Five Arts Centre is launching Straddle 2005 at the GMBB creative mall in Kuala Lumpur, a new initiative to foster connections between artists globally. The event features performances and events by Montreal-based artist Dana Michel, Malaysian dancer-choreographers Lee Ren Xin and January Low, and others. It aims to build artistic relationships with curiosity and care, inviting KL's arts community to engage with ideas shaping dance beyond borders.
https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/culture/2025/04/05/weekend-for-the-arts-039laguku-30039-mpo039s-039classical-treasures039-straddle-2025Chancellor Rishi Sunak's office at Number 11 has undergone significant changes, with several artworks removed or replaced by new pieces. A portrait of James II in armor has been sent to storage due to his alleged links to the slave trade, while a maquette of suffragist Millicent Fawcett now hangs on the wall. In contrast, Chancellor Rishi Sunak's office features works by artists such as Gillian Wearing, Donna Coleman, and Lisa Fielding-Smith, including a squiggle in red ink and a collage of magazine cut-outs. Other notable changes include the removal of a portrait of Nigel Lawson and the installation of a photograph of "Red Ellen" Wilkinson, a lifelong Marxist and ultra-Left Labour minister. Deputy PM Angela Rayner's office features an image of the Durham Miners Gala, while Science Secretary Peter Kyle has chosen a rusting metal structure over water for his wall decoration.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14573343/Toppling-giants-Rachel-Reeves-launched-purge-Whitehall-portraits-great-historical-figures-replaced-works-female-empowerment-Communist.htmlStudents from the Telangana Social Welfare Gurukul Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS), led by art teacher Ms Snigdha, have won gold medals at a Mumbai-based art competition organised by Dream Family. The achievement was acknowledged with an official letter of appreciation sent to TGSWREIS Principal Uppal.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/telangana/telangana-sc-welfare-residential-school-students-bag-gold-medals-in-mumbai-art-competition-1870999Thailand will celebrate various festivals in April 2025, including the Maha Songkran World Water Festival, Kite Festival, and Phanom Rung Festival, showcasing cultural events, art, music, and unique local experiences nationwide.
https://www.thailand-business-news.com/tourism/206708-april-2025-festivals-in-thailand-songkran-and-beyondTony Usman, a theatre expert with over 30 years of experience, highlighted the global significance of former Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was executed in 1979. Usman noted that despite being 50 years gone, Bhutto's legacy remains relevant as global powers continue to dominate weaker nations similarly. He expressed a desire to stage a play about Bhutto in English or Urdu if the right collaborators and platforms become available. A previous play, "Roshni ka Safar," directed by Hasan Abbas Raza and produced by the Ministry of Culture, was staged at the PNCA in 2010, telling the story of Bhutto's execution and her daughter Benazir's assassination.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40356057/pak-norwegian-director-stages-play-on-bhuttos-executionA collection of approximately 170 Wedgwood treasures from the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK has been delivered to Townsville, Queensland, Australia, for an exclusive exhibition that showcases the luxury ceramics brand's enduring legacy, which spans over 250 years. The exhibit will remain on display until August.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-05/wedgwood-pottery-victoria-and-albert-exhibition-townsville/105127858Soprano Asmik Grigorian is set to perform at the Romanian Athenaeum on August 31, 2025, alongside pianist Lukas Geniušas, while Sonya Yoncheva will take the stage on September 21 with the National Radio Orchestra. Soprano Kristine Opolais will star in an in-concert version of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at the Athenaeum as part of its Concert Series.
https://www.romania-insider.com/sopranos-enescu-apr-2025Azma inspected theatres in Punjab, expressing dissatisfaction with poor cleanliness and administrative mismanagement. She voiced concern over inappropriate songs and indecent attire of female performers in stage dramas, stating that vulgarity and obscenity will not be tolerated. Azma warned that any performer violating the set standards of practice (SOPs) would face a lifetime ban.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40355872/lahore-theatres-raidedA large black and white photo on display at a museum showcases residents from Cabrini-Green dancing at a house party, highlighting the sense of community that once thrived there. Museum curator Gentry Quinones, who lives in Chicago public housing, finds this exhibit particularly meaningful, evoking memories of joy and togetherness.
https://apnews.com/article/museum-public-housing-chicago-bfea6d8689a3c1b92bc895839fc0c37b