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/
It used to be that if someone was unhappy with a music review, they might write a Letter to the Editor, or mention a review in an interview. Now, with the democratization of the internet, everyone’s a critic – not just of music, but of criticism itself. The past few years have seen an influx of stan attacks on the working critic, from coordinated hate campaigns on social media to full-scale doxxing, and for most working writers, the hostile climate can be overwhelming.
On this episode of the Critical Minded podcast, Reanna and Oliver chat about the untouchable “third rails” of pop music criticism, the necessity of social media self-promotion, and the emerging power dynamics between writer, reader, and publisher – featuring interviews with Pitchfork editorial director Mano Sundaresan, acclaimed music journalist Suzy Exposito, and TCB PR director of publicity-slash-artist, Clarke Sondermann.
Disclaimer
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