How do we understand art? What is the relationship between art and the society from which it comes? These are but a few of the questions explored by this fine thirteen-part series produced by the Annenberg Media group. The motivating principle behind the series is to explore "diverse cultural perspectives on shared human experiences." Visitors will note that each program has a theme, and visitors...

To anyone who might ask, "Where have all the artists gone?", the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has a very good answer. That answer is parsed out in this well-research 148-page publication titled "Artists in the Workforce: 1990-2005". Released in June 2008, the publication offers a nationwide look at artists' demographic and employment patterns in the 21st century. Working with extensive...

As Boston was once known as the "Athens of America", it will probably not be a surprise to learn that the metropolitan area has more arts and cultural organizations per capita than any other place in the United States. One organization that is dedicated to strengthen this vibrant arts community is the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston. They provide pro bono legal services for artists,...

The tagline for the Bata Shoe Museum is "For the Curious". It's an appropriate motto, as this provocative museum in Toronto contains over 10,000 shoes within its prodigious holdings. The museum opened in 1995, and visitors to this site can traipse through sections such as "Exhibitions" and "Collections" to learn more about their interpretive mission and their thematic areas. Most visitors will...

For two decades, Ben Gray Lumpkin travelled around the state of Colorado collecting folk songs. Lumpkin was a professor of English at the University of Colorado, and over this time period he recorded approximately 2000 performances by 192 individuals. This delightful digital collection created by the University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries offers curious visitors a sampling of these...

The royal arts of the Benin Kingdom of south-central Nigeria focus on the centrality of the "Oba", or divine king, and this exhibit, organized by museums in Austria, Africa, Germany, the U.S., and France, traces the history of Benin's royal arts from the early 13th century to the mid-twentieth. On the exhibition's website there are ten themes to explore including "The Warrior Obas", "The Oba's...

In a city known for creative expression and its free-thinkers, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA) is a major cultural institution. The site is a veritable cornucopia of artistic endeavors, including film, performance art, installations, and lectures. Visitors planning a trip to either institution will want to click on the "Visit" section, and others with a more scholarly...

Established in 1867, the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) consists of over 3,500 members and produces a wide range of professional publications. On its site, visitors can look through eight sections, such as Programs, Education, and Advocacy. It's easy to get started with the Latest News area, which features updates about BSA members and their work in and around the city. Additionally, the...

The British Library is one of the world's great libraries and its blogs are quite excellent as well. These streams of thought and commentary are crafted by curators, subject specialists, and guest bloggers and on any given day might include "Jokes for David Frost," "Dogs: Medieval Man's Best Friend," and thoughts on Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure." All told, there are over a dozen blogs here...

Have you ever wondered what Hadrian's Villa looked like? Or perhaps you'd like to know more about the Villa Arconati? If so, you would do well to explore this remarkable site sponsored by the Bard Graduate Center and offering a digital cornucopia of information on ten different villas and their landscape histories. Designed to serve as an educational tool for teachers and scholars, Catena's...