Taking a Second Look at the Future of Arts Journalism

To probe what’s next with arts journalism, T | M is working with Christie’s to host a panel discussion among journalists, arts practitioners, policy makers and funders. Moderated by Professor Sree Sreenivasan, Dean of Student Affairs, Columbia Journalism School and social media guru, the panel features Eric Gibson, Editor, Leisure & Arts page, The Wall Street Journal, Lindsay Pollock, Editor in Chief, Art in America and Dennis Scholl, Vice President/Arts, John S and James L. Knight Foundation.

The discussion will touch on areas of interest to the arts field including probing where arts journalism is in 2011 and where it’s going. Panelists will discuss what new on and off line journalism formats intrigue them and why; and describe how and whether new interactive forms are drawing different types of readers who are engaging in different ways with the material and with journalists. We expect the conversation to highlight the role technology will play in arts journalism and how digital communications is changing relationships of audiences with arts institutions.

As the NEA’s SPPA numbers continue to show declining participation in the arts in all forms – (In 2002 39.4% of adults reported attending at least one arts event in the prior 12 months. In 2009 the attendance rate was 34.6%) – panelists and attendees will discuss what arts journalism can do (if anything) to reverse the trend and what funders can do to engage more people in arts experiences.

Archived video of the seminar is available here.