Boston Globe

From 1967 to 1970 Steve Nelson produced rock and blues shows at The Boston Tea Party, The Woodrose Ballroom in South Deerfield, MA and Paramount Theatre in Springfield, MA. Now he is a co-founder of the Music Museum Of New England. Charles Giuliano was art director and then music critic for Boston After Dark, which became The Boston Phoenix. They spoke about the Museum and the music scene back in the day. This is the first of four parts of their conversation.

During the 1960s Charles Giuliano was the art critic for Boston After Dark which evolved as The Boston Phoenix. Later distinguished Phoenix art critics included Kenneth Baker, David Bonetti and Christopher Millis. Currently Greg Cook is the art critic for the Phoenix. Spanning generations this is part one of a dialogue on covering the Boston art world and the state of criticism.

For its inaugural season The Modern Theatre of Suffolk University is offering a diverse schedule of films, performances and lectures. Many of these events are free and open to the general public.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival will present more than 160 ticketed and free dance performances by companies from Argentina, Cuba, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, and across the United States. Executive Director Ella Baff has crafted an international festival of dance, music, and the visual arts spanning three months and including six world premieres, seven U.S. premieres, five engagements with live music, three U.S. company debuts, and more than 300 total ticketed and free events, talks, performances, classes, and tours.

For most of us right now its jingle bells. With the announcement of the 2011 Tanglewood schedule this week, however, Berkshire arts organizations are hard at work planning a fast launch to the season on the Fourth of July. But, like Abbott and Costello, come summer, let's hope they aren't wondering about "who's on first." There is desperate need for branding, pooled resources, and a marketing strategy for the Berkshires.

In certain aspects of its collection, Old Kingdom Egypt and Asiatic Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is a world class museum. With the creation of the Art of the Americas wing the museum hopes to rank second to none among American museums. But, as the Bard would say, "What's in a name?" A closer look reveals formidable depth and glaring gaps in the attempt to cover 3,000 years of art on two continents.

Jane Farver will leave her position at the MIT List Visual Arts Center in May. For the past dozen years Farver has been among the best and brightest in the Boston arts community.

In addition to a superb schedule of seminars, an evening with Alec Baldwin and Robert Osborne, features and short films the Williamstown Film Festival explored new approaches to independent films. A case in point was the final film Nice Guy Johnny. It was written and directed by Edward Burns on a minuscule budget of $25,000 in twelve days.

When the Boston Expressionist Hyman Bloom (March 29, 1913 to August 26, 2009) passed away none of his works were on view in the major New England museums. Bloom, his partner Jack Levine, and Karl Zerbe were the leaders of what is regarded as the most significant and influential movement of artists in Boston during the 20th century. Their neglect has been a scandal for Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. We are informed that a work by Bloom will be hung in the new wing of the MFA which opens in November. It remains to be seen how the museum will treat Levine and Zerbe. The MFA owns a minor work by the still living Levine which it acquired through the WPA.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance, international arts presenter and home of America’s longest-running dance festival, now offers a curated online selection of informative and entertaining PillowTalks. Based in Becket, Mass., Jacob’s Pillow hosts more than 160 free pre-show talks, post-show interviews, and hour-long PillowTalks during its annual Festival. PillowTalks are a series of hour-long moderated discussions with choreographers, performers, historians, filmmakers, and experts in the arts and related fields.

In the exercise of power, influence and ego art critics often like to make or break individuals and movements. The combative stances perpetuate the notion of artists as warriors. High art is depicted as a clash of the titans. The great artists are simply the last ones standing.

The American Repertory Theatre opens the musical The Blue Flower by Jim and Ruth Bauer at the Loeb Drama Center in Harvard Square, Cambriidge. Under the direction of Will Pomerantz it brings to life the German artists of the end of World War I that emerged from devastation and chaos to form the movements of Expressionism and Dada that morphed into Surrealism. The production opens on December 1 with previews and runs through January 8.

Significant critical acclaim and widespread audience interest in its two exhibitions, Picasso Looks at Degas and Juan Muñoz, propelled attendance at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute to near-record numbers this summer. The Clark recorded total visitation of approximately 120,000 from its June 13 public openings through the close of the Labor Day weekend, making 2010 the second-highest attendance season in the Clark’s history.

David Cole created an American Flag for the courtyard of Mass MoCA using cranes and enormous ersatz knitting needles. The artist was associated with Boston's Judy Rotenberg Gallery which closed recently. The director of the gallery Kristen Dodge is launching her New York Gallery with an exhibition of his work.

The founders of the first Berkshire Forum Tina Chase and Mary Collins George intend to move forward with planning next year. Despite a thin attendance for the three days of lectures, panels and performances they report nearly breaking even. A daunting range and depth of information and insights was provided. It evoked expanding and redefining the branding of the Berkshires. A highlight among many was the dialogue with Boston Globe editor Martin Baron.

A three-day conference promising inspiring ideas and stimulating dialogue led by a remarkable network of business owners, economists, social innovators, technology visionaries, cultural enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and thought leadersâ€"bound by a devotion to region worth preserving and an interest in shaping its cultural and economic future.

The Massachuetts Institute of Techology offers a great range of arts events many of which are free to the general public. We have the complete breakdown of the dense October calendar.

Concerts begin with Boston favorite Catie Curtis, Christine Lavin, Larry Carlton, and The Matt Haimovitz Trio

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) opens its 2010/11 Season with Kander and Ebb’s CABARET, directed by Steven Bogart, with musical direction by Lance Horne and movement by Steven Mitchell Wright, starring Amanda Palmer as the Emcee. Set and costume design is by David Israel Reynoso,lighting design by Nick Vargelis, and sound design by Clive Goodwin.

The second annual Boston Book Festival will take place on Oct. 16, 2010, in various locations around Copley Square. A complete rundown of scheduled events.

The Portsmouth Museum of Art and New Hampshire Theatre Project have forged a collaboration to present a reading of the award-winning play ‘Art’ by Yasmina Reza on Thursday, June 24th at 7:00 pm. The play, a witty comment on the human condition, has been referred to as a ‘comic gem’ by the Boston Globe.

Some months ago we asked former artistic director, Tina Packer, if Shakespeare & Company is out of the woods? She was guarderdly sanguine. Now the new artistic director, Tony Simotes, has managed to pay down a high interest short term loan, settle a construction law suit and restructure the debt. The prospects look far better comining into a full season.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will celebrate its 111th Commencement exercises on Saturday, May 22, 2010, beginning at 11 a.m., in the Amsler Campus Center Gymnasium.Anita F. Hill, Attorney and Brandeis University Professor of Law, Public Policy, and Women's Studies, will deliver the keynote address. Among others honored with by Berkshire based and internationally renowned artist Stephen Hannock.

The occasion of a retrospective of 100 photographs at the Pierre Menard Gallery in Cambridge evoked a far ranging dialogue with the poet/ artist and archivist Gerard Malanga. The images range from intimate friends- poets, artists, musicians- to brief encounters. This is the first of three installments of an in depth interview conducted over several days.

Tom Rush is on the road promoting his first new studio CD in 35 years "What I Know." It has been named Best Folk Album of the Year. He also has a four million hit You Tube clip "The Remember Song." He combined with Byrds founder, Roger McGuinn for a laid back, charming, three hour evening at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield.