Critical Minded
Critical Minded
Podcast Description
Arts and culture criticism in the United States has never seemed as endangered as it does now and this is especially true for critics of color. This inaugural season of the Critical Minded podcast looks at the organization’s new report, ”Topdogs and Underdogs: Critics of Color and the Theatrical Landscape,” which explores the challenges facing theater critics of color. Join host Steven Vargas, an LA-based theater and dance critic, as he speaks with a wide-range of critics including Naveen Kumar, Jose Solís, Brittani Samuel and more about what it is like to report on theater in today’s climate.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes such as the challenges faced by theater critics of color, the current state of arts and culture criticism, and industry dynamics. Episodes include discussions around Critical Minded's report titled 'Topdogs and Underdogs: Critics of Color and the Theatrical Landscape,' featuring specific topics like representation in media and the evolving role of the critic in a diversity-focused world.
Arts and culture criticism in the United States has never been more endangered, and this is especially true for critics of color. On the Critical Minded Podcast, you’ll hear directly from critics themselves about the conditions and challenges they face – from the difficulty of making a living in a shrinking publishing landscape, to widespread exclusionary practices that keep critics of color from enjoying the same opportunities and prestige as their white peers.
Critics also weigh in on the increased influence of social media, online fandoms, and AI, and how they are changing the way we understand and experience culture. Based on a series of research reports, including national surveys and in-depth interviews, the Critical Minded Podcast presents an unprecedented portrait of our rapidly changing moment from some of our most astute cultural voices.
ABOUT CRITICAL MINDED
Critical Minded is a grantmaking and learning initiative whose work is focused on resourcing and raising the visibility of critics and writers through direct support to publications and individuals, research, and convening. Launched from a national convening of critics in 2017, Critical Minded emerged from the belief that engaging critically with the ideas and images that surround us is a prerequisite for transforming our cultural landscape and preserving democracy. https://criticalminded.org/reports/
For music critics, mentorship often comes through informal editorial relationships and connections. But as we’ve seen, over and over, editorial positions are often among the first to get cut when publications decide to downsize. As a result you have writers operating with little to no editorial oversight, leaving newer writers to navigate the publication world without much guidance. And when there is a lack of transparency around editorial decision-making, that usually disadvantages critics of color. On this episode of the Critical Minded podcast, Oliver and Reanna probe the editor and writer dynamic, speaking to several esteemed colleagues on both sides of that divide, including Mano Sundaresan, Suzy Exposito, and LaTesha Harris.
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