DubMC

Letter from U.S. Artists, Arts Presenters, Arts Educators and Cultural Scholars in support of Cultural Relations with Cuba

The Cuba Research and Analysis Group has initiated a letter to President-Elect Barack Obama calling for concrete changes in U.S. policy towards Cuba that will allow for the uninhibited flow of art, culture, information, ideas and debates, as well as travel by artists, cultural workers and professionals, and arts and cultural aficionados between the U.S. and Cuba. The organization is asking artists, arts presenters, arts educators, cultural entrepreneurs and scholars, and cultural heritage and policy professionals from diverse political persuasions to sign the letter. You may do so here.

Cultural Ambassadors and Trade Envoys: NY Times Report on Gov't. Funding of Int'l. Rock Bands

The New York Times ran an article on "an unusual class of cultural ambassadors and trade envoys, hand-picked by their government to represent their nation to the rest of the world." The article--titled "The New Ambassadors"--talks about alternative rock bands from Canada, Scandinavia, and the Pacific region, who have tried their hand at government grants to support their music careers and forays into the American market. The increase of this phenomenon will likely erode the rigidity of the category known as "world music." Here are some interesting excerpts from the article: