Secrets of the City

Eyeteeth points out a report that Minnesota artists are more than twice as likely to be ininsured (from Springbpard for the Arts), and then introduces us to Dr. Sam, who is doing what he can to make healthcare affordable for artists, among others: Doctor Sam’s patients are from communities who are often out priced by the health care system — transgender people, the self-employed and artists. Folks with ongoing health concerns can become members of the practice for just $60 a month, and pay $36 per visit. Compare that to workers with comprehensive insurance who pay on average $400 to $600 a month.

City Pages takes a look at Jungle Theater, Trylon microcinema, Chris Baker, and Solo 1×2.

The Daily Planet does a story about the fate of Northeast’s long-dorminant Hollywood Theater which may be reopening soon, although not necessarily as a cinema: the city reevaluated the site’s development potential and changed its approach to pursue more general or interim arts-related reuses such as photography and art studios or architectural offices.

Some of us MnSpeakers are regular theatergoers, so let’s check in with our hive mind: What is your favorite local company? What have you seen lately that you have really enjoyed? Are there any local actors that you think deserve special mention?

MinnPost profiles Matt Desmond, a local designer in the specialized field of typeface design. (Probably the best known local who creates fonts is Chank Diesel.) It’s an interesting field, especially now that digital typography has created previously impossible expressive possibilities in type — the Walker takes the subject seriously enough that a few years ago they hired Matthew Carter, who is arguably the most famous typeface designer alive, to concoct a signature typeface for the museum (which they don’t seem to use much anymore, alas).

Are you a fan of type? What fonts do you favor?

The Star-Tribune reviews the Theatre in the Round’s Production of Kevin Kling’s Ice Fishing Play, one of the first plays I saw that really felt uniquely Minnesotan: Cleverly blending quirky wit, a rich sense of place and the evocative tug of memory and loss, Kling has created a piece that is entertaining and unexpectedly poignant. An additional review from MinnPost.

Susannah Schouweiler at MnArtists discusses recent cuts in City Pages, including laying off the A-List editor and one of the two food writers, as well as the recent announcement that Quinton Skinner’s theater beat is being cut by half. With all these cuts in arts coverage (and City Pages is hardly alone in this), where do you turn to find out what is happening on the local arts scene?

The Strib does a story on salaries for the local arts community, and reveals that Guthrie Artistic Director Joe Dowling pulled in $682,229 in salary and benefits last year: Even discounting a one-time bonus of $100,000, his compensation surpassed that of his peers not only in New York but also at nonprofit theaters elsewhere in the United States. So, Joe Dowling — overpaid?

Tyler Green in Modern Art Notes: This morning [Dec. 5], the Walker Art Center offered up what might be the dumbest tweet ever: “Wondering what people would like us to tweet about more. Got suggestions? Reply!” … The Walker Art Center is one of America’s best contemporary art museums. Its building is full of modern art and contemporary art from its permanent collection of art. It hosts art exhibitions, and it employs art curators and other smart art people. I’d bet that its offices are full of art. The place exists because of art. And the Walker Art Center can’t figure out what it should be tweeting about? (I mean, you know it’s time to lay off the entire web/interactive/whatever staff when…)… Bottom line, museums: If you blog or tweet, make sure at least half of your blog posts are about art objects.

I always dreamed that one day I would be that guy standing behind Morris Day. No, not the white guy, the other guy with the red tie — Jesse Johnson.

Scott Schuman, propieter of the best fashion blog on the web, takes a moment between shooting photos of chic New Yorkers and Italians on the street to sing the praises of those bird-doing practitioners of the Minneapolis Sound, The Time, and discuss their influence on his “style education.”