Burlesque Is a Power Trip

Sparkly Underwear and Ostrich Feathers Give Me More Creative Freedom Than I’ve Ever Had Before

The song is a hokey karaoke version of Frank Sinatra’s “Witchcraft.” It’s the week of Halloween, 2012, and I’m in a theater on New York’s Upper West Side. I’m wearing a short satin skirt, bright green tights, a corset beneath a fitted velvet jacket, and an enormous witch hat covered in green glitter. For the past month, I’ve been practicing the smoothest way to peel off a pair of long, black gloves as I imitate Ol’ Blue Eyes’ croon.

Lights come up over the theater’s stage, and I part black …

By Francesca Caviglia | December 11, 2015

Struggling Cities Can Find a Voice Through Art

Accessible Spaces for Creativity Can Change a Community's Narrative from Within

November 16, 2015

In 2012, San Bernardino, California, filed for bankruptcy with more than $1 billion in debt. The city, about 60 miles east of L.A., is still climbing out from the devastation …

How a City Hopes to Fulfill New Dreams

San Bernardino Is Creating Space and Community for the Arts

By Ernie Garcia | November 13, 2015

In Southern California, most people know about San Bernardino and its ongoing municipal bankruptcy. Last summer, the L.A. Times called the city a “symbol of the nation’s urban woes.”

But most …

Don’t Be So Snooty, Small Towns Have Museums and Performing Arts, Too

The Problem Is That Too Many People Feel Unwelcome in Galleries and Theaters

By Lisa McDermott | November 3, 2015

Growing up, my siblings and I were surrounded by art. In our house, jazz and opera were always playing, literature lined the shelves, and the work of local artists hung …

L.A.’s Cultural Affairs Manager Grew Up Drawing Punk Rock Ladies

Danielle Brazell Considers Biking the Closest Thing to Flying

September 12, 2015

Danielle Brazell is the general manager of Los Angeles’ Department of Cultural Affairs. She oversees arts and cultural programming throughout the city. Before she participated in a discussion about the …

Imagination Is a City’s Most Vital Resource

If You Want to Know the Health of a City, Count the Permits It Issues for Concerts, Street Fairs, and Festivals

June 19, 2015

In hard economic times, cities need to decide what industries are essential, and what programs and services can be cut down to save resources. The arts are perennial contenders for …

The Wondrous Life of America’s First Male Impersonator

Annie Hindle Scandalized and Titillated Audiences, But Her Talent Won Them Over

My Hometown Opera

How a Young Woman Without Credentials Started Up an Opera Company in Visalia

The Women Blowing Up Ethiopia’s Film Industry

Successful Female Writers, Directors, and Producers Set the Nation Apart From Hollywood, Bollywood, and the Rest of World Cinema

How Modesto Revived My Acting Career

I Was 14 When Stage Fright During a New York Audition Foiled My Plans For the Future. A Thriving Arts Scene In California’s Central Valley Came To My Rescue.

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