Arts & Culture / Public News Service

Rocky Casillas Aguirre adds a pop of color to 'Twitch the Flame,' a main character in his comic series which focuses on mental health for kids. (Photo courtesy of Casillas Aguirre)

Need a mental health boost? Talking hot dog is here

By Amy Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collabo…

Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline is currently routed as close as 11 feet to a riverbank caused by flooding and erosion. (Bad River: A Story of Defiance)

Documentary brings WI tribe's pipeline resistance to national stage

By Amy Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Servic…

The Georgia Senate Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence has released a report featuring input from experts in higher education, law and business. The goal is to get ahead of AI and how it will impact various industries. (Kevin Ruck/Abode Stock)

Georgia lawmakers aim to chart AI future with new recommendations

Georgia lawmakers are mapping out the state's future in artificial intelligence. This week, the Senate Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence …

From 2010 to 2020, the American Indian and Alaska Native in combination population increased by 160%, according to the US Census. (Adobe Stock)

The term 'Indigenous' grows in popularity among AZ Native youth

A new survey of Native American teens and young adults highlights a growing preference for the term "Indigenous" rather than being referred to as "Ame…

Only 6% of Native young people living in cities feel represented by state and national decisionmakers, according to the Center for Native American Youth, compared to 18% of those living on reservations. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: The term 'Indigenous' grows in popularity among Native youth

A new survey of Native American teens and young adults highlights a growing preference for the term "Indigenous" rather than being referred to as "Ame…

Ava Bruneau plays Ginebig: The Snake Game, a game of chance. Players roll or toss

Game time: Reviving the Ojibwe way with dice, cards

By Amy Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Greater Dakota News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Servic…

Anj Karna, director of Fargo's community art space Parachigo, rearranges art for sale. (Photo courtesy of Amy Felegy).

DIY art space in Fargo looks to hit its stride

By Amy Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Prairie News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collaboratio…

The Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida serves 175,000 students across 200 sites statewide, while the Association of Private Colleges and Universities of Puerto Rico represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) with a combined enrollment of more than 80,000 students. (Adobe Stock)

New Florida-Puerto Rico partnership poised to transform higher-ed landscape

In an unprecedented collaboration, the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida have partnered with the Association of Private Colleges and …

Some wins, but more needed for Native artists in WY

A great way to observe National Native American Heritage Month is to support Native artists but some in Wyoming said there are barriers to their expos…

School districts in 29 states banned books during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the latest PEN America report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Maryland ties for ninth in book bans

Book bans are on the rise in Maryland, according to a new report from PEN America. The nonprofit that tracks issues of free expression says …

In 2022, total arts and culture compensation in Wyoming topped $1.3 billion, just behind the health care and social assistance industry and the real estate and rental industry, according to a new report. (Carol Highsmith, Library of Congress Collection)

Report: Arts a significant contributor to WY economy

A new report quantifies the contribution of Wyoming's arts and culture sector to the state's economy and shows it is significant. Wyoming in 2022 …

Comedians lobbing political jabs from a right perspective are gaining ground through popular podcasts such as the Joe Rogan Experience. (Adobe Stock)

Right-wing comedians gain ground in conventionally liberal spaces

Uproar over racist jokes at a Madison Square Garden rally for former President Donald Trump has put a spotlight on the increasing influence of right-l…

Adults and youth get ready to play double ball during the first annual Indigenous Dakota Games event in Lake Traverse Reservation. (Dustina Gill)

Sharing traditional games with Dakota youth

By LaVerne Whitebear for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Greater Dakota News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News…

The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument near Joshua Tree National Park is home to more than 50 species which are threatened, endangered, sensitive or otherwise of concern. (Adobe Stock)

CA Tribes call for national monuments at world biodiversity conference

This week, more than 100 Californians are in Cali, Columbia, for the 16th United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity. Tribes, policymakers …

Before Madeleine Ahlborn bought an empty church, the most expensive thing she owned was a 2002 Toyota 4Runner with 340,000 miles on it. (Madeleine Ahlborn)

Old House of Prayer becomes community art space

By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

The gray bat, one of Tennessee's two endangered bat species, is the state's largest mouse-eared bat. Its gray coat sets it apart from other Myotis bats, and it's mainly found in eastern and middle Tennessee. (creativenature.nl/Adobe Stock)

Debunking the horror: Tennessee bats essential to ecosystem, economy

From vampires to Dracula to the Halloween thriller Bats, stories often paint bats as scary animals. A spooky Halloween-themed campaign Real Scary …

Guaranteed-income programs tend to run 12 to 18 months, but a Minnesota initiative that helps artists is tinkering with a several-year approach. (Adobe Stock)

MN effort helps artists nurture creative spark with extra funds in their pockets

One in three Americans indicates they're living paycheck-to-paycheck, and that includes many artists. A Minnesota organization is expanding its …

Firearms are used in only 5% of suicide attempts, yet due to their extreme lethality, they still result in 900 deaths annually in Pennsylvania. This statistic demonstrates a strong link between gun access and suicide fatalities. (Keystone Progress Education Fund)

Pennsylvania arts exhibition tackles gun violence, democracy

A new arts event, "Art of Democracy: Resiliency Impacted," is showcasing regional artists' work on democracy as the presidential election nears…

The oldest continuously running LGBTQ+ film festival is San Francisco's Frameline, formerly called the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, which was started in 1977. (Andrey Lapshin/Adobe Stock)

OutNebraska's 14th Prairie Pride Film Fest in 3 locations this week

OutNebraska's Prairie Pride Film Festival returns for its 14th year this week. Johnny Redd, communications manager for OutNebraska, said the …

The kiosk is operational 24 hours a day. Books, DVDs, and Audiobooks can be returned at the kiosk. <br />(Photo courtesy Little Elm Library)

Library kiosks in TX expand book access in the state

With book bans in public schools increasing, public libraries have a larger purpose. The Town of Little Elm in northeast Texas has found a unique way …

Throughout the Wyoming Frontier Prison's 80 years serving as the state's penitentiary, it contained a factory producing, at different times, brooms, shirts, wool blankets and license plates. (Kit Leong/Adobe Stock)

WY historic sites capitalize on Halloween

Halloween is a busy time of year for some of Wyoming's historical sites, where staff throw thematic events to help fund programming for the rest of …

Drag shows are currently banned in Montana and Tennessee. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)

TX LGBTQ community fights back against drag show bans

By Nico Lang for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Yes! Media-Public News Service Collaboration In …

In 2021, 48 of 50 states recorded the highest number of online shopping fraud reports within the past five years. (A2Z AI/Adobe Stock)

Ohioans confront event ticketing challenges

Concert and sports fans in Ohio are expressing growing frustration over rising ticket prices and hidden fees. In response, Congress is considering …

The Fair collaborated with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) and other local organizations to devise ways to make Sensory-Friendly Mornings beneficial and fun. (State Fair of Texas)

State Fair of TX hosts Sensory Sensitive Mornings

Big Tex is up and the Ferris wheel is spinning at the 138th State Fair of Texas. And again, this year the Fair is making special accommodations for …

Last year, nearly 20,000 teens turned 18 or 21 and aged out of foster care without a permanent home. <br />(Rido/Adobe Stock)

Almost 30,000 TX children remain in foster care system

It's a week to celebrate kids, with National Daughters Day today and National Sons Day on Saturday. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is …

Toledo's Dorr Street once boasted more than 130 businesses between Collingwood Blvd. and Detroit Ave., including retail shops, restaurants, lodging, medical offices, entertainment venues, and services like auto repair, laundry and beauty salons. (Wikimedia Commons)

Local leaders revive Toledo’s historic 'Black Wall Street'

Toledo's historic Dorr Street Corridor was once the beating heart of Black culture, wealth and business in the city. Now, community leaders and local …

Groups such as the National Barn Alliance, Iowa Barn Foundation and Friends of Minnesota Barns<br />spearhead major efforts to preserve America's historic barns and rural heritage in the Midwest and nationwide. (John Wilson)

Preserving MI barns, upholding community solidarity

By Cinnamon Janzer for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Chrystal Blair for Michigan News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Servic…

Group proposes changes, encourages use of Indigenous SD education standards

A team of educators and supporters recently proposed changes to South Dakota's framework for Indigenous education, making the lessons more accessible …

According to Every Library Institute, Project 2025 aims to reduce federal oversight protections and spending as well as reallocating responsibilities to states and localities. (Tyler Olson/Adobe Stock)

Report warns of Project 2025 effect on AR libraries

Changes could be coming for libraries and the people who work there if Project 2025 goes into effect. The 900 page document outlines how agencies …

Despite segregation, Howard Street, once Akron's thriving music hub known as

Akron to honor role in jazz from past to present

By Rose Vance-Grom for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Col…

The Sage Creek Community Club could soon be on the National Register of Historic Places. (Alliance for Historic Wyoming)

Bighorn Basin community halls tour to promote preservation efforts

The Sage Creek Community Club is 100 years old this year and is one stop on a tour this weekend of similar buildings in the region. The small…

Nearly half of all Montanans (482,214) have a library card, according to the state. (Adobe Stock)

Libraries sound alarm about ultra-conservative agenda

The Every Library Institute has just released a report contending the Republican Party's conservative agenda outlined in the Heritage Foundation's Pro…

Kids are invited to paint skateboards during the festival, one of many events at RedCan that complements the murals painted by visiting artists. (Cheyenne River Youth Project)

Youth 'Graffiti Jam' hits 10th year on Cheyenne River Reservation

By Kate Mothes for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Greater Dakota News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Servi…

The story of the Blackwell School is one of

National Park Service to preserve painful history in Texas

A schoolhouse in far West Texas has been designated as a unit of the U.S. National Park System. The Blackwell School is a former de facto segregated …

Artist Gabriel Newton used acrylic on found wood to paint Southern Resident orcas, which feed in the Salish Sea. (John Rosapepe/Endangered Species Coalition)

WA art exhibit underscores need for action to save orca

An art exhibit in Seattle is highlighting the dire situation for orca off the coast of Washington. The show, called SUPER POD: All Together features …

The latest project for Rhonda and Kim Theus,

Art breathes new life into pollution-ravaged MI community

By Randiah Camille Green for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Chrystal Blair for Michigan News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News …

The Illinois State Board of Education report card said O'Fallon Township High School HSD #203 is currently only funded at 64%. (Adobe Stock)

Arts funding at IL high school is strong - for now

By Kristy Alpert for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Colla…

Organizers say the Swingman Classic is the closest a modern-day fan can get to the historic Negro Leagues. (Danny Hooks/Adobe Stock)

HBCU students highlighted during MLB All-Star Week in TX

Major League Baseball's All-Star week kicks off tonight at Globe Life Field in Arlington with the Swingman Classic featuring 50 student athletes from …

The Yerkes Observatory, opened in 1897, has made some of the earliest discoveries in astronomy, including 13,665 star systems and the earliest sighting of the sub-planet Pluto. (Yerkes Observatory)

Historic Yerkes Observatory finds second life as hotspot for music, arts

By Jacqueline Kehoe for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service C…

The mural on Main Street in Vermillion, South Dakota, is a collaboration between Mural OTW and the high school's Gender and Sexuality Alliance group. (Wes Eisenhauer/Mural OTW)

SD artist duo makes murals by, for and with communities

By Rebecca Froehlich for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Greater Dakota News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News…

The Gettysburg-Whitlock Bay Development Corporation, a grant recipient, will help gardeners make use of an empty lot. (Adobe Stock)

Five SD communities receive Community Challenge grants

AARP has announced its 2024 Community Challenge grant recipients this week, including several in South Dakota. Nearly $4 million is going to about 35…

Neighbors contributed ideas for the Alleys in Action program at a pop-up event in May. (Adams Avenue Business Association/Taylor Kaczmarek/Sue Peerson)

AARP grants aim to revitalize CA alleys into vibrant public spaces

Some select alleyways across San Diego are set to get vibrant makeovers thanks to a transformative community initiative. Sue Peerson, lecturer in …

Otherworld in Columbus features 54 projectors and 190,000 LEDs. (Nicholas J. Klein/Adobe Stock)

A trip to Ohio transports visitors to another world

By Linda Lee Baird for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Chrystal Blair for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Co…

Of the 17 states that have enacted music therapy legislation, 11 have placed the law in its own statute chapter, and others have grouped it with other forms of therapy. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Group aims to get music therapy licensure in Wyoming

Advocates in Wyoming trying to get music therapy licensure recognized in the state are hitting roadblocks. Members of the Wyoming Music Therapy …

A Wisconsin travel agent says seeking out deals through services such as Airbnb can be beneficial, but often come with extra fees. She says travel agents often don't charge the customer because they get paid through hotel commissions and wholesalers, and can also find customers deals they wouldn't otherwise have access to. (Adobe Stock)

Planning a summer getaway without packing those budget breakers

Summer is here, but some Wisconsin households juggling higher consumer costs and other basic needs might feel like a vacation is out of reach…

Around 67% of LGBTQ+ people reported needing a mental health service over the past two years, compared with 39% of non-LGBTQ+ people, according to KFF. (Chris Allan/Adobe Stock)

WY theater company talks health care on stage

As Pride Month winds down, health advocates want members of the LGBTQ+ community to know about health care options, despite any challenges to …

Participating in the arts may improve older adults' health, well-being and independence, according to the National Institute on Aging. (Adobe Stock)

WY grant supports creative aging through arts

Teaching artists can now apply for grant funding centered on programs for older Wyomingites. The Creative Aging Project Grant, from the Wyoming Arts …

Ohio artist Kenia Lamarr created a mural for the rusty-patched bumblebee, the first native bee on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species list. (Kenia Lamarr)

Pollinator festival, mural highlight rusty-patched bumblebee in Ohio

An upcoming festival in Columbus, Ohio, aims to raise awareness about the plight of pollinators and ongoing conservation efforts. According to the U.…

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