Archive for July, 2009

Haven’t quite got a grip of the Eastern European art scene yet? If your after a quick fix to feign insider knowledge look no further than the Spike ART GUIDE EAST. This brand new publication provides a briefing on Contemporary Art and Culture in Central and Eastern Europe divulging the secrets of the cities’ art scenes. After a browse through this glossy you’ll soon know the places where art takes place, the cafés and restaurants where people meet, the bars and clubs…etc. Volume one deals with Belgrade, Bratislava, Bucharest, Budapest, Ljubljana, Prague, Sarajevo, Sofia, Vienna and Zagreb. The specialised travel guide presents the contemporary art scenes of these selected Central and Eastern European cities or regions. A short and compact text on the (art) historical development of the individual cities is followed by recommendations regarding galleries, museums, culture and art institutions, architecture, fashion, design, theatre and music. Short interviews with artists, curators, critics, gallery owners, collectors and creatives on-site provide an insight into the present situation, development and future of the respective scenes.

Could Detroit be the new hub for the US art scene? The Kresge Foundation recently awarded $450,000 in grants for visual artists based in Detroit. The Foundation seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations through its support of nonprofit organizations in six fields of interest: health, the environment, community development, arts and culture, education and human services. The $25,000 fellowship is one of the country’s most generous annual awards available to artists in order to offer winners the financial support that will enable them to focus on making art. Eighteen Detroit artists were awarded the fellowship this week which will amount to a massive boost for the Detroit art scene. As the Detroit Free Press reported, “Advocates say the fellowships could have a galvanizing effect on the local arts scene — boosting public perception of an overlooked community, inspiring artists to create more ambitious work and offering them an incentive to remain here rather than leave for New York or elsewhere.”
Read the Full article