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    Opening night: Park Square Theatre

    Published September 19, 2011 by

    By Park Square Theatre Friday, Sept 16 was opening night of the new season—and August: Osage County roars to life on Park Square’s stage. We’ve just finished a week of previews, with solid houses and great audience response. I saw two of the three dress rehearsals, which were powerful. Yet...
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    power2give 3 weeks in – over $100K raised

    Published September 19, 2011 by

    By Scott Provancher, Arts & Science Council Three weeks ago the Arts & Science Council (ASC) launched power2give.org, an innovative new way for people to give to arts, science and history/heritage projects in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The launch was the culmination of more than a year of work by...
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    @FastCompany: underlying tension between students and teachers in new report about social media and the First Amendment

    Published September 19, 2011 by

      2011 Report: Future of the First Amendment Download full report in PDF format. Eric Newton, Special Adviser to the President at Knight Foundation: See also previous years of FoFA research: 2007 Report | 2006 Report | 2004 Report.   Last week, Knight Foundation released a new report in honor of Constitution Day, showing that as social media’s popularity has grown among teens, so has appreciation for the First Amendment. In fact, more than 91 percent of students who use social networking to get news and information on a daily basis believe people should be allowed to express unpopular opinions. Today, Fast Company wrote about the report, focusing on the underlying tensions between teachers and students when it comes to teens’ use of social media and its impact on freedom of expression: “Conducted through interviews with 12,000 students and 900 high school teachers in the U.S., the study found a solid majority of American teachers believe limits should be placed on what their students say and do on social networks. For example, only 36% believe students have the right to express their opinions of teachers and school administrators online without the risk of in-school punishment.”
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    Bursting out in contemporary baroque

    Published September 16, 2011 by

    A lush, beautiful, ornate, strange world awaits at Praxis International Art. Imagine towering portraits — Or are they really landscapes? — with layers of photographs as the base; they are then decorated, as there is no better word for it, with found jewelry, porcelain...
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    Exploring a new partnership: SPCO & GTCYS

    Published September 16, 2011 by

    By The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Earlier this week, we at the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, together with our colleagues at Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies, were pleased to announce a $100,000 grant from the Knight Foundation to support our new strategic alliance. We are extremely grateful to Knight Foundation...
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    The “in” crowd

    Published September 16, 2011 by

    I've always been friends with people who are in bands. Eventually, these people return from touring, full of inside jokes I do not understand. While listening to their “hilarious” stories, sometimes I try to laugh along just because, but usually I...
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    As social media grow, so does First Amendment appreciation

    Published September 16, 2011 by

     Credit: Column Five Media Each year, on Constitution Day, students and teachers celebrate the most fundamental laws of our republic. This year, they should celebrate Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and all other social media children of the digital age. Why? Because, it turns out, social media are good for the Constitution. Specifically, social media are good for the First Amendment, the lead item of the Bill of Rights, etched into our national history in 1791: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” The Future of the First Amendment, a new study being released today by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, concludes that today’s social media fads are good for that 220-year-old law. As researcher Ken Dautrich puts it: “There is a clear, positive relationship between student usage of social media to get news and information and greater support for free expression rights.” The University of Connecticut professor has done four major national surveys of high school students on First Amendment issues and has co-written The Future of the First Amendment: Digital Media, Civic Education and Free Expression Rights in the Nations’ High Schools. This spring, he surveyed 12,090 high school students and 900 high school teachers for the latest survey.
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    This month at Hayiya

    Published September 15, 2011 by

    By G. Pilar Wilder, Hayiya Dance Theatre This month has been absolutely wonderful at Hayiya Dance Theatre! On Friday the 9th we performed at the first ever Otis Redding Day, here in the Magnificent Macon, GA and on Saturday the 10th, we performed by request for the Redding family at...
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    Exploring “Hollow Roots” at Penumbra Theatre Company

    Published September 15, 2011 by

    By Penumbra Theatre Company Playwright Christina Anderson returned to Penumbra Theatre Company’s New Play Development program, OKRA, with a new piece entitled “Hollow Roots.” The play was part of The Gym: a weeklong developmental workshop for ideas that are not yet in script form. [caption id="attachment_24454" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Actor Sonja...