September 2008

September 30, 2008

Breaking: More changes at the MIA

This month, we report on the ambitious internal overhaul of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts as coordinated by new director Kaywin Feldman. This has included a thorough and ongoing revamp of the management structure, which she hopes will help the museum, for a long while preoccupied with building a building, construct a reputation equal to its world-renowned collection.

That restructuring has now made its way to the public relations department--one managerial job cut, another scaled back--as a new assistant director consolidates marketing and development with an eye toward bigger things. How big? The museum has contracted with Resnicow Schroeder... Read more »

Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 in Front & Center | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 25, 2008

Ashwin Madia talks McCain, Marines, and why he should be in Congress

This post marks a turning point for this blog. I'm enlarging the perspective, widening the peephole, casting a broader net. From now on, you'll enjoy (hopefully) not only arts news and commentary but insights into politics, people, and the other facets of Minnesota life that MnMo regularly covers. In fact, expect most of the non-arts posts here to be additional material related to stories currently in print, bonus tracks, if you will. I'm kicking things off with an interview conducted with Ashwin Madia, the 30-year-old ex-Marine, ex-lawyer, ex-John McCain supporter who's now surprising pollsters with his remarkable race as the Democratic congressional candidate in Minnesota's Third... Read more »

Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 in Front & Center | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 12, 2008

Who rocked the RNC?

After all the promises--of big spenders, a spotlight on the Minnesota good life, big spenders--who made out during the recent Republican National Convention? (Besides Bristol and her BF...). And can you tell anything about a political party by the bands its affiliates hire for convention parties?

First, let's just take a moment to reflect on the convention that wasn't -- for all the local media (mainstream, first-person bloggers, and the unusual blur of the two at The Indepedent, MinnPost and the like) who descended into the streets and ballrooms and power circles, how come so few found anything they weren't already looking for? Writers embedding themselves among hooligans looking for a fight with police found, surprise, surprise, police willing to give it to them. Newspapers... Read more »

Posted on Friday, September 12, 2008 in Front & Center | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 2, 2008

Where to party arty during the RNC

With the RNC scaled back Monday in deference to Hurricane Gustav press coverage, er, victims, the focus surprisingly shifted to the ancillary music and arts events around town, notably the big Harriet Island fist-pumping, Republican-thumping concert. But there's plenty more yet to come.

Today on the Capitol lawn, an event called Ripple Effect is bringing performers and speakers together with what planners hope will be 7,000 to 10,000 youth for progressive activist training on such issues as global warming, social justice, etc. Polar explorer/global-warming activist Will Steger is mentioned in the same sentence as performers Michael Franti, Indigo, Wookiefoot and Matisyahu, leaving it open to speculation that Steger might grab the mic for a little rapping.

Today through... Read more »

Posted on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 in Front & Center | Permalink | Comments (0)