2014
WINNIPEG, MB- “Early in 2007, personnel from PCL Construction met with the design team and museum officials to discuss the vision for the iconic Canadian Museum for Human Rights and to kick-start the Winnipeg project. ‘We saw the design, we saw the renderings, we saw the structure, and the plans for the systems inside,’ recalls Sean Barnes, vice-president and district manager for PCL in Winnipeg. The project team began to ask the question: how do we go from vision or concept to end product?” [see also Anishinaabe artist to create major art piece for Canadian Museum for Human Rights, ncifm.com, January 2014
Vancouver Art Gallery gets it right with architect shortlist The Globe and Mail, 9 January 2014
VANCOUVER, BC- "If you are trying to build a new “architecturally significant” art museum, hiring the right designers is the most important decision you can make. So far, the Vancouver Art Gallery is doing it right. The shortlist for its new building includes three bona fide global stars (Herzog and de Meuron, Diller Scofidio + Renfro and SANAA) plus Canada’s best large architecture firm, KPMB, and a sleeper, the very talented Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects".
Chattanooga Public Library Executive Director Named 2014 Librarian of the Year chattanoogan.com, 7 January 2014
CHATTANOOGA, TN- “Corinne Hill, executive director of Chattanooga Public Library, has been named the 2014 Library Journal Librarian of the Year. Sponsored this year by Baker & Taylor, this annual award recognizes one individual transforming their library and community, and the profession. Ms. Hill is notable for her ‘quick and nimble transformation of the public libraries of the city of Chattanooga into the new and vibrant CPL.’”
Cultural Centres, The Bilbao effect If you build it, will they come? The Economist, 21 December 2013
WORLD- "A thriving cultural sector is an essential part of what makes a city great, along with green spaces and immigrants who bring renewal and vigour to city life, according to a recent study by McKinsey, a consultancy. The opening of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao in northern Spain (pictured) in 1997, 20 years after the Pompidou Centre, shows how an imaginatively designed museum commissioned by an energetic mayor can help turn a city around. Visitors’ spending in Bilbao in the first three years after the museum opened raised over €100m ($110m) in taxes for the regional government, enough to recoup the construction costs and leave something over. Last year more than 1m people visited the museum, at least half of them from abroad. This was the third-highest number ever, so the building continues to attract visitors even though the collection on display is modest. Other cities without historic cultural centres now look to Bilbao as a model for what vision and imagination can achieve.”
Revitalizing Through Expansion Since the recession, a host of museums throughout the country have renovated their spaces, to the benefit of their local communities CarolKino.com, ArtBasel Miami Beach, December 2013
MIAMI BEACH, FL, USA- "These days, it's almost hard to find a major American museum that does not have a vast building project underway. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has closed its doors until 2016 to undertake an expansion by the Norwegian design practice Snohetta. Next summer, the Aspen Museum of Art will reinvent itself in a purpose-built space downtown designed by Shigeru Ban. And in 2015, the Whitney Museum will decamp its iconic Marcel Breuer building for a glossy new edifice in the flood-prone Meatpacking District, masterminded by Renzo Piano- the man behind the expansions of the just completed Kimbell Art Museum in Forth Worth and the Harvard Art Museum (to name a few of his accomplishments). "
Museums
Richard III: New £4m visitor centre plans unveiled BBC News, 28 January 2014
LEICESTER, UK- "Plans for a £4m visitor centre dedicated to Richard III, whose remains were found underneath a Leicester car park, have been unveiled. Work has started to transform the old Leicester Grammar School building, which overlooks where the king was found, into the centre. An exhibition will tell the story of Richard III's life and how his skeleton was identified by experts. The centre's trustees said it would give the city an economic boost."
Halifax council approves plan that will bring municipal museum to Dartmouth waterfront
HALIFAX, NS - "Halifax regional councillors have agreed that a municipal museum should return to Dartmouth, and help establish a “cultural cluster” of destinations on the waterfront. A staff report tabled Tuesday stated that the former Dartmouth City Hall building at 90 Alderney Drive is unsuitable for a museum, based on a structural assessment, and recommended referring it for a review. Coun. Gloria McCluskey secured enough support to amend the motion to have the building declared surplus, and have proceeds from its sale used to construct a museum for thousands of HRM artifacts currently languishing in a Burnside warehouse."
Model Museum now available appointment-free at new home in Jersey City World Architecture News.com, 27 January 2014
NEW JERSEY, USA- "The Richard Meier Model Museum has a new home. Previously located in Long Island City, New York and open only by appointment, the museum has taken up residency at the Mana Contemporary in Jersey City, New Jersey where it joins the Furniture Showroom of Ana Meier, the architect’s daughter."
Bahrain National Museum expands horizons Bahrain National Museum director Rashad Faraj explains why they are opening site museums BBC News, 23 January 2014
MANAMA, BAHRAIN- "It is 25 years since the opening of Bahrain's iconic National Museum - the oldest in the Gulf, and the first among its neighbours to house locally discovered artefacts. Now it is finding ways to take the project forward. As a mark of the anniversary's importance, Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman paid an official visit, timed to coincide with the country's National Day and with a significant temporary exhibition."
Main Exhibit at Polish Jewish History Museum Set for Fall Opening After Delays and Budget Woes, Oct. 28 Set for Debut
WARSAW, POLAND- "After cost overruns delayed the official opening, the core exhibition of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews will open in October. The announcement of the Oct. 28 opening was made Wednesday by Polish Deputy Minister of Culture and National Heritage Malgorzata Omilanowska. Last week, the Polish Minister of Culture Bogdan Zdrojewski announced that Prof. Dariusz Stola will take over as the new director of the museum in March. The museum has been directed since August 2012 by Andrzej Cudak, whose task was to complete the construction of the museum building. The Museum of the History of Polish Jews was opened in April 2013, but without the core exhibition. It currently hosts cultural and educational programs as well as temporary exhibits.” " [see also The Curator of Joy and Ashes, Tabletmag.com, 10 April, 2013]
Tate St Ives to close temporarily for building project BBC News, 21 January 2014
CORNWALL, ENGLAND- "The Cornish branch of the Tate will close for almost four months from 27 January to make way for building work. The temporary closure of Tate St Ives is to allow work on an extension, which will create new galleries sunk into the coastal hillside. Tate St Ives will reopen on 17 May for its 21st Birthday celebrations and the launch of its Summer 2014 exhibition, International Exchanges: Modern Art. A temporary visitor centre will be open daily so the public can view the plans. The extension will allow Tate St Ives to present more works from the entire Tate collection, although building work will continue until 2016."
Construction update on Currie Dinosaur museum hqgrandeprairie.com, 20 January 2014
ALBERTA, CANADA- "Officials with the Philip J Currie Dinosaur Museum are optimistic that they will make up construction time lost in December when the temperatures dipped below -40. Pipestone Creek Dinosaur Initiative Executive Director Brian Brake says work on the roof of the 30 million dollar facility should begin within the coming weeks. "I think that will give the building some real structure for people to be able to see. And the roof is pretty unique so it will create quite a bit of excitement in the local area." The museum is slated to open by December of this year."
Folsom Prison Working To Share History With New ‘Big House’ Museum CBC Sacramento, 19 January 2014
FOLSOM, USA– "Johnny Cash isn’t the only man to make history at Folsom State Prison. There’s a new effort to take all the prison’s stories and build a massive big house prison museum. “I think everyone is curious about what really happens inside,” said retired Lt. Dennis Sexton. It’s a curiosity that could be filled at the Folsom Prison Museum. “We have a Gatling gun that dates back to the early 1800s that we got in 1925, and we have some machine guns,” said Pino Ramacher. The history dates back to the very opening of Folsom State Prison, the first maximum security prison in 1880."
Irish Museum expansion to go ahead The Jewish Chronicle, 17 January 2014
IRELAND- “The Irish Jewish museum, in Dublin is to go ahead with its £9 million expansion after an appeal against the plan failed. An Bord Pleanala, the Irish body responsible for ruling in planning disputes, upheld the museum’s original planning permission, rejecting objections from residents who were concerned about its effect on the local neighbourhood.”
Oxford University Museum of Natural History dinosaur bones returned BBC News, 15 January 2014
OXFORD, ENGLAND- "Hundreds of prehistoric exhibits have been moved back into a museum following £1m repairs to its leaking roof. The Oxford University Museum of Natural History closed for restoration work whilst more than 8,000 tiles were cleaned or replaced. Education officer Rachel Parle described the painstaking process as a 'big challenge'."
World heritage site to get an institution built to “international standards”, but what will happen to the two existing museums? The Art Newspaper, 14 January 2014
PETRA, JORDAN- “A museum of “international standards” will soon be built at the World Heritage Site of Petra in Jordan, raising questions about what will happen to the ancient city’s two existing institutions. The announcement came in late December from Mohammed Nawafleh, the chief commissioner of the Petra Development and Tourism Region. The ancient city of Petra was the capital of the Nabataeans, who settled in southern Jordan by the late fourth century BC. They traded in frankincense and spices, and controlled caravan routes that linked China, India, South Arabia and the Mediterranean.”
Maritime Museum Opening Delayed to End of Summer 2014 WKRG.com, 9 January 2014
HALIFAX, NS, CANADA- “With a price tag of more than $56 million dollars, the projected opening of Mobile's newest tourist attraction has been delayed again. The GulfQuest Maritime Museum was originally set to open in the Spring of last year. Then it was moved to the end of 2013, then it was projected to open this Spring and now the end of the Summer. "We are looking at the possibility of being open by the end of the summer, and we are hoping that we can adhere to that schedule. But there are certain factors that are beyond our control at this point," said Tony Zodrow, Executive Director of the GulfQuest Maritime Museum. Construction of the Maritime Museum is still ongoing and hasn't been complete. I'm told once construction is complete, the museum will then be turned over to GulfQuest and that's when the process of installing the exhibits will begin.”
India’s first boat museum opens in Kolkata Museum exhibit boats that were used during Harappan civilisation gulfnews.com, January 9, 2014
KOLKATA, INDIA- "For a country surrounded by seas, ravishing seas, rivers and lakes, the development of maritime technology played a pivotal role in the development of the thousand year old civilisation. But until now, there was no museum to celebrate its development and showcase to the world. "
MoMA Unveils Expansion Project Dexigner, 9 January 2014
NEW YORK, NY- “The Museum of Modern Art has unveiled its plans for a major building project that will expand the Museum's public spaces and galleries. The expansion will provide greater public accessibility and allow the Museum to reconceive the presentation of its collection and exhibitions.”
Angola: Dundo Museum Plans to Stand Among Africa's Greatest allAfrica.com, 8 January 2014
ANGOLA, AFRICA- "The director of the Dundo Regional Museum, eastern Lunda Norte Province, Fonseca Sousa, last Tuesday here said that he intends to place his institution among the greatest ones of the African continent. On an interview to ANGOP, Fonseca Sousa said that to implement such intention, the institution planned for 2014 the conclusion of the projects of rehabilitating the infrastructure, which will include the building of a deposit of ethnographic material and a biological research laboratory. He went on to say that it is also on schedule the construction of the "Village Museum", with an architecture typical of the region, as well as the rehabilitation of the Balabala archaeological station, among other aspects. "We'll also work on the research for public within the museum and the display of an ethnographic movie (...)", he said, adding that the institution intends to shoot a documentary on the daily life of the citizens in this region. The Dundo Regional Museum was created in 1956."
New provincial museum nears completion Gokunming.com, 8 January 2014
YUNNAN, CHINA- “Yunnan's largest collection of historical and archaeological artifacts will soon relocate to an updated home. After nearly four years of construction, the new Yunnan Provincial Museum is nearly complete and scheduled to open to the public in May. The new facility sits on a ten hectare site near the eastern portion of Guangfu Lu in Kunming's Guandu District. Work on the building's bronze facade and interior structure is finished and construction crews are now installing utilities, tearing down temporary buildings and landscaping the surrounding gardens.”
Mumbai's first Shivaji museum to open near airport dnaindia.com, 7 January 2014
MUMBAI, INDIA- "The city will get its first museum dedicated to Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji after whom the city airport has been named. Expected to be unveiled shortly, no deadline has been said for the opening of this museum. Officials involved with the construction of the project said that the museum, built over 5,000sqm, will have items that will chronicle the times and life of Shivaji. A 9metre high statue atop the main hall of the museum is expected to give tourists and visitors to the city a glimpse of the warrior’s glorious historical past. It will be the first such museum in the city dedicated entirely to the relics of Shivaji."
Jimi Hendrix's flat to become museum after £1.2m grant A central London office where Jimi Hendrix lived for a year is to become a permanent museum dedicated to the 1960s music legend. BBC News, 30 December 2013
ENGLAND- "The top floor flat of 23 Brook Street, Mayfair, was his home from 1968 to 1969 and where he felt most at ease, according to his then girlfriend Kathy Etchingham. Composer Handel had lived in the house next door two centuries before. A £1.2m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund will pay for the renovation. The flat is currently used as an office for the Handel House Trust and can only be visited by the public during the annual open house weekend when a limited number of tickets are available. 'Make noise' Baroque composer George Frideric Handel lived at 25 Brook Street, then a separate house from number 23, for 36 years until his death in 1759."
India's unique carriage museum A unique transportation museum which displays nearly 70 carriages from across India restored to their original glory will open to the public soon in the state of Goa, Chryselle D'Silva Dias reports. BBC News, 26 December 2013
GOA, INDIA- "You may have seen horse-drawn carriages, buggies and palanquins. But have you seen a cart for carrying school children or even a dowry-chest on wheels? Goa Chakra, an upcoming museum in the coastal village of Benaulim in Goa, has all this and more. The impressive collection is displayed in a new 750-square-metre building which houses temple chariots, camel carts, dowry chests on wheels, hearse carts, gypsy caravans, a gig (a light, two-wheeled carriage drawn by one horse) and several horse-drawn carriages. Other wheels also jostle for space - pottery wheels, a charkha (spinning wheel) and vintage, wooden children's toys."
Discovery World refit part of museum upgrade proposal Otago Daily Times, 20 December 2013
NEW ZEALAND- " Otago Museum officials are considering a draft plan which proposes spending up to $2 million to 'completely refit'' the museum's Discovery World science centre and create a ‘flagship science communication gallery’. The proposal was to undertake some of the biggest changes at the science centre for more than a decade, and was part of a draft strategic plan, tabled at an Otago Museum Trust Board meeting this week."
Refurbished Olympic Museum in Lausanne set to reopen The Star Online, 19 December 2013
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND- "This is the place to be for those wishing to understand the secrets of sporting success. FANCY measuring up against the mighty Usain Bolt, or hitting the track with your heart beating like a champion’s? The Olympic Museum helps visitors unlock the secrets of sporting success. The museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, the hub of the Olympic movement, has been metamorphosed during a two-year shutdown and is due to reopen to the public this Saturday (Dec 21). Lying on the shores of Lake Geneva, it is the mother ship of 25 Olympic museums scattered around the globe."
Architecture
Geology Museum + Research Center by lee+mundwiler architects to open this spring World Architecture News, 29 January 2014
CHINA- "Los Angeles-based design studio lee + mundwiler architects have shared their latest civic scheme with WAN as it draws to completion on the coast of Shenzhen. Located across the water from Hong Kong on the Dapeng Peninsula, the Geology Museum + Research Center features a pair of volumes connected by a sheltered courtyard."
Modern concept by Gerber Architekten encases existing King Fahad National Library World Architecture News.com, 24 January 2014
SAUDI ARABIA- "Peer through the taught forest of rhomboid textile awnings that grace the façade of the King Fahad National Library and you will glimpse a magnificent regeneration scheme that has brought a classic library building firmly into the 21st century. German firm Gerber Architekten has now completed the latest in a spate of schemes in Saudi Arabia with the modernisation of this cultural structure."
Siouxland Museum Selects Jack Rouse Associates For Design, Opening Scheduled For mid-2015 Sioux City Journal, 23 January 2014
SIOUX CITY, IA- "The Children’s Museum of Siouxland has selected a Cincinnati company to produce final concept, schematic and detail designs for the museum’s 8,000 square feet of exhibit space. Jack Rouse Associates, in collaboration with educational consultant Mary Sinker, previously completed master planning and preliminary concept development for the museum. The $6 million project is expected to see 50,000 visitors within its first year open, creating a $2 million economic impact for Sioux City. The museum will feature a series of galleries encouraging exploration, physical activity, cooperation and problem-solving. The goal of the museum is to provide a family-oriented and hands-on environment which will prioritize children's creativity and imagination."
Hiroshi Sugimoto Designs Own Museum The Wall Street Journal, 23 January 2014
JAPAN- "When it comes to museums, Hiroshi Sugimoto doesn’t mince words. “This is the worst space I ever encountered,” he told the Journal before opening a retrospective of his work at Seoul’s Leeum Samsung Museum of Art late last year. The Japanese artist was especially unhappy about a steep escalator leading down into the main gallery space of the OMA-designed building. “Why do that? It’s terrible,” he lamented. “I feel a kind of bad will from this architect.” Based between New York and Tokyo, Mr. Sugimoto is best known as a photographer of serene, contemplative black-and-white seascapes. He is also a conceptual artist, a collector of objects from prehistoric fossils to ancient scrolls, a stage director of Japanese puppet-theater plays, and, of late, the head of his own architecture practice. In 2011, he published an architecture book about the many museums that have shown his work, from the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., to the Fondation Cartier in Paris. Recently, he has been busy building his own museum, slated to open in the spring of 2016." [see also the slideshow]
Bristol Aerospace Centre: Want a sneaky glimpse at Concorde's new multi-million home? Cheddar Valley Gazette, 23 January 2014
BRISTOL, ENGLAND- "The first images of the long-awaited new home for Concorde have been unveiled by the Architect firm Purcell. Architect firm Purcell has been appointed to draw up designs for the multi-million pound heritage museum and learning centre which will be dedicated to the proud history of aviation in Bristol. The Bristol Aerospace Centre will create a permanent home for Alpha Foxtrot 216, the last Concorde to take to the skies, and will also feature refurbished listed World War One aircraft hangars, which will be transformed into a first-class heritage museum, learning suites, archives and workshops."
First international congress on Gaudí to be held in Barcelona The Art Newspaper, 23 January 2014
BARCELONA, SPAIN- "The first of a series of international conferences on the work of the celebrated Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí is due to take place this October in Barcelona; the city hosts his most famous, unfinished work, the Sagrada Família basilica. The Gaudí 1st World Congress (6-10 October) is organised by the Gaudí Research Institute and the University of Barcelona, and future editions are planned to take place every two years until 2026—when the Sagrada Família is estimated to be completed. This year’s congress will be divided into three sections: research, influence and cityscape. First, experts will present and compare the latest research conducted on Gaudí’s architecture. These findings will be used to analyse and discuss the profound effect his work has had on the field, from the early 20th century to the present. And finally, the congress will conclude with visits to Gaudí’s buildings throughout the city, with particular attention paid to the unfinished Church of Colònia Güell, in the industrial suburb of Santa Coloma de Cervelló.
Gustav Holst's former home to be restored Paint samples from Gustav Holst's Cheltenham home have been analysed to establish their original colour. BBC News, 21 January 2014
CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, UK- "Years of paint was scraped away by paint historian Lisa Oestricher at the Holst Birthplace Museum as part of redevelopment plans. A museum spokesman said it found the walls of the composer's boyhood home were a "dull shade of greenish blue" and the woodwork regrained. Specialists will now recreate the look in the museum's hall and landing. Holst, probably most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets, was born in the modest terraced house in 1874 and lived there until his mother's death in 1882. Funded through a grant from Gloucestershire County Council, the museum commissioned Ms Oestricher to determine the type and colour of paint used in the house during his lifetime. Curator Laura Kinnear, said: "It is exciting to know that, thanks to Lisa's help, we will be able to sympathetically restore the museum." The museum is due to reopen on 11 February with a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Planets."
Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian House To Be Relocated To Crystal Bridges Museum Artlyst, 17 January 2014
NEW JERSEY, USA- "The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has purchased an important Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian house, built in 1954 along the Millstone River. The building known as the Bachman Wilson House is currently located in the Borough of Millstone in Somerset County, N.J. The house has been flooded by a river over the past decades and has sustained significant damage. Relocation has been recommended as a means of best preserving the structure for future generations. The owners conducted a multi-year search for a purchaser that could provide an appropriate setting and context for the historic building. Crystal Bridges has now acquired the home, which will be disassembled and moved to Bentonville. There, it will be reassembled on Crystal Bridges’ 120-acre grounds."
Helsinki revives Guggenheim aspirations with design tilt GMA News, 15 January 2014
HELSINKI, FINLAND – “Finland has revived plans for a new Guggenheim museum on the Helsinki waterfront, raising chances for the capital to exploit the Guggenheim brand and join the big league of art destinations such as New York and Bilbao. Helsinki's city board decided on Monday to let the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation hold an architectural competition for a new museum, although it has yet to overturn an earlier vote against the project. The city narrowly rejected a plan for a 140-million-euro ($191 million) museum in May 2012 due to worries that much of the expense would be borne by taxpayers at a time of budget cuts and slow economic growth. Proponents of a new Guggenheim museum in Helsinki are hoping the competition will help bolster popular support for the project, which they say could help city to become a major art destination for tourists. Government officials on Tuesday gave their endorsement to the project.”
Canada brings Arctic architecture into the spotlight for Venice Biennale The Globe and Mail, 14 January 2014
NORTHERN CANADA- “From the land of snowdrifts to the city of canals – five designs that use architecture to address the realities of Inuit life in Nunavut are Canada’s entry to this year’s Venice Biennale, one of the world’s top showcases for builder’s art. “We all have the images of the Arctic that we get in National Geographic,” said Lola Sheppard, a Toronto architect and a curator of the Arctic Adaptations show that is to open in Venice in June.”
AJ Releases Shortlist for 2014 Woman Architect of the Year Arch Daily, 10 January 2014
UNITED KINGDOM- “Architects’ Journal has just released the shortlist for their Women in Architecture Awards, which aim to ‘raise the profile of women architects in a sector where women still face an alarming degree of discrimination.’ Christine Murray, Editor of Architects’ Journal, commented: ‘I’m delighted to announce this year’s shortlist, which includes the women behind the celebrated Library of Birmingham, the new Stonehenge development and the Giant’s Causeway visitor centre. The awards celebrate design excellence and leadership — qualities needed to succeed as an architect — and especially among women, who are under-represented in the construction industry.’ See the list, after the break.”
Where genius and light come together Sharon McHugh considers Kahn's use of natural light at the Kimbell Art Museum World Architecture News, 2 January 2014
USA- "I was asked by VELUX to write about a favourite building that uses natural light in an interesting or innovative way. Whilst there are many great buildings that do that, the choice for me was obvious - it would have to be a building designed by the late, great 20th century Master, Louis I. Kahn. But what building would it be? Kahn was a master of light and many of his buildings reflect his rare ability to make light the subject of the work. But the building that comes to mind as the penultimate tribute to light is the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas."
Culture Map Houston, 4 December 2012
HOUSTON, TX- "Four finalists have emerged from the Menil Collection's extensive international search to select an architect to design its Menil Drawing Institute (MDI), the first major project to be built as a part of the museum's long-range master plan. After several years of site visits, careful research and thoughtful interviews, the Menil's architecture selection committee has announced a short list of long-established and newly-emerging architectural firms."
Technology
Fashion and technology merge at "In the Dark" show at MOCA Cleveland cleveland.com, 28 January 2014
CLEVELAND, OH- "Fashion meets technology at an avant-garde fashion exhibit and competition called "In the Dark," which debuts at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30 at the Museum of Contemporary Art (11400 Euclid Ave.) in Cleveland and travels to three other venues around town during the next few months. Students from Cleveland Institute of Art and Case Western Reserve University School of Engineering are working to create three innovative designs that merge art and technology with light."
How Halifax’s waterfront will honour a historic sea battle on land The Globe and Mail, 27 January 2014
HALIFAX, NS- "Battle of the Atlantic Place – the concept was revealed last week – will tell the story of the longest battle of the Second World War through theatrical technology at a time when the numbers of Canadians left who fought in the battle are dwindling down. “We as Canadians have not been very good in telling our stories,” said Ted Kelly, chairman of Battle of the Atlantic Place. “A major part of our motivation is to try and change that with this project.” "
Rethinking the relationship between culture and technology wamda.com, 27 January 2014
WORLD- "This age we live in, of instant gratification and edge-of-seat fascination with technology has led many artists, technologists, psychologists, educators, and thinkers to wonder: Are we better off without some technology? Are we intellectually wealthier when we mediate our understanding of the world through search engines and the web? What happens to art, culture, and identity as technology becomes widespread? Where are we going next?"
State museum using high-tech methods to share parts of past The State Journal-Register, 23 January 2014
ILLINOIS, USA- "Technology that helps police investigate crimes today is allowing scientists at the Illinois State Museum to more thoroughly investigate the past and share what they learn with the public. Wednesday morning, members of the Illinois State Police crime scene services command set up a scanner to create three-dimensional views of the museum’s American mastodon — one of the largest specimens known. Jeffrey Saunders, the museum’s curator and chair of geology, excavated the mastodon in the 1970s."
Art and Technology Get Closer in L.A. Forbes, 23 January 2014
LOS ANGELES, CA-" As we trace the cultural changes across Los Angeles- with the emergence of a still-growing startup community- it's interesting to watch the shape of L.A. transform, as creative artists have always found their home here, and as more technologists move in. The merger of the two worlds have taken many different shapes over time. And now, the two spheres- art and tech- are perhaps more intertwined than they have ever been. Some of the intersection has to do with exposing art to a wider audience on the Internet, but part of it has to do with experimentation."
The 'selfie' makes a giant leap into architecture at the Sochi Winter Olympics World Architecture News, 20 January 2014
RUSSIA- "‘A monument for the digital age’ is the concept behind the latest creation by Asif Khan. The MegaFon Olympic Pavilion designed by the British architect for a Russian telecommunications company for the Sochi 2014 Winter Games is inspired by a culture in which the ‘selfie’ rules and ‘emoticons’ are used as a digital communication tool."
Titanic museum, shipwreck simulator to anchor Chinese theme park Yahoo News, 13 January 2014
HONG KONG, CHINA- "A life-sized replica of the Titanic will become the centerpiece of a landlocked theme park in China, featuring a museum and a shipwreck simulation to give visitors a harrowing sense of the 1912 disaster. The Chinese version of "the unsinkable ship", with a price tag of 1 billion yuan ($165 million) and an expected opening date in 2016, will be built at least 1,500 km (930 miles) from the nearest ocean in the central province of Sichuan."
New SFU observatory will invite public to stargaze The $4.4 million observatory and plaza will be completed by August 2014 CBCNews, 10 January 2014
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA- “Simon Fraser University's Burnaby campus ill soon be home to a $4.4 million astronomical observatory and plaza. The observatory, which is due to be built by August 2014, will house a telescope that the public can use to view galaxies billions of light years away. The reflector telescope will also provide a digital feed that can be watched remotely by community groups and public schools across the country. A viewing plaza next to the dome will feature sundials and room for visitors to set up their own telescopes.”
How Mobile Technology is Accelerating Online Art Growth Huffington Post, 9 January 2014
NEW YORK, USA- "As seen in the debut of Amazon Art and the recent launch of Google's bold Open Gallery initiative, 2013 was the year that online art went mainstream. The industry now features over 300 art e-commerce platforms, with 71 percent of all art collectors having purchased a piece online at some point. We're witnessing the digitization of art commerce -- with 2013 being a banner year. There are many reasons for the online art boom. For one, original artwork is more popular than ever, and an increasing number of online art platforms are providing great options for affordable, original pieces. Beyond that, e-commerce, with its flexibility and convenience, is the preferred method of buying today. Art is merely evolving to meet the shift."
Visionary architect leads students in designing buildings that move UCLA Today, 9 January 2014
LOS ANGELES, CA- "Imagine a building that can change its shape. No, not a real-life Transformer. But how about a building that alters its configuration as its needs fluctuate? As self-driving cars and other technological advances transform science fiction into reality, that’s the type of challenge that UCLA architecture and urban design professor Greg Lynn has asked his graduate students to ponder."
Merlin unveils landmark Angry Birds theme park attractionsmanagement.com, 8 January 2014
SURREY, UK- "Merlin Entertainments has today announced a major new deal to create the world’s first Angry Birds 4D theme park experience. The creative partnership with developer of the mobile app phenomenon, Finnish Rovio Entertainment, will see a 4,000sq m (43,000sq ft) fully-themed Angry Birds area open at the UK’s Thorpe Park in May 2014.Work is already underway on the new attraction, which will be centred around the 4D experience and is set to include an exclusive 10-minute Angry Birds animated film, developed jointly by Rovio and top 4D animators 3DBA."
Smithsonian Acquires Video Games mediabistro.com, 31 December 2013
WASHINGTON, DC- "The Museum of Modern Art isn’t the only cultural institution shopping for video games. In the wake of its 2012 “The Art of Video Games” exhibition, the Smithsonian American Art Museum has added to its permanent collection Flower by Jenova Chen and Kellee Santiago of that gamecompany and Halo 2600 by Ed Fries. “The best video games are a great expression of art and culture in our democracy,” said Elizabeth Broun, the museum’s director, in a statement announcing the acquisitions. “I am excited that this new medium is now a permanent part of our collections alongside other forms of video, electronic, and code-based art.” Added curator Michael Mansfield, “By bringing these games into a public collection, the museum has the opportunity to investigate both the material science of video game components and develop best practices for the digital preservation of the source code for the games themselves.” "
Art and Culture
Kenyan firm turns flip-flops into art Artisan manufacturing company turns dirty, discarded flip-flops into animal ornaments and jewellery The Guardian, 30 January 2014
KENYA, AFRICA - "What do you do with a pair of old flip-flops? Not an idle question as the planet produces billions of pairs of non-biodegradable pairs every year. But now a Kenyan biologist turned businesswoman has at least a partial solution. Julie Church's artisan manufacturing company, Ocean Sole, turned about 50 tonnes of dirty, discarded and damaged flip-flops into animal ornaments and jewellery in 2013. She anticipates doubling that amount this year, and will pay 25p per kilo to whoever brings them in. In Kenya, where plastic flip-flops cost a dollar, beaches are littered not just with broken and battered domestic varieties but with flip-flops from all over the world. Branded flip-flops turn up on Kenya's east-facing shoreline from the Middle East, South Asia and Australasia."
Jeddah Heritage Festival concludes its 10-day run arabnews.com, 27 January 2014
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA- "Curtains came down on the 10-day Jeddah Heritage Festival on Saturday, and the organizers said it was a huge success with over 750,000 people visiting the festival. This is the first of its kind festival held in Jeddah to raise awareness among the public about the rich heritage of the port city. The festival gains significance in the backdrop of the UNESCO rejecting the Kingdom’s request for inclusion of Jeddah’s Balad heritage district in the World Heritage list in the past on ground that the authorities didn’t taken any appropriate action to preserve the heritage or create awareness about it. The event, which was inaugurated by Makkah Gov. Prince Mishal bin Abdullah, was also attended by Prince Mishal bin Majed and Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiques (SCTA).
UNESCO to help Egypt museum recover from blast IndependentMail.com, 26 January 2014
CAIRO, EGYPT- "A UNESCO team will travel to Cairo to assess the damage inflicted on a renowned Islamic art museum by a bombing targeting the nearby security headquarters, Egypt's Minister of Antiquities said Sunday. The museum will also receive $100,000 from the U.N. cultural agency to help the museum recover from the explosion, which damaged much of the museum's artifacts, Mohammed Ibrahim said. The truck bombing on Friday was one of four attacks across the capital targeting police that killed six people. The huge blast shattered the facade of the security headquarters, while propelling steel and ceiling plaster onto artifacts in the museum across the street. Centuries-old glass and porcelain pieces were smashed to powder, a priceless wooden prayer niche was destroyed and manuscripts were soaked by water spewing from broken pipes. Though a complete account of damaged artifacts has not yet been taken, Ibrahim said, the damages would mean serious losses for Egyptian and Islamic history."
Singapore: Also think about art and culture Global Travel Industry News, 26 January 2014
SINGAPORE- “It’s known as a financial hotspot, but this Asian tiger is moving on from money and becoming well known in its newest currency, art and culture. Mention Singapore and what often comes to mind is business; it’s one of the world’s fastest-growing wealth-management hubs and a leading financial centre.”
Promoting a vibrant urban culture through art Helsinki Times, 24 January 2014
OSTROBOTHNIA, FINLAND- "The Oulu Museum of Art (OMA), located in Myllytulli, Oulu’s green part, is the largest art museum of Northern Finland. A series of on-site exhibitions, combined with various online galleries and an excellent café where art is served on a plate, makes it a must for all those with a passion for art. The OMA building was designed by architect Birger Federley in 1922 and hosted different services before finally welcoming the museum. It first served as the head office of the leather company Veljekset Åström Oy, and was subsequently taken over by the University of Oulu. The University library was active for over two decades, before the building was closed for renovation in 1987. The venue eventually opened its doors as the Oulu Museum of Art, which was inaugurated in May 1990."
Culture ministry to survey art collections in China Want China Times, 20 January 2014
CHINA- "China has announced the country's first inventory of collections in government art galleries since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The census, which is due to finish by December 2016, will cover all art works preserved by art galleries on the Chinese mainland under the administration of cultural departments, according to the Ministry of Culture. The preparation for the census has been completed and the government will next focus on data collection and database construction, said vice culture minister Dong Wei. Information to be collected in the census will include artist, date for creation, image, and preservation status. There are pressing problems in China's collections of art works, such as inadequate input, poor preservation, and lack of a clear picture of their status, Dong said. "The academic and social value of the art works has not been brought into full play," Dong said. Dong described the census as an action that will help the country better grasp and scientifically evaluate the situation of its art works, and support their future preservation and promotion. A special leading group has been set up by the Ministry of Culture to supervise and coordinate the project."
Commemorating and Honouring A Legacy of Service and Sacrifice Canada Unveils Plans to Commemorate the World Wars www.pch.gc.ca, 14 January 2014
OTTAWA, ON- "Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Shelly Glover announced the Government of Canada will launch the commemorations of the centennial of the First World War and the 75th anniversary of the Second World War by rededicating the National War Memorial in Summer 2014. Standing among artifacts and images from the First and Second World Wars at the Canadian War Museum, Minister Glover, accompanied by Minister of Veterans Affairs Julian Fantino, said the commemorative period will run from 2014 until 2020. The Government will use existing programs to support national, regional, and community-based activities, dedications, ceremonies, and legacy events."
Foundations commit more than $330m to save Detroit’s art Philanthropic group will help pay off failing pension funds to keep the Detroit Institute of Arts' collection from the auction block The Art Newspaper, 13 January 2014
DETRIOT, USA- "A team of federal mediators appointed to oversee Detroit’s bankruptcy case announced today 13 January that a group of philanthropic foundations have banded together to raise more than $330m to save the city’s art collection from being sold. The money will go towards covering an estimated $3.5bn shortfall in funding for city pensions. The plan is aimed to appeal to two contentious camps in the ongoing saga: those who want to spare the Detroit Institute of Arts from the city’s financial woes and those who think all of the city-owned assets, including the art, should be used to help the people affected by the bankruptcy."
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum announces $7 million improvement plan Star Tribune, 8 January 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY, USA- "The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum unveiled plans on Wednesday for a new $7 million project that will upgrade the museum and add new exhibits and remembrances about the deadly attack that killed more than 160 people nearly two decades ago."
Kansas Statehouse visitor center opens to public Kake.com, 2 January 2014
TOPEKA, KS- "Kansas residents and officials used words like "cool" and "awesome" to describe the restored grandeur of the Statehouse as the doors to a new visitor center opened. The festivities on Thursday marked the completion of the nearly $330 million restoration project that took 13 years. Gov. Sam Brownback, Topeka Mayor Larry Wolgast and members of the Kansas Historical Society cut a yellow ribbon opening the new center. The space becomes the public entrance to the building that was constructed over 37 years starting in 1866. Visitors will enter the building from the north at the ground level and pass through limestone corridors that form the foundation. Photographs and other artifacts tell the history of the state, its people and landscape."
Czars Rule: Romanovs Prove Popular in Today’s Russia Arts Beat, 20 December 2013
RUSSIA- “A replica of Russia’s grand imperial crown, made of nearly 11,500 diamonds, will be on display in Moscow until early January at the State Historical Museum near Red Square, the latest of dozens of exhibitions across Russia devoted to the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Romanov dynasty. The exhibitions are on a wide range of subjects related to the dynasty, which came to power with the election of Mikhail Romanov in 1613, and ended with the execution of Czar Nicholas II and his family in 1918. On Saturday an exhibition called “Sports and the Romanov Family” opens in Sochi, the Black Sea resort city that will be hosting the Winter Olympics in February. The overriding theme, however, has been the glory of the Russian state under the Romanovs, and its links to Russia today.”
Member of Parliament LaVar Payne Announces Support for the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre Canadian Heritage, 20 December 2013
MEDICINE HAT, AB- “LaVar Payne, Member of Parliament (Medicine Hat), on behalf of the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced support for the City of Medicine Hat’s Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre. ‘The Esplanade is an important part of the local community that celebrates our culture through music and dance, theatre, exhibitions, and much more,’ said Mr. Payne. ‘Our Government is proud to invest in the sustainability of local cultural institutions like this one because of the role they play in preserving and showcasing our shared heritage.’”
Creative Economies, Creative Cities, Innovation and Urban Planning, Cultural Tourism
Hadrian's Wall £11.2m visitor centre final design unveiled BBC News, 25 January 2014
ENGLAND- "The final design for an £11.2m centre and youth hostel on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland has been unveiled. The Sill project will provide a cafe and education, art and office space to replace facilities dating back to the 1960s at Once Brewed, near Hexham. The scheme, which is backed by the Northumberland National Park Authority and Youth Hostel Association, is expected to create 60 full-time jobs. A spokesman for the authority said it would "boost tourism" in the area. The designs have been created to be sympathetic to the surrounding landscape and the building will use sustainable energy such as solar thermal water heating and woodchip heating."
Newswirse.ca, 23 January 2014
PRINCE WILLIAM, NB- "The Government of Canada has provided funding through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund to help create a new exhibition hall at Kings Landing Historical Settlement. Member of Parliament John Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest) today announced $30,310 in funding for the Kings Landing Corporation on behalf of Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Shelly Glover. Kings Landing Historical Settlement is a living history museum depicting and interpreting life in rural New Brunswick from the 18th to the 20th century, with a main focus on the 19th century. With this investment, space in the visitor reception centre will be renovated to create an exhibition area that will showcase artifacts and travelling exhibits. Kings Landing has in trust a collection of about 70,000 artifacts, which the public will be able to view in June when the exhibit hall is expected to open. The new space will enable Kings Landing to better create, present, and exhibit arts and heritage experiences."
Museums & Galleries the “Engine Rooms” of UK Culture, Sector Generating £8m Per Hour LeisureOpportunities.co.uk, 23 January 2014
ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM- "Museums and galleries have been hailed as one of the “engine rooms” of Britain’s cultural industries by the director of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG), after statistics showed the wider sector now generates over £8m an hour. Government figures released last week show that the UK’s creative industries - which also include the film, television and music sectors - are worth £71.4bn per year to the national economy."
New Urban Park at Ontario Place Torontoist, 22 January 2014
TORONTO, ONTARIO- "A sliver of Ontario Place’s future look was revealed today, one promising forests, summits, rocky beaches, and a 'romantic garden.' The conceptual designs for the urban park which will occupy 7.5 acres on the far eastern end of Ontario Place were presented to media this afternoon. As envisioned by LANDInc(whose local projects include Tommy Thompson Park) and West 8 (builders of the wave decks along the waterfront), the former parking lot will become, according to a provincial press release, 'a naturalized green refuge that celebrates the legacy of Ontario Place and the landscapes of Ontario.'"
New mega project planned for Vietnam coast Rockerfeller family invests in US$2 billion mixed-use development Travel Daily Media, 14 January 2014
VUNG RO BAY, VIETNAM- “Plans have been unveiled for a major new tourism and residential project on Vietnam’s east coast. Local company Vung Ro Petroleum has joined forces with the Rose Rock Group, an investment management and real estate firm founded by members of the Rockefeller family, to create a huge new US$2 billion mixed-use resort development in Vung Ro Bay, in the Vietnamese province of Phu Yen. According to plans, the development will divide the picturesque Vung Ro Bay into three sections: ‘The Marina’, ‘The Village’ and Bai Mon Beach, which will be connected by a 2.5km pedestrian path called ‘The Green Thread’.”
Green light for $52m theme park in Bahrain TradeArabia News Service, 13 January 2014
MANAMA,BAHRAIN- “Work on a BD20 million ($52.7 million) theme park that includes Bahrain's first full-size ice arena and indoor ski slope will go ahead as planned next month, said a senior government official. It comes after a municipal council shelved the project last week, fearing it would damage key sewage and water networks located at the site. Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi told the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication, the radical overhaul of the Muharraq Grand Garden will not damage the grid.”
Kingdom gearing up for the tourist season! Arab News, 12 January 2014
SAUDI ARABIA- “Tourism has become one of the fastest growing sectors in the Kingdom and the stakeholders in the sector are making the necessary efforts to have a fruitful season. As the time draws near toward the beginning of yet another tourism season, the Saudi Tourism and Antiquities Commission (SCTA) has planned several tourism events and activities for the mid-year vacation. These festivals will be organized by the tourism development councils with the partnership of the authorities. With a view to enhancing the tourism sector in the Kingdom through these festivals, the SCTA and its partners are geared up with their preparations for the cultural, social, heritage, sports and entertainment activities. An SCTA official at the commission’s headquarters here informed that around 30 tourism festivals and activities will be held in various regions of the Kingdom during the coming mid-year holiday.”
Tourist route through old Jewish towns planned Global Good News, 10 January 2014
WARSAW, POLAND- “Historians are preparing a virtual and real-life tourist route leading through about 60 old Jewish towns along Poland's border with Belarus and Ukraine. The 'Stetl Route' will include about 20 towns in each of the countries on both sides of the EU's eastern border. Historians from all three countries are gathering material for the 450,000-euro ($610,000) project, which is largely funded by the European Union, its leader said Friday."
Iraq Unveils Restoration Plan for Heritage Sites all.iq, 9 January 2014
BAGHDAD, IRAQ- "The Iraqi Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities at the start of the new year unveiled a strategic plan to restore and rehabilitate heritage and tourism sites across the country. Five out of the 32 heritage and tourism sites listed on the plan will undergo repairs within the next few years, said Dhafer Sobhi Saleh, general director of the ministry's directorate for antiquities maintenance and conservation."
£1million tourist plan for city and Loch Ness The Inverness Courier , 4 January 2014
INVERNESS, SCOTLAND- “New viewpoints, concerts and festivals could be created under £1 million tourism plans for Inverness and Loch Ness being unveiled later this week. The initiatives are promised by the proposed Inverness and Loch Ness Tourism Business Improvement District (BID) if it receives the go-ahead in a ballot of 363 local tourism businesses in the spring."This represents an exciting opportunity for the area because it will, for the first time, capitalise on the benefits of Inverness and Loch Ness working together as one compelling destination," said project manager Graeme Ambrose.”
€2.175m contract for Killarney House restoration Money will see final phase of work to restore historic buildings and pleasure gardens Irish Times, 31 December 2013
KILLARNEY NATIONAL PARK, IRELAND- “The final phase of the restoration of historic buildings and gardens at Killarney House in Co Kerry has been announced by Minister for Heritage Jimmy Deenihan. Work is to begin immediately on the €2.175 million contract that will protect some 90 jobs involved in the ongoing restoration of the house. The refurbished Killarney House, in a scenic setting, will function as a visitors’ centre for Killarney National Park and it is hoped it will become an added tourist attraction for the town. The visitor centre project will contain three distinct aspects. Firstly it will house an interpretative centre for the national park, explaining its significance and importance to the town and region including information on mountainside, woodlands, waterways and the human impact on the environment.”
Cultural Centre & Museum to be built at the Bamiyan World Heritage Site UNESCO, 17 December 2013
BAMIYAN, AFGHANISTAN- "The World Heritage site in Bamiyan has received further support today for construction of a cultural centre and museum, aiming to maximize the role that culture can contribute towards nation-building in Afghanistan. Its temporary and permanent exhibitions, training and function rooms will promote the knowledge of Afghan millennial history as a crossroad of different civilizations. The centre will also run training on traditional skills and handicrafts which provide a number of economic, social and cultural benefits including employment, large scale involvement of women and minorities, generation of off-season employment and the promotion of exports."
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