Advocacy & Public Policy Committee News Alerts v.9 n. 11, November 2023

Advocacy & Public Policy Committee News Alerts support the committee's mission to monitor governmental activities and social justice issues affecting the professional interests of ARLIS/NA and to keep the ARLIS/NA membership informed. The monthly alerts are intended to be conversation starters, help members keep up on public policy issues and alert members to new developments. The articles compiled in the News Alerts bring to the forefront recent news from a range of perspectives designed to elicit discussion; they are not compiled to represent the views of ARLIS as an organization or the members of the Advocacy and Public Policy Committee.

Previous issues can be found here: https://www.arlisna.org/news/appc-news-alert 

Special News Alert: Art World Responds to Israel/Palestine

Context:

• Geranpayeh, Sarvy. “Bombing of Gaza Has Damaged or Destroyed More than 100 Heritage Sites, NGO Report Reveals.” The Art Newspaper, November 28, 2023.

• Majed, Mohammed. "‘Israel Destroyed Central Archives of Gaza City’: Head of Gaza Municipality.” Andalou Agency, November 29, 2023. 

• Osman, Nadda. “A Culture Erased: Gaza’s Main Public Library Destroyed in Israeli Bombing.” Middle East Eye, November 28, 2023.

• Sheehan, Dan. “Gaza’s Main Public Library Has Been Destroyed by Israeli Bombing.” Literary Hub, November 27, 2023.

Protests:

• Pontone, Maya. “Activists Occupy Tate Modern to Demand Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza.” Hyperallergic, November 27, 2023. 

• Pontone, Maya. “Questions Arise as Indigenous Curator Suddenly Departs Toronto Museum.” Hyperallergic, November 21, 2023.

• Pontone, Maya. “Thousands Urge Toronto Museum to Address Indigenous Curator’s Exit.” Hyperallergic, November 29, 2023.

• Velie, Elaine. “Thousands March to American Museum of Natural History in Pro-Gaza Protest.” Hyperallergic, November 27, 2023. 

Organization Responses:

• Belci, Theo. “Frick Museum in Pittsburgh Postpones Islamic Art Exhibition over Fears It Would Appear ‘Insensitive’ or ‘Traumatic’ amid Gaza War.” The Art Newspaper, November 2, 2023.

• Freeman, Nate. "An Open Letter, an Editor’s Ouster, and the Ongoing Fight for the Future of Artforum." Vanity Fair, November 3, 2023. 

• Greenberger, Alex. “Frick Pittsburgh Apologizes for Postponing Exhibition of Islamic Art in Response to Israel-Hamas War.” ARTnews, November 10, 2023.

• Greenberger, Alex. “Nan Goldin Cancels New York Times Project Over Newspaper’s ‘Complicity with Israel.’” ARTnews, November 9, 2023.

• Greenberger, Alex. “German Museum Cancels Candice Breitz Exhibition After ‘Controversial Statements’ on Gaza.” ARTnews, November 28, 2023.

• Limbong, Andrew. “Justin Torres Wins at National Book Awards as Authors Call for Cease-Fire in Gaza.” NPR, November 15, 2023. 

• Solomon, Tessa. “German Museum Shutters Curator’s Contribution Over Pro-Palestine Instagram Activity, Igniting Censorship Outcry.” ARTnews, November 14, 2023.

Regular News Alerts

Art & Activism:

• Ho, Karen K. 2023. “Climate Protestor Vandalizes Wall Next to Civil War Monument at National Gallery of Art.” ARTnews, November 16, 2023.

• Nayyar, Rhea. “Climate Activists Crash Christie’s Auction in New York.” Hyperallergic, November 13, 2023.

• Solomon, Tessa. “As French Couple Fights for African Mask Sold for Millions, Activists Demand Its Repatriation.” ARTnews, November 1, 2023.

• Weber, Christopher. “Lack of Affordable Housing in Los Angeles’ Venice Beach Neighborhood Inspires Activism and Art.” AP News, November 4, 2023.

Copyright and Licensing; Open Access

• Gent, Edd. “Public AI Training Datasets Are Rife With Licensing Errors.” IEEE Spectrum, November 8, 2023. 

• O'Brien, Matt. “‘Please Regulate AI:’ Artists Push for U.S. Copyright Reforms but Tech Industry Says Not so Fast.” AP News, November 18, 2023. 

• Quach, Katyanna. “AI copyright row deepens: Stability VP quits in protest over 'fair use' excuse.” The Register, November 27, 2023.  

• Schrader, Adam. “A New Exhibition Explores How a Medieval Printmaker Transformed the Artist’s Copyright.” Artnet News, November 18, 2023. 

Funding

• Aton, Francesca. “Indiana University’s Plan to Sell $10M. in Art for Dorm Reno Furthered." Hyperallergic, November 22, 2023.

• Jensen, Kelly. "A Pennsylvania Public Library had Funding Cut Because of LGBTQ+ Books. Then, an Olympian Stepped in." Book Riot, November 7, 2023.

• Pontone, Maya. "Budget Cuts Force NYC Libraries to Stop Sunday Service." Hyperallergic, November 20, 2023.

• Press Release. "Victory for the Arts in the U.S. House of Representatives!" American Alliance for the Arts, November 3, 2023.

• Stromberg, Matt. "Pistachio Billionaires Accused of Artwashing California’s Water Crisis." Hyperallergic, November 9, 2023.

• Velie, Elaine. 2023. “27 Art Writers Receive Warhol Foundation Grants.” Hyperallergic, November 30, 2023. 

• Witteveen, April. "At UCLA, Political Cartoon Collection Gift Includes Provisions for Maintenance, Instruction." Library Journal, November 6, 2023. 

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access (IDEA)

• Bronson, Warren. “Sacred Space: Why Libraries Are Essential to Incarcerated Writers.” Literary Hub, November 14, 2023. 

• “Residential school records released day before archbishop testifies at Senate.” The Canadian Press, November 7, 2023.

• Ho, Karen K. “Indigenous Art Curator Wanda Nanibush Leaves Art Gallery of Ontario, Prompting Questions.” ARTnews, November 22, 2023. 

• Pontone, Maya. “Stunning Codex Documenting Aztec Culture Now Fully Digitized.” Hyperallergic, November 9, 2023.

• Sankin, Aaron. “FCC Approves Rules to Prevent ‘Digital Discrimination.’” The Markup, November 15, 2023. 

Intellectual Freedom/Access to Information

• Enis, Matthew. "ALA Survey: People Under 40 Prefer Print Books; Visit Libraries for Browsing, Programs, and Socializing." Library Journal, November 3, 2023.

• Gruver, Mead. “Librarians Turn to Civil Rights Agency to Oppose Book Bans and Their Firings.” AP News, November 8, 2023.

• Peet, Lisa. "Fired Director in Saline County, AR, to Run for Local Legislative Seat." Library Journal, November 28, 2023.

• Rockey, Tim. “Mat-Su School District’s Removal of Books from School Libraries Prompts Federal Lawsuit.” Alaska Public Media, November 21, 2023.

• Sweet, Jennifer. “Meta ban has been rough, but Google ban would be worse, say small news outlets, analysts.” CBC News, November 25, 2023.

• Soule, Douglas. “Meet the Woman Picked to Head the Campaign to Combat Florida Book Bans.” Tallahassee Democrat, November 21, 2023.

Technology

• Bureau, Brigitte. “Tools capable of extracting personal data from phones being used by 13 federal departments, documents show.” CBC News, November 29, 2023.

• Dawson, Aimee. “Can Digital Technologies Help to Resolve Debates on Restitution?,” The Art Newspaper, November 20, 2023.

• Draaisma, Muriel. “Toronto Public Library says services affected by cyberattack to be restored starting in January.” CBC News, November 23, 2023.

• Enis, Matt, Denice Rovira Hazlett, and Omar L. Gallaga. “Local History | Digital Archives.” Library Journal, November 9 2023.

• Rao, Rahul. “How Deepfakes Fuel Conspiracy Theories.” IEEE Spectrum, November 9, 2023.

• Solomon, Howard. “Ottawa and provinces should harmonize privacy laws, says think tank.” IT World Canada. November 22, 2023.

• Strickland, Eliza. “Why AI Should Move Slow and Fix Things: Joy Buolamwini of the Algorithmic Justice League fights for the ‘excoded’.” IEEE Spectrum, November 27, 2023.

Workplace

• Ho, Karen. “Workers at Buffalo AKG Art Museum Launch Unionization Effort." ARTnews, November 27, 2023.

• Nayyar, Rhea. "Averting Strike, Brooklyn Museum Union Ratifies First Contract." Hyperallergic, November 8, 2023.

• Pontone, Maya. 2023. “The Hidden Costs of Working in the Art World.” Hyperallergic, November 7, 2023.

• Villa, Angelica. “SFMOMA Cuts 20 Staff Positions, Citing Attendance Drop.” ARTnews, November 16, 2023.

Miscellaneous

• Bond, Sarah E. “Unearthed Clay Seals Shed Light on Ancient Roman Archiving Practices.” Hyperallergic, November 29, 2023. 

• Sharp, Sarah Rose. "Scientists Are Turning Toxic River Waste Into Paint Pigments." Hyperallergic, November 1, 2023.

• Solomon, Tessa. “White Cube Now Represents Richard Hunt, Totemic American Sculptor of the 20th Century.” ARTnews, November 16, 2023.
  
  

This issue of News Alerts was compiled by Freyja Catton, Carrie Evans, Sal Hamerman, Michele Jennings, Stephanie Kays, Annie Sollinger, and Petra Warren.