David Brewster

David Brewster, a founding member of Post Alley, has a long career in publishing, having founded Seattle Weekly, Sasquatch Books, and Crosscut.com. His civic ventures have been Town Hall Seattle and FolioSeattle.

Molto Largo: When will the Seattle Symphony Name a New Music Director?

Important matters such as recruiting new players, setting a consistent style, ensemble sound, fundraising by the maestro, and staff retention are jeopardized by long leadership vacuums.

Time to Re-Imagine Seattle Center?

These multi-arts cultural centers were mostly created in the 1960s, as was Seattle Center, once home of the Ballet, the Opera, and (before it moved downtown) the Symphony. They are expensive to build and maintain, and hard to manage with so many independent organizations.

A Bad Week for American Journalism

The journalist James Fallows has observed that journalism badly needs a "host body" to flow dollars to the project.

Stuck in Time: America’s Old Foreign Policies are a Trap for Biden

Just as the Vietnam War destroyed the chances for a coalition of New Democrats and Cold War Liberals, so this rupture over foreign policy will weaken Biden's chances and the once-bipartisan consensus over America's international role.

Upheaval: A Tsunami of Leadership Change at Seattle Arts Groups

By my count, there are nine organizations currently lacking a permanent key leader at the top, and 16 local organizations with very new leadership. That's a lot to digest.

Remembering Wier Harman, Town Hall’s Unstoppable Dynamo

He clearly knew the town's cultural landscape and the groups to help, so his shortchanged career is another reason for the town to miss this effective, buoyant leader.

Do District Elections Suppress Voter Turnout?

District elections are touted to help elect minorities and to bind the candidates closer to a district. In fact, they might discourage voting and lock in incumbents.

New Life for KCTS/Crosscut?

The original goal of goosing KCTS into a television channel of strong public impact has been lost in the maze of new media opportunities and priorities. 

Some Bold Takes: Presidents and City Councils

I'm intrigued by a prediction from a conservative friend in D.C., who suspects a plot by Democrats to hold onto the White House. His three-cushion shot goes this way...

Election 2023: The Dogs That Did Not Bark

A decade of progressivism and new population has converted the city hall bureaucracy, the media, the arts, and the nonprofits into a Seattle shade of deep blue.

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