Quotes for the day

John Stoehr at art.rox.com shared these quotes from arts journalists at the Poynter Institute. They were from Christopher Blank, a performing arts writer in Memphis.

“1. Try fanaticism for a change. … Sports writers want you to feel that every game is earth-shatteringly IMPORTANT. I feel this way about the arts in my community. I’m not saying we should treat the subject matter with a velvet glove or go easy on a bad play. But there’s a subtle difference in a review that calls a bad show an affront to all art and a review that chalks it up as a loss for the team.”

2. “Expand the repertoire. … Performing arts writers — me included — easily get bogged down in a routine of reviewing and previewing traditional art forms. However, more people are experiencing a wide variety of arts that pass under the radar, such as through church concerts or at sporting events. … Find stories that tell people, ‘Hey, you may not know it, but the thing you’ve been watching is art.’”

3. Speak the gospel, hear the gospel. Being receptive to feedback and open to change is essential. Arts reporters should adapt to the tastes of the community, not the other way around. … For arts groups, constant shapeshifting is a crucial means for survival. Applying it to arts coverage isn’t far behind.”