FEATURE
Arts and culture contributed a record $1.2 trillion to United States GDP in 2023
Broadway News: Michael Abourizk
The annual economic analysis from the NEA’s Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account is now available. The $1.2 trillion total accounted for 4.2% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023. This is more than the amount contributed by several non-arts industries, including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting; mining; outdoor recreation; and transportation and warehousing. Additionally, the $1.2 trillion figure represents the largest economic contribution of arts and culture to the GDP since the annual analysis began in 1998. In constant dollars, the economic value of arts and culture saw a 6.6% increase between 2022 and 2023.
RESEARCH AND OPINION
Not For Sale: Dance Leaders Respond to Anti-DEI in Federal Funding
New City Stage: Sharon Hoyer
The Trump administration’s swift backlash against D.E.I. initiatives has already caused pain for some organizations dedicated to advancing the work of artists historically left at the margins.
$11 tickets might be the key to saving opera in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Peter Dobrin
Last August, Anthony Roth Costanzo rolled the dice on a novel idea. Faced with weak ticket sales, past debt, and a shaky financial outlook, the Opera Philadelphia general director and president slashed ticket prices: any seat in the house, $11.
Interview: Robert Taylor shares methods to inspire through diverse repertoire
ArtsEngine: Aaron Dworkin
Robert Taylor, Director of Bands and Professor of Conducting at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, shares his approach to diverse repertoire and inspiring individual voices in group ensembles.
Schiff On His Boycott: ‘If I Were A U.S. Citizen, I Would Move To Canada’
Classical Voice: David Patrick Stearns
In 2012, András Schiff vowed to never again visit his native Hungary in protest of the Viktor Orbán government. He has not visited Putin’s Russia since the start of the war with Ukraine. Now he is canceling his U.S. concerts only two months into the Donald Trump presidency.
A Kronos Quartet Glow Up: New Players, Newly Lustrous Sound
NY Times: Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim
For a half century, Kronos has shaken up expectations. With the current lineup, it has the potential to go in new directions, including — perhaps surprising in a group that long cultivated a certain brand of cool — the ability to dig for a deeper emotional connection to sound.
NATIONAL
Cultural groups across U.S. told that federal humanities grants are terminated
NPR: Elizabeth Blair
Millions of dollars in previously awarded federal grants intended for arts and cultural groups across the country are being canceled by the Trump administration. Among the thousands of groups affected by the sudden cessation of funds are state humanities councils, museums, historic sites, archives, libraries, educators and media outlets in all 50 states.
2025 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipients honored
The Strad
This year’s recipients were announced in August 2024 and comprise violinist/composer Curtis Stewart, soprano Gabriella Reyes and pianist Clayton Stephenson.
‘Not financially viable’: California’s largest free jazz festival canceled due to lack of funds
The San Francisco Chronicle: Aidin Vaziri
Originally scheduled for July 5-6, the beloved festival, which attracts more than 50,000 attendees annually to San Francisco’s historic Fillmore district, will not take place this summer due to ongoing financial challenges.
Detroit production of Mozart opera turns its female characters into automatons
AP News: Mike Silverman
Audiences at the Detroit Opera House expecting their performance of “Cosi fan tutte” to begin with the overture may be surprised to hear instead a product launch from a tech company CEO.
INTERNATIONAL
Canada’s Classical And Jazz Juno Awards Include A Win For Inuk Opera Soprano
Classic 107: Nolan Kehler
Deantha Edmunds was the 2025 winner of the Classical Composition of the Year Juno Award. Her project Angmalukisaa (the Inuktitut word for ‘round’) was part on the album Alikeness with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra.
Opera director Netia Jones: ‘AI is not going away. Either you batten down the hatches or you ride the wave’
The Guardian: Jude Rogers
Royal Opera’s new associate director shares her obsession with Peter Grimes, winning over tech-sceptics and the joy of school matinee shows.
Musicians protest through song at festival in Taiwan
NPR: Ashish Valentine
Social movements have long used music to spread messages and rally support. Musicians from across Taiwan gathered in the southern port city of Kaohsiung recently to try to remind people of the precarious geopolitical situation in which they find their island.
Toronto Live Snags $2.275M To Revitalize George Weston Recital Hall
Ludwig Van Toronto: Anya Wassenberg
One of Toronto’s premier live music venues will get a major renovation thanks to what is being called a historic $2.275 million donation. That funding comes from the Weston Group of Companies.
Ralph Fiennes will make his opera directing debut
Associated Press
Actor Ralph Fiennes will make his opera directing debut in Paris next season with Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin.”
Martha Argerich, the Elusive, Enigmatic ‘Goddess’ of the Piano
NY Times: Javier C. Hernández
At 83, the Argentine-Swiss pianist is at the peak of her powers. But she doesn’t want to talk about it.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MUSIC BUSINESS
TikTok soft-launches ‘TikTok for Artists’ platform
Music Business World: Daniel Tencer
A new service that offers artists analytics tools to see how their music is performing on the platform, and what sort of content fans are engaging with. It also gives artists access to features for promoting their music.
Trump Extends TikTok Deadline to Keep Platform from ‘Going Dark’ in the US
Digital Music News: Ashley King
President Trump grants TikTok another 75-day extension to comply with the law requiring the company to sell to a US entity or face a federal ban.
March Music Industry Funding Tops $1.5 Billion as Catalog Financing Surges — Here’s the Latest DMN Pro Data
Digital Music News: Dylan Smith
Thanks in part to massive raises from catalog investors, core music industry funding turned in a significant YoY jump during March 2025. From a volume perspective, the month (as well as March 2024) lagged behind its 2023 counterpart — signifying a shift away from frothiness.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
A 270-Year-Old Scottish Folk Fiddle Makes Its Carnegie Hall Debut
New York Times: Corinna da Fonesca-Wollheim
The ornately decorated fiddle belonged to the dance master who taught Robert Burns. At Carnegie, it will cap “Scotland’s Hoolie in New York.”
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