Art Venues Research Articles

Digital Economy and Baumol’s Cost Disease of Performing Arts: An Empirical Research in China

In the past decade, the Chinese government’s financial subsidies for performing arts troupes accounted for an average of 50.57% of their total income. By the end of 2021, China has 18,370 performing arts troupes and 3,093 performing arts venues. The research conclusions of this paper include the following four points: (1) Digital live-streaming theater(DLT) is an “innovation” for traditional Stage Theater(ST) performance, and its changes in creation mechanism, audience-actors relationship, technical esthetics and business model are worthy of further study. (2) Data from 2011 to 2021 show that Baumol’s cost disease also exists in Chinese performing arts. (3) The Chinese government has been reducing its direct management and control of arts troupes, trying to move toward “arm’s length” governance. (4) During the COVID-19 epidemic, performance case data from China show that DLT can indeed reduce the marginal cost, attract more young audiences, and increase performance revenue. However, considering the high technical cost input, whether digital technology can alleviate the cost disease of performing arts still needs more annual industry data analysis.

Recommender systems facilitate aesthetic experience accumulation in informal learning environments – a study from China

ABSTRACT Aesthetic literacy originates from rich aesthetic experiences, one of the principal ways people gain such experiences is through arts appreciation. Sixty-seven students participated in 119 art appreciation activities at out-of-school public art venues in China. A digital education platform was used to record students’ appreciation process. A recommender system was used to recommend relevant art knowledge to students. The data obtained were used to analyse the learning characteristics of students in out-of-school art appreciation and the effectiveness of the recommender system in forming aesthetic experiences. The analysis showed that students were satisfied with this learning model, with NPS = 37.313, but their self-regulation was low (k = 0.606) and universal (std = 2.755). The efficiency of the recommender system was significantly associated with several aspects of students’ motivational learning strategies, including intrinsic goal orientation (0.503), task value (0.638), and critical thinking (0.643). Focus group interviews of students with different characteristics revealed that the autonomous and interactive nature of out-of-school art appreciation was the main attraction for students and the recommender system was able to complement and improve students’ art knowledge and broaden their artistic horizons. Overall, in an informal learning environment, the use of an AI recommender system can effectively enable students to form aesthetic experiences.

If “variable acoustics” are an essential element in the long term success of a venue, how do we instill the importance of both making the appropriate alterations for different programs, and in addition, optimally maintaining these systems – both to management as well as operators?

The pandemic has revealed “versatility” as a significant asset for both venues, as well as performers and musicians. The ability to successfully alter and optimize venue acoustics to accommodate a wider range of programming has become an important consideration in the design of performing arts venues. The responsibility of making the changes, however, falls to the venue management—who may not have been included in meetings that determined how such systems should be utilized. Even when management and operators are trained on best deployment, personnel can change over time. If the “worth” of these systems is not conveyed to incoming personnel, they may be underutilized, thus compromising design goals. We will discuss some real world examples of both good and “not so good” deployments of variable acoustics.

Illustrating Stravinsky: integration of new media design in live Philharmonic Orchestra performance

Today, as arts organizations, including philharmonic orchestras, look for new ways to engage their patrons and attract new audiences, the use of new media can enhance experiences at arts venues and events such as concerts, and can lead to greater appreciation of art forms that are sometimes considered outmoded and staid. This study focuses on the search for an appropriate approach, design process and implementation of new media design for symphonic orchestra performance. The case study examines the integration of new media for the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra’s live performance of The Rite of Spring, an early 20th-century avant-garde masterpiece composed by Igor Stravinsky. Motion graphics and AR technology were utilized to bring hand-drawn and painted elements inspired by the music and Russian folk art to life.

Evaluating the quality of life in Hong Kong's new towns in relation to accessibility and the distribution of community and cultural facilities: A case study of Tung Chung

Providing adequate homes has been an ongoing challenge for Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government has utilized new town developments to meet its development goals, employing a balanced development principle. However, Hong Kong's new towns have long been criticized as ‘dormitory towns,’ as they cannot achieve self-sufficiency, partly due to the uneven distribution of public amenities. Access to public amenities, such as libraries, municipal halls, and performing arts venues is not only crucial for creating a sense of community and identity but also for the development of sustainable and livable communities while also helping to address inequality. Hong Kong's new towns have been developed through three generations, starting in the 1960s. Of interest for this paper is Tung Chung, the latest new town that has attracted public attention due to its lack of community identity and inadequate access to public facilities, all of which are exacerbated by the new town's poor urban form. To understand the relationship between access to cultural facilities and quality of life, this paper assesses and compares the total number, capacity, and overall access to public facilities within Hong Kong's new towns and the variation within each generation. After that, we focus on Tung Chung to explore, through spatial analysis and interviews, the impact of the new town's urban form and its limited offer of public facilities. Our findings suggest that the more recent new towns, particularly Tung Chung, are disadvantaged in both qualities of the urban form and access to public facilities. Moreover, lower-income households in public housing are particularly disenfranchised. This affects the residents' daily life, depriving them of access to social services and affecting community life, thus exacerbating inequality. Future expansion areas are designed based on the same principles and will thus likely result in similar issues.

Global arts world and the worlding of Wynwood, Miami, Florida

ABSTRACT Wynwood, Miami, is a world-renowned global art canvas of street art and cultural production site. The rise of Miami as a global arts city and its hosting of Arts Basel enhanced the place marketing of Wynwood. Wynwood’s recent trajectory is driven by the confluence of art, real estate, and urban planning. Its redevelopment over time has been dramatic, transitioning from a low‐income immigrant neighborhood and warehouse district into innovative artistic milieu. In the 2020s the neighborhood is being highly commodified, resulting in the loss of artistic capital replaced by trendy retail, condo, and hotel projects. Our analysis is primarily based on interviews with gallery owners in 2016 and 2022, as well as planning documents and business census data. Wynwood as an art venue has peaked, and artists and galleries are exiting. Nonetheless, Wynwood continues to be marketed as an arts neighborhood by property developers and retail and entertainment businesses

Floor impact noise—The history and future of ASTM E3133

The fundamental purpose of ASTM E3133 is to provide a test method for rating the relative noisiness of floor impacts (e.g., footfalls, dropped objects, and rolling carts) on a variety of finished flooring products. Unlike previous impact noise standards which only address the impact noise radiated to other nearby spaces, the focus of this test method is to evaluate the noise radiating into the source room where the floor impacts occur. Health care facilities and performing arts venues are an obvious application, but data of this type may also be important in other facility types including schools, churches, and courtrooms. Major flooring product manufacturers have been asking for this type of standardized test data for many years. This presentation will highlight the work conducted over the last decade in the development of this standard, culminating in the adoption of the standard in 2018, its recent withdrawal, and plans for a future revision.

Treating seat-dip with acoustic metamaterials and detuned acoustic resonators

As sound passes over regularly spaced audience seating areas in performance spaces at a grazing angle, the low frequency response of performing arts venues and auditoria is altered. This is due to diffraction based on the regular spacing of the seating. One effect is what is referred to as seat-dip attenuation, which is a reduction in low frequency energy across a bandwidth. Being a low-frequncy phenomenon, it is difficult to treat using conventional acoustic materials such as porous absorbers or Schroeder diffusers. Modern acoustic metamaterials can alter wave propagation using relatively thin layers. This project investigates whether acoutic metamaterials applied to the tops of the seats, the rear of the seats, or the floor can reduce the low-frequency attenuation brought about by the seat-dip effect. This novel approach demonstrates varying levels of succes for remediating low-frequency seat-dip attenuation. The study is carried out using a computer model that is evualted using boundary element method (BEM) in COMSOL Multiphysics. Additionally, a novel approach for reducing the prominence of the seat-dip effect is explored using detuned Helmholtz resonatos placed at the top of the seats.

Practising Freedom

From 2018 – 2022, Dr Collins and Act for Change undertook a series of community arts-based research projects in James Town, Accra. These projects were designed to engage with survivors of modern slavery in the James Town community and, using performance, bring their stories to a local audience with the aim of building collective resilience to combat modern slavery. One of the key areas of enquiry to emerge from the project was the function and dynamics of Act for Change’s theatre space, the James Town Community Theatre Centre (JTCT). Founded in 2011 in a former boxing gym, the JTCT sits within the bustling centre of James Town and over the past decade has become known in the community as a vibrant arts venue. In this article, we discuss how the JTCT’s geographical and cultural position within the community, and its physical layout, enhanced the overall research project. Engaging with Foucault’s definition of heterotopias, we position the JTCT as a space that reflects the specific dynamics of the community, where complex and sometimes painful topics can be brought forward, engaged with and discussed.

Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, by Kira Thurman

<i>Singing Like Germans: Black Musicians in the Land of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms</i>, by Kira Thurman

A corpus-based genre analysis of promotional-informational discourse in online painting exhibition overviews

Online painting exhibition overviews (OPEOs) on websites of art museums and galleries not only promote on-site exhibitions, but also inform and educate the public who might have a limited background in art. Embedding both informational and promotional discourses, the OPEO displays rhetorical hybridization, which sets it apart from predominantly univocal genres like art history texts or traditional advertisements. In line with the global increase in the number of art venues, there is a greater demand for art professionals equipped with the written English communication skills necessary to produce OPEOs. This paper aims to identify the rhetorical moves and key lexico-grammatical features in the previously underexplored genre of OPEOs through the analysis of a 35,175- word corpus of 120 texts obtained from the websites of 20 highly reputed art museums in the UK and the US. The move analysis reveals five moves and nine steps, which can be categorized into two key discourse types: promotional and informational, according to their communicative functions. Among these, Move 2, ‘justifying the exhibition’, is highly significant as an obligatory move, and is most commonly recycled across the corpus. The study presents recommendations for ESP pedagogies in raising writers' awareness of the generic features of OPEOs.

LF electronic Architecture—Saving cost and adding acoustic flexibility in the construction of multi-purpose performing arts facilities

Over the course of many years, we have successfully integrated LF components into full range electronic architecture installations. These components are typically utilized when programming includes acoustic instruments such as pipe organ, or a large orchestra (or both)—or when electronic sources producing LF energy (such as effects mapping or film screening) need to be considered. However, we have also installed LF only EA systems in several concert halls in order to optimize LF performance without the high cost associated with brick and mortar construction methods. Electronic Architecture provides the added benefit of variability necessary for multi-purpose performing arts venues.

Terrorist Attacks Against Performing Arts Venues: Global Trends and Characteristics Spanning 50 Years.

In fostering community and culture through entertainment in shared spaces, performing arts venues have also become targets of terrorism. A greater understanding of these attacks is needed to assess the risk posed to different types of venues, to inform medical disaster preparedness, to anticipate injury patterns, and to reduce preventable deaths. A search of the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) was conducted from the year 1970 through 2019. Using pre-coded variables for target/victim type and target subtype, attacks involving "business" and "entertainment/cultural/stadium/casino" were identified. Attacks targeting performing arts venues were selected using the search terms "theater," "theatre," "auditorium," "center," "hall," "house," "concert," "music," "opera," "cinema," and "movie." Manual review by two authors was performed to confirm appropriateness for inclusion of entries involving venues where the primary focus of the audience was to view a performance. Descriptive statistics were performed using R (version 3.6.1). A total of 312 terrorist attacks targeting performing arts venues were identified from January 1, 1970 through December 31, 2019. Two-hundred nine (67.0%) attacks involved cinemas or movie theaters, 80 (25.6%) involved unspecified theaters, and 23 (7.4%) specifically targeted live music performance venues. Two-hundred thirty-four (75.0%) attacks involved a bombing or explosion, 50 (16.0%) damaged a facility or infrastructure, and 17 (5.4%) included armed assault. Perpetrators used explosives in 234 (75.0%) attacks, incendiary weapons in 50 (16.0%) attacks, and firearms in 19 (6.1%) attacks. In total, attacks claimed the lives of 1,307 and wounded 4,201 persons. Though fewer in number, attacks against music venues were responsible for 29.4% of fatalities and 35.0% of those wounded, and more frequently involved the use of firearms. Among 95 attacks falling within the highest quartile for victims killed or wounded (>two killed and/or >ten wounded), 83 (87.4%) involved explosives, seven (7.4%) involved firearms, and three (3.2%) involved incendiary methods. While uncommon, terrorist attacks against performing arts venues carry the risk for mass casualties, particularly when explosives and firearms are used.

“Life, Interrupted”: A Patient Experience Encompassing the Journey From Hospital to the Community, With Support From the Mental Health Intensive Support Team (MhIST)

AimsWe present outcomes of a newly developed Community Rehabilitation team (MhIST) using the context of Jen's personal story. Jen is a 31-year-old student and freelance journalist. This story encompasses her journey from inpatient rehabilitation services to the community, completed with support from MhIST.Methods“For nearly four years, I was sectioned under the Mental Health Act as an inpatient in hospital. As I had been denied my fundamental liberties for so long, the prospect of leaving hospital for good and enjoying total freedom was both exhilarating and terrifying. How would I fare in the community, living on my own? Would I be lonely? Would I relapse? Would I survive?”Upon leaving hospital, I immediately received intensive support from MhIST. They were the bridge between the gulf that was hospital and the community. Since leaving hospital, I have been relishing my freedom. I enjoy meeting up with my friends after so long apart. I have volunteered at The Storyhouse, a local arts venue. The Spider Project – a non-clinical community mental health service in Chester - has also provided me with fulfilling activities from yoga to creative writing. The MHIST team have not only kept me well but, most importantly, helped me thrive. Leaving hospital has been an adventure. It has been a joy to regain my independence and freedom. To live rather than to exist. Life is amazing. Long may it continue.”ResultsMhIST provides an intensive rehabilitation and recovery service, delivering bespoke packages of care to individuals. This is achieved using key working and a shared team approach, outcome focused goal-based interventions, weekly reflective/formulation meetings, and a focus on social rehabilitation. Patients referred to MhIST will have a high level of complexity plus severe, treatment refractory symptoms, with impaired social, interpersonal and occupational function and high support needs. They may have co-occurring mental health conditions including substance misuse or neurodevelopmental disorders.MhIST is a new service and has been active for around 6 months. The first 10 patients referred have been from acute wards (3), community mental health teams (1), and inpatient rehabilitation wards (6). 60% of patients are currently housed in independent accommodation.ConclusionJen's story narrates the experience she encountered during transition from inpatient rehabilitation services to the community. This was completed with support from MhIST, a new community rehabilitation service which provides an intensive rehabilitation and recovery service.

Through Thick and Thin

Through Thick and Thin

Plant Steaming Concrete Staining

Seed Scarification: Serious Taking is a light, seed, and sound installation. Few hours after the activation of the installation in an art venue, an unplanned kinetic event takes place that is marked by a sonic loud bang. At an instance creating a division in time: one segment that spans the moment before the event; the second one being the perceived change of the aftermath. A composed photo blends both moments into a fictitious here and now. This happening is discussed in this essay from a primarily experiential stance, focusing on air, atmosphere and being.

A NEW IMPULSE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF BANDURA ART IN THE CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC SPACE OF UKRAINE (ON THE EXAMPLE OF LVIV BANDUR FEST)

At the beginning of the XXI century bandura art received a new impetus in its development, which contributed to a significant modernization of the status of the bandura in the Ukrainian musical culture. This manifested itself in the enrichment of the performing repertoire with works of various genres, the growing popularity of the instrument in the media space and its appearance on numerous art venues in the country. The work highlights the activities of the Lviv Bandur Fest, which, with its appearance, has offset the shortage of concerts where modern bandura could be heard. The study revealed progressive tendencies to change the stereotypical interpretation of the instrument as exclusively archaic. Genre and style diversity (jazz, soul, rock and World Music, electronic experiments) and modern compositions point to the inexhaustible potential of the bandura as an instrument not only of the past but also present and future, which contributes to the development of national music culture.

Organizational account of symbolic boundaries in urban cultures: social network analysis of New York art world from 1940 to 1969

This paper examines the composition and transition of symbolic boundaries in the New York art world of painting and sculpture from 1940 to 1969 through social network analysis of inter-organizational ties between art venues. As culture-led redevelopments become more controversial in the age of neoliberal urban management, recent studies make it clear that symbolic boundaries and boundary works of urban cultures become more important topics for urban studies. So far, existing research on symbolic boundaries in urban culture has focused on social class and urban organizations, such as amenities and business establishments, and have pointed to the loss of the symbolic boundary between the museum and the gallery, this paper will show that more diverse changes were occurring in addition to such changes while following the critical methods of the previous studies. Utilizing the exhibition histories of 43 prominent American avant-garde artists based in New York, I obtain affiliation network data of artists-by-art venues. Based on the affiliation data, this paper examines the social networks among art venues, such as museums, galleries and universities, using block modeling and other methods of social network analysis.

Audiovisual interactive artwork via web-deployed software: Motus composes Homino-idea

Many art installations rely on camera-based audiovisual interactions, and this commonly requires specialized hardware and software. Consequently, audiovisual installations are usually restricted to wealthier areas, in which the specialized equipment can be afforded and properly hosted. In countries with an evident income unbalance linked to location, the geographic restriction leads to an audience restriction. In this work, we present the development of a web-deployed composition tool for audiovisual interactions that runs on the client side and does not require installing any additional software. Simultaneously, it provides visual feedback that can aid the audience to understand the experience. Consequently, the tool can be used to compose audiovisual interactions that reach a large audience via web. We further explore the tool by composing the audiovisual installation Homino-idea. The installation is inspired by the interactions between humans and the environment, and can be either shown in art venues or used online.

Audiovisual interactive artwork via web-deployed software: Motus composes Homino-idea

Many art installations rely on camera-based audiovisual interactions, and this commonly requires specialized hardware and software. Consequently, audiovisual installations are usually restricted to wealthier areas, in which the specialized equipment can be afforded and properly hosted. In countries with an evident income unbalance linked to location, the geographic restriction leads to an audience restriction. In this work, we present the development of a web-deployed composition tool for audiovisual interactions that runs on the client side and does not require installing any additional software. Simultaneously, it provides visual feedback that can aid the audience to understand the experience. Consequently, the tool can be used to compose audiovisual interactions that reach a large audience via web. We further explore the tool by composing the audiovisual installation Homino-idea. The installation is inspired by the interactions between humans and the environment, and can be either shown in art venues or used online.