Arts Feb 19 Lucinda Williams channels earlier protest music era on new album Lucinda Williams has been making music for decades. With her new album, she's speaking and singing to this moment, calling it a battle cry and finding grit and grace in a world on edge. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown sat…
Arts Feb 18 Ethan Hawke on his Oscar-nominated performance in 'Blue Moon' Ethan Hawke has been acting since he was a teenager. Now at 55, he has his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role in “Blue Moon.” Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown sat down with Hawke for our arts…
Arts Feb 10 Opera singer Denyce Graves takes her final bow on stage After singing on the world’s top opera stages for more than 40 years, acclaimed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves took a final bow last month and is pivoting to teaching the next generation. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown joined Graves in the…
Arts Feb 04 Alicia Graf Mack reflects on leading the legendary Alvin Ailey dance company The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has just launched a 20-city U.S. tour under its new artistic director Alicia Graf Mack. She’s a renowned former Ailey dancer herself and an educator who is now fusing those roles to lead the…
Arts Feb 02 Inside the Studio Museum in Harlem's showcase of Black art history in America It’s a celebration as well as a reckoning: After seven years, the Studio Museum in Harlem reopened this fall in a new building that showcases its history of highlighting Black artists. It’s a history and project credited with helping change…
Arts Jan 29 New medical school blends art and science to train new doctors A painting can't heal all that’s ailing the healthcare system, but it might help the healers themselves and, in turn, the people they care for. That is Alice Walton's goal for a new medical school seeking to transform medical education…
Arts Jan 22 Filmmaker Jafar Panahi on 'It Was Just an Accident' and challenging the Iranian government "It Was Just an Accident" from Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi is nominated for the Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay Oscars. Jeffrey Brown met with Panahi to talk about his film, his country in distress, and the work…
Arts Jan 12 Literary Arts Fund created to rekindle a love for reading According to a recent study, reading for pleasure has fallen by 40% in the last 20 years, continuing a long-running downward trend. By many measures, reading skills for both students and adults continue to fall. Jeffrey Brown spoke with Elizabeth…
Arts Jan 02 Kennedy Center faces artist cancellations, drop in ticket sales after Trump's name added First, a takeover of leadership, then a renaming. Now, the Trump-Kennedy Center is facing canceled performances and a drop in overall ticket sales. Jeffrey Brown reports on the turmoil at one of the nation’s preeminent arts centers. It's for our…
Arts Jan 02 'We cannot have art institutions that lose money': Grenell defends Kennedy Center takeover The newly-renamed Trump-Kennedy Center is facing canceled performances and plummeting ticket sales. Amna Nawaz discussed the turmoil with Richard Grenell, the man President Trump handpicked to lead the institution. Grenell also served in Trump's first term, including as ambassador to…