Arts & Culture / Public News Service

A decline in local news is often correlated with the decline in voter participation, according to research by Northwestern University. (V.J. Matthew/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Study: Rural vibrancy diminishes with death of local newspapers

The media landscape has dramatically changed in the past 20 years, evidenced by a new study that shows three million residents in more than 200 …

All of the 26 eligible Tacoma Art Museum employees participated in and voted in favor of forming a union. (Gillian Fulford/WFSE)

Tacoma Art Museum union could be model for others

Workers at the Tacoma Art Museum are celebrating a unique union victory that could be a model for other museums. The 26 members of Tacoma Art …

Democrats' trust in the media has fallen 12 points over the past year, to 58%, and compares with 11% among Republicans and 29% among independents, according to Gallup. (Christian Schwier/Adobe Stock)

Southern Arizona local news initiative announced

A new project in Southern Arizona aims to support local reporting and enable greater access to local news and information. Earlier this month…

School librarians are facing shortages in Connecticut and nationally. Connecticut has faced shortages in multiple subject areas for some time, and the national decline predates the pandemic, with 1,800 librarian positions lost between 2016 and 2019. (Adobe Stock)

CT school librarians celebrate reading during American Education Week

During American Education Week, Connecticut school librarians are highlighting their value in molding young minds. Valerie DiLorenzo, a school …

Second-graders in South Portland are designing their own Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons to take part in a popular lesson based on the children's book,

Beyond book checkouts, ME librarians teach “digital citizenship”

School librarians in Maine are teaching students the importance of "digital citizenship." The concept is similar to civics education but helps stude…

According to the National Assembly of State Art Agencies, as of 2021, the arts and culture industry supports almost 82,000 jobs in Indiana. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Arts, culture are economic drivers in Indiana, US

The nonprofit Americans for the Arts just released a study on the economic impact of arts and culture on communities, including in Indiana. Among …

A mural project celebrates the Endangered Species Act and the smalltooth sawfish. (Kelly Quinn)

Mural raises awareness for FL's smalltooth sawfish

A vibrant installation at today's SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival is designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act …

Idaho outlawed abortions in nearly all situations in 2022. (trac1/Adobe Stock)

In restrictive ID, stage show aims to reduce abortion's stigma

A stage show hopes to normalize how people talk about abortion in Idaho, a state with some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country…

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating democracy. It has gained momentum since it was first observed in 2012. (Robert Yap/Adobe Stock)

Today is National Voter Registration Day

Today is National Voter Registration Day. Michiganders have many locations where they can register to vote, such as community colleges, universities…

Detroit Action hosts a Black August event where it strives to reimagine a world through an abolitionist point of view and healing-justice policies. (SmartArt/Adobe Stock)

Art Collaboration This Weekend for Black August in Detroit

Communities around the country and in Michigan are celebrating Black August and promoting liberation of all diversities. Anthony Baber, director of …

The #MeToo Movement has been intersectional in the world of hip-hop. Some women of color in that world were silenced in reporting sexual abuse, which has become a lingering cultural force. (Adobe Stock)

Cinderella and the Glass Boombox: Women Help Shape First 50 Years of Hip-Hop

By Janell Hobson for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for New York News Connection reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

Texas groups opposed to a controversial law regulating drag performances say it's unconstitutional and want a preliminary and permanent injunction before it goes into effect Sept. 1. (annne/Adobe Stock)

Texas 'Drag Ban' Headed to Court Ahead of 9/1 Implementation

Opponents of a new Texas law governing drag performances say it's so vague and broad, it could have a chilling effect on all free expression and …

In South Dakota, Levitt at the Falls says it has offered shows dedicated to strengthening the social fabric of communities. This weekend, music will highlight the culture of the Kunama people from Africa. (Photo courtesy of Levitt organization)

Ethnic Group Hopes SD Music Event Elevates Its Community Profile

South Dakota is among the states that have received the most refugees, per capita, in the past decade. This weekend, a specific group of New …

The historic stone barn at the Stephen George Homestead is made of limestone with visible seashell and other fossils. (Sheridan Community Land Trust Staff).

Tour Opens Up Historic Wyoming Agricultural Sites to Public

The Alliance for Historic Wyoming is hosting its next "Unbarred" tour on Aug. 5, featuring historic agricultural buildings in Sheridan County…

The story, Tell Me How You Breathe, examines the intersection of eco-activism, social justice and public health, according to the Loom Ensemble. (Loom)

New England-Based Dance Ensemble Explores Impact of Climate Change

Smoke from Canadian wildfires this summer has permeated not only New England's air, but the performing arts. The Loom Ensemble - an …

In New Mexico, 'Oppenheimer' Film Revives Painful Memories

This summer's "Oppenheimer" movie will shine a light on development of the first nuclear weapons, but for many in southern New Mexico it is another …

South Dakota's Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation is trying to reclaim and restore historical elements of the Lakota language. Organizers said data sovereignty will play a big role in ensuring younger generations in the region have access to the teachings. (Photo courtesy TVCDC)

Data Sovereignty Movement for Native Populations Reaches SD

Around the U.S., there are efforts among tribal nations to reclaim stolen land from colonization and preserve language history, and a South Dakota …

Krings-Lien says about 150 participants have submitted their input for the murals thus far. (Adobe Stock)

NV Groups Receive Grant Funding to Better Their Communities

Four organizations in the state of Nevada received more than $28,000 from AARP to implement what the group calls "quick-action" projects that will mak…

56% of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it, according to the Trevor Project. (Adobe Stock)

Study Shows Benefits of Creativity for Youth Mental Health

Young people who engage in creative activities report a reduction in feelings of stress or anxiety, according to a new study. The Adobe Foundation …

Researchers from the Equal Justice Initiative have documented 4,075 racial terror lynchings of African Americans in 12 states, including Arkansas, between 1877 and 1950. (Neirfy/Adobe Stock)

AR Racial Justice Essay Contest Open for Pulaski County Students

Summer learning is underway in Arkansas, and there's a unique opportunity for a history lesson open to high schoolers in Pulaski County. The …

In June 2019, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf recognized Juneteenth as a holiday in the state. (Be Pro/AdobeStock)

Juneteenth: Celebrating Literacy, Artistic Freedom

A Pennsylvania literacy organization is commemorating the Juneteenth holiday by highlighting the history and contributions of Black people in the Unit…

The Alliance for Historic Wyoming has a list of some 40 historic hotels and motels scattered throughout Wyoming online at historicwyoming.org. (Chambers House Bed and Breakfast)

Historic Lodging Offers Unique WY Vacation Option

As families in Wyoming head out for a summer holiday, historians are encouraging people to explore a range of historic lodging options, such as the …

Native American advocates say this week's Supreme Court decision to uphold the Indian Child Welfare Act ultimately protects tribal culture and heritage by ensuring there will be continued efforts to keep Native children in their community environments if they're considered for adoption or foster care. (Adobe Stock)

Tribal Advocates Feel 'Relief' After SCOTUS ICWA Ruling

Tribal advocates are cheering a U.S. Supreme Court decision Thursday which allows a landmark law dealing with child welfare cases to stand. It …

Parcels of land downstream of Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch have been subdivided into 35- to 50-acre large-lot tracts. (Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust)

Preserving Cultural, Environmental Legacy in Southern Colorado

Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch sits in a dramatic canyon in the foothills of southern Colorado's San Juan Mountains, right next to the Rio Grande National …

A United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report estimates at least two billion people worldwide eat insects. Globally, more than 1,900 insect species are considered edible, particularly those in tropical countries. The most commonly eaten insect groups include beetles, caterpillars, bees, wasps, ants and grasshoppers. (Adobe Stock)

NY Chef Changing Minds on Eating Insects

By Whitney Bauck for The Guardian.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for New York News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

It is estimated about one-third of New Mexico's more than 120 threatened and endangered species occur in the Gila region, including the Mexican grey wolf, Gila trout and Mexican spotted owl. (Photo courtesy of Raquel Madrigal)

New Mexico Mural Art Features Endangered Species, Migration Themes

The Village of Doña Ana is New Mexico's oldest federally designated settlement, and about to be the newest destination for public art. The …

In the ancient world, letters were written on a variety of materials including metal, pottery fragments, animal skin and papyrus. (Serhiy Hipskyy/Adobe Stock)<br />

Sharpen Your Pencil – It's National Letter-Writing Month

If not for the colonial postal system, newcomers to the frontier soon to be known as New Mexico would not have kept up with relatives to the south in …

According to the American Library Association, a record 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship in 2022, a 38% increase over the previous year. (Adobe Stock)

Amid Censorship Craze, Library Campaign Aims to Turn the Page

Public libraries are known for their quiet settings. But during National Library Week, staff leaders in Minnesota and elsewhere are being vocal about …

Award-winning journalist Molly Ivins worked at the Texas Observer in the 1970s, calling it a

The Texas Observer Lives to See Another Print Run

The Texas Observer, a nonprofit news organization known for its liberal, independent reporting and cultural criticism, will continue publishing…

Statistics show the Los Angeles region has the biggest arts community in the U.S., but is 52nd for the amount spent on art programs and 259th in the country in terms of government support of the arts. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

For Arts Month, CA Groups Press for Workforce Diversity, Opportunity

April is the fifth annual Arts, Culture and Creativity Month in California, and advocates for the arts are promoting diversity in the arts workforce …

According to PEN America, 138 school districts in 32 states enacted some form of book ban or restriction from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Possible Children's Book Ban in Indiana Draws Concerns

Indiana lawmakers are still debating a bill that would ban some books in school libraries. Senate Bill 12 passed the Indiana Senate at the end of …

3,514 men and one woman have won the Medal of Honor in service of their country from the Civil War to the present day. 19 have won it twice. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Plans for National Medal of Honor Monument Progress in Washington, D.C.

Congress is moving forward with plans to build a National Medal of Honor Monument in Washington, D.C. - honoring the 3,600 Americans who have earned …

In 2021, Congress unanimously approved - and President Joe Biden signed into law - legislation authorizing the creation of the National Medal of Honor Monument. (National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation Staff)

Survivors Call for Monument in Honor of Fallen Heroes

Robert Patterson received his Medal of Honor in 1969 for risking his life above and beyond the call of duty during the Vietnam War. He's among the 65 …

According to a 2022 report from the American Library Association, 80% of parents have confidence in librarians to make good decisions about the books they make available in their collections. (Adobe Stock)

NY Libraries Grapple With Increase in Book Challenges

As National Reading Month ends soon, libraries across New York and the nation are dealing with the increasing number of book challenges. New data …

Hip Hop Higher Ed Symposium programming brings hip-hop culture and scholarship to North Carolina college students. (Stephanie Reed)<br />

Symposium Brings Hip Hop Culture, Scholarship to NC Campuses

An upcoming event in Raleigh hosted in part by William Peace University aims to bring hip-hop arts culture to North Carolina's college students…

Despite climate change, water-rights transfers and development, approximately 750 centuries-old acequias still operate in New Mexico. (MayaPena/lasacequias.org)

NM's Historic Acequias Featured in New Documentary Film

The annual cleaning of acequias in northern New Mexico gets underway in earnest next week, just as a filmmaker debuts a documentary about their past…

Grace Raymond Hebard's second home, known as the Doctor's Inn at 318 S. 10th St. in Laramie, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the University Neighborhood Historic District. (Andrea Graham/Alliance for Historic Wyoming)

Project Highlights Women Who Forged, Documented Wyoming's History

Wyoming became the first U.S. territory to give women the right to vote in 1869, half a century before the nation finally followed the Cowboy State's …

Among the 1,648 suggested book bans in 2022, 41% explicitly address LGBTQ+ themes while 40% contain protagonists or prominent secondary characters of color, according to PEN America. (Adobe Stock)

Maine Librarians Fight Bill to Ban Books Considered 'Obscene'

School librarians in Maine are fighting a bill that would ban schools from providing students with books considered "obscene," saying it could potenti…

Some of the art to be featured at the Regenerative Gala was produced on upcycled canvas. Here we see a detail from the painting,

Regenerative Gala to Spotlight Ethical Consumerism

To kick off Earth Month in April, a Bay Area event called the Regenerative Gala will promote the concepts of ethical consumerism and fashion and art …

Since 2017, AARP has awarded more than $12.7 million to more than 1,060 projects, including 22 in Colorado, through the Community Challenge to nonprofit organizations and government entities. (Adobe Stock)

AARP Colorado Seeking Projects to Help Improve Communities

AARP Colorado is putting out the call for creative projects to help improve communities, by creating new public transportation and housing options…

Historians have traced the origins of Cheyenne Frontier Days back to 1870s riding exhibitions by a Black cowboy named Sam Stewart. Also known as

Project Uncovers Hidden Gems of Black History in Wyoming

African Americans have played a foundational role in Wyoming since the 1860s, when they served as soldiers at Fort Laramie, and owned and operated …

Water scarcity in the U.S. Southwest, augmented by drought, climate change, and increased competition for the resource creates uncertainty for those who grow chile peppers in the Rio Grande Valley. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe)

Hot Conference Topic: NM First State With Official Aroma, Chile Peppers?

Can a state have an official aroma? That topic will on attendees' minds when the annual New Mexico Chile Conference is held in Las Cruces today…

Following defacement of New Mexico's centuries-old La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs in January, momentum is growing for permanent protections for Caja del Rio. (sfnfsitestewards.org)

Permanent Protections Sought for NM's Caja del Rio

New Mexico is home to more world heritage sites than any other state, but also a smaller site outside Santa Fe that indigenous leaders and …

A number of arts programs for seniors involve painting on canvas. But community outreach leaders say something even simpler, such as doodling on a notepad, can help an older adult exercise the creative parts of their brain. (Adobe Stock)

Getting Crafty to Inspire Healthy Aging in SD

Winter is here, leaving many older South Dakotans vulnerable to social isolation. But a growing body of research, as well as opportunities, shows …

Makerspaces allow Native American youths, communities and teachers to engage with culturally connected making activities using high- and low-tech materials, leveraging existing indigenous technologies and craft practices. (Adobe Stock)

Native American Makerspace Coming Soon to Macy and Santee

The Center for Rural Affairs is launching collaborative work spaces on Nebraska Indian Community College campuses in Macy and Santee for making…

As buffalo herds graze, they inspire new vegetative growth across vast tracts of lands in a natural process that mimics the onset of spring. (Adobe Stock)

Buffalo Restoration Key to Wildlife Economy, Tribal Health

By Jake Bullinger for Bitterroot Magazine.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Wyoming News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

In 2021, volunteers drove or flew 42 injured raptors 9,583 miles and donated more than 165 hours of their personal time to help wild birds rehabilitate. (Adobe Stock)

Teton Raptor Center Nears Historic Restoration Goal

The Teton Raptor Center was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to help the site become a year-round de…

The Tacoma Art Museum opened at its current location in 2003, after outgrowing its original location in a former bank built in 1920. (tacomaartmuseum.org)

Weekend Rally Aims to Support Unionization at Tacoma Art Museum

Employees of the Tacoma Art Museum have collected more than 400 signatures on a community letter, as they seek to unionize the institution founded in …

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