Latest news with #culturalinstitution
Washington Post
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
D.C.'s Building Museum is now a parkour course. We went. You're welcome.
Late last month, word arrived that the National Building Museum — a temple of architecture, a pantheon of design, the self-described 'leading cultural institution devoted to the history and impact of the built environment' — would be transformed into an oversize parkour playground. You know, parkour, that thing where seemingly grown people jump off ledges and slide down railings as exercise.
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Notting Hill carnival to go ahead this year after £1m funding boost
Notting Hill carnival will go ahead this year after almost £1 of funding was raised to provide extra safety and infrastructure measures. City Hall, Kensington and Chelsea council and Westminster city council provided £958,000 for the event following pleas from organisers for support after a review recommended several changes to make the event safe. Chair of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, Ian Comfort, who had appealed to culture secretary Lisa Nandy for additional support, said the event's future was secured only a few weeks before it was due to take place. 'Although this support comes just weeks before the event, it is a much-needed and welcome commitment,' he said. 'This support reinforces the importance of Notting Hill carnival as a cultural institution – central to London's identity and to the nation's creative and economic life.' In June, it emerged that the annual celebration could be in jeopardy without 'urgent funding' from the government, according to a leaked letter from its organisers. It followed a review of the festival, which identified 'critical public safety concerns' that needed additional funding to address, the letter said. Each year about 7,000 police are deployed, and figures released in 2023 put the cost of policing the event at £11.7m. The independent safety review, whose findings and recommendations have not been made public, was commissioned by the carnival's organisers and paid for at a cost of £100,000 by the Greater London Authority, Kensington and Chelsea council and Westminster city council. Notting Hill carnival was established in its current form in 1966 and sees 2 million revellers fill the streets of west London each August bank holiday weekend. It is the biggest festival of its kind in Europe and is an annual celebration of Black British culture that brings in people from around the globe, featuring parades, sound systems and mas bands. Comfort said that, although Arts Council England provides some funding to organisations involved in carnival, 'a major gap remains'. He added: 'The essential operational funding required to ensure participants can perform and engage safely has historically not been provided directly by either Arts Council England or central government. This is despite carnival's significant cultural importance and its substantial contribution to the UK economy.' Deputy leader of Kensington and Chelsea council, Kim Taylor-Smith, said that because of the £80m budget gap the council is facing, the additional funding it provided would be for 'this year only'. The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: 'The event burst on to our streets nearly six decades ago and has grown to become one of the world's biggest street festivals, generating almost £400m for our economy. This incredible growth has led to the need for a number of safety measures to be introduced, as identified in an independent review earlier this year.'
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The building is for everyone': Organizers reflect on what The Rooms means after 20 years
As The Rooms celebrates 20 years since opening its doors, organizers reflect on how the space has changed since, and what it's able to offer its guests. The cultural institution in St. John's celebrated the milestone with tours, musical performances and an ongoing community art project. "This building is for everyone and we want everyone to enjoy the history, the art and programming," Sarah Ryan, education and public programming officer, told CBC News. "We kind of make all those things come to life and we hope people can connect and engage with it in a way that kind of makes their life more exciting and learn a little bit about themselves." In the course of two decades, Ryan said The Rooms has meant different things for different people, depending where they are in their lives. "One of the things that were said, is people in the beginning came here for the view, but then over time they realized that they were here for the exhibitions. They were here to learn," she said. "It became a place for them and their family and their friends and to learn a bit about themselves." Ryan said a lot of thought and consideration goes into programming to bring the artifacts to life. "We really want to impact people's days when they come here to learn something, so then on their journey home they're thinking about a new experience that they had, a new idea that they had, a new thought," she said. She added there are more events planned throughout the year to celebrate the 20-year anniversary, including tours and inviting people to draw their own interpretations of the view outside The Rooms. "They can add houses, wharves, some have added UFO spaceships," she said. "Their drawings then get to be on display at The Rooms." Anne Chafe, CEO of The Rooms, said she has seen "remarkable" change over the last two decades in what The Rooms does and how people feel about it. "Our mission is to be a welcoming space for all. And no matter what your background is, no matter what your abilities are, we want you to feel comfortable here," she said. The Rooms can also offer people stability in what Chafe called "uncertain times," adding their work with history can be comforting to guests. She said the art gallery can help people also think differently about the future. "When people come to The Rooms, they can experience things from a totally different perspective," she said. There was a lot of buzz in 2005 over the building's design, and not much talk about what was going on inside, said Chafe. "There was a joke that we were the box that the Basilica came in. And I think, you know, 20 years later, what people are talking about is what happens inside of the building," she said. Going forward, Chafe said she wants the space to be like a "second home" for visitors. Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beloved San Francisco Icon Shuts Down After 40 Years
After 40 years of serving its community, a beloved cultural institution is shutting its doors. Japan Video and Media, a long-standing hub for Japanese and Korean media lovers, has announced it will close at the end of the month. Unlike many retailers grappling with sales slumps, inflation, and tariffs, this closure stems from a more personal reason: owner Takeshi Onishi is retiring, The Street reported. Onishi, who founded the store after moving to the U.S. from Japan, dedicated his business to introducing people to Japanese culture. Over the decades, the store became a go-to spot for Japanese and Korean videos with English subtitles, as well as anime collectibles and cultural merchandise. In 2020, Japan Video and Media was honored with legacy business status in San Francisco, a testament to its cultural significance and deep community roots. 'We have served over a million people,' Onishi shared in a heartfelt statement. 'We could not have done it without our loyal customers and our dedicated staff. We are grateful for each and every one of you.' While many small businesses have struggled in recent years—hit hard by the pandemic, economic shifts, and changing consumer habits—Japan Video and Media thrived thanks to its unique offerings and devoted customer base. Its closure isn't about declining demand, but rather Onishi's decision to step away and enjoy a well-deserved retirement. For longtime fans, the end of this chapter is bittersweet. The store's legacy lives on as a reminder of the power of cultural connection, community, and resilience. As Japan Video and Media prepares to close its doors, it leaves behind a story of dedication and impact that won't soon be San Francisco Icon Shuts Down After 40 Years first appeared on Men's Journal on May 29, 2025
Washington Post
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
How uproar over a Māori haka, beloved in New Zealand life, sowed chaos and gridlock in Parliament
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The haka, a chanting dance of challenge, is sacred to New Zealand's Māori people but it's become a beloved cultural institution among New Zealanders of all races. Spine-tingling performances at sports events, funerals and graduations often go viral online, a non-partisan point of pride for the country abroad.
