Staff at Brooklyn Academy of Music Vote to Unionize

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) staffers have voted to unionize. Around 82% of voting administrative and cinema staff at BAM voted ‘yes’ to joining Local 2110 UAW (United Auto Workers). The decision comes after workers made allegations about the worsening working conditions at BAM, including claims that staff benefits had been cut back, along with healthcare. This is the fourth instance of staff members from a New York institution voting to unionize in recent months; BAM staff join union members at the Tenement Museum and the New Museum.

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Berlin’s Humboldt Forum has delayed its opening date to 2020 due to technical difficulties. Officials from the museum, which will be located in the reconstructed Berlin Palace on Museum Island, added ‘it was not realistic for the building to be ready for use by the end of 2019 as had been planned.’ The announcement comes following a series of complications relating to the museum’s construction as well as allegations by academics and activists that the museum had not thoroughly investigated the provenance of the museum’s artefacts, many of which were acquired during the colonial era.

The Golden Lion-winning Lithuanian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale has added additional performances of beach opera Sun & Sea (Marina) (2019) to its programme, after a successful crowd funder raised more than USD$40,000 for the cash-strapped organizers. The additional performances will take place on Wednesdays until 31 October and will run alongside performances scheduled on Sundays. Funding has also been provided by the Republic of Lithuania, the Laurenz Foundation, Basel and various other individuals and foundations.

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In further news: the shortlist for the Sobey Art Award has been announced and includes artists D’Arcy Wilson, Nicolas Grenier, Stephanie Comilang, Kablusiak and Anne Low; Hauser & Wirth will open its eleventh space in Menorca, scheduled for next year.