WHY

Notes authors Prianti and Suyadnya: “From the coloniser’s perspective, decolonising museums requires acknowledging the dark past of their nation’s history. In a postcolonial nation, decolonising museums requires challenging the status quo by acknowledging that their entire museum practices are embedded with colonial legacy.”

Noted Dr. Moana Jackson, Maori scholar: “Museums are dangerous places because they control the storytelling.” Are museums, by virtue of their history, “colonial archives,” notes Dr. Jackson?

A report from the European Union finds that participating in cultural activities increases likelihood to vote. It also increases positive feeling associated with civic and democratic values. These correlations are independent of socio-economic background or education level, but neither access to culture activities nor democratic process are equal for all residents.

Museums have long positioned themselves as neutral spaces that preserve humanity's cultural heritage. But their roots in colonialism, still shape how they control and hide truth.

An investigation identified hundreds of artifacts at the Met Museum linked to indicted or convicted traffickers. Noted former director Thomas Hoving: being an “accomplice smuggler” was a necessary role for a Met director.

Wealth inequality + financialization of the art world prioritizes the acquisition interests of the super-rich. By extension, they shape culture, including who has gallery representation, valuation of cultural assets, and which institutions are sustained.

Most US creative workers identify as contractors or gig workers. 25% of gig workers have health insurance; 38% of have some retirement savings.

Of 4,060 music executives, (VP and above) at 119 music companies, 19.8% were from “underrepresented” racial and ethnic groups. Of those, 7.5% were Black.

Prolonged TV exposure predicts a decrease in self-esteem for all girls and Black boys, but an increase in self-esteem for white boys. Depictions of nonverbal features of BIPOC influence white viewers’ racial biases.

A study suggests that mainstream climate change news doesn’t spark change. Instead, it might be backfiring, provoking denial and avoidance.

This article explores the question of democracy in the arts and the role of institutions in embodying democracy where artists may not. It posits that art is about an individual vision imposed on the world — not majority consensus. We don't entirely agree.

2% of all cultural institutions receive nearly 60% of all contributed revenue, up ~5% points over a decade.

The report analyzes over 900 publications in English and Russian to reveal that arts affects the social determinants of health — including supporting child development, and helping to prevent ill health — and helps people experiencing mental illness, including supporting people with neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders.

These studies explore whether engaging in arts and culture affect depression in adults. Every one of them found that engaging with arts decreased the odds of depression and/or supported social connectedness among the surveyed population.

Any amount of arts participation in the prior year is associated with a 4% point increase in the likelihood of engaging in civic activities on any given day, the equivalent of nearly 15 additional days with some civic activity across a year.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and The American Museum of Natural History are among museums that have gathered and kept the remains of peoples without consent and in violation of the graves protection and repatriation laws.

From 2008-2020, artwork by Black American women accounted for 0.5% of acquisitions at 31 U.S. art museums. 11% of acquisitions were of work by female-identifying artists.

Anti-Black narratives feed false justifications for the racial wealth gap and ultimately go on to shape minds and large-scale decisions in policy, finance, and more.