Douglas McLennan

Doug is a longtime arts journalist, and the founder and editor of ArtsJournal.com, he's frequent keynoter on arts and digital issues, and works with a number of arts organizations nationally.

Seattle Arts Organizations Say They’re Leaders For Social Justice. So Why Are They Fighting Paying Workers’ For Their Overtime?

It's illuminating that the argument Seattle's arts organizations are making isn't about whether paying overtime is fair, but whether it's affordable.

“No Matter What You Say, Republicans Are Going To Call You A Socialist.” So What Are You Fighting About?

Nobody really moved the needle. No disasters or gaffes, no big victories. No real surprises. And here's CNN at the end, hyping the "clash of ideas," and congratulating candidates on "scoring some good hits" and trying to shape it as a prize fight. Pretty tiresome.

Why Saving The Showbox Is A Cautionary Tale

The Showbox case is a good example of the feebleness of our approach to making and keeping Seattle a vibrant city.

The Debate Of No Trump, No Biden

Nobody really disqualified themselves, though no one really stepped up to dominate. Inslee had a great first answer on climate change, painting his state as a leader. But he...

Total Bore: Why Did Seattle’s New Waterfront Tunnel Have To Be So Ugly?

Has ever so dreary a car tunnel been constructed as the one we just built to replace the Seattle waterfront viaduct? The two-and-a-half-mile tube is about as artless a...

Nasty Little Orwell

Let's stipulate up front that Trump's a bad guy and a disaster as president. But there are more and more stories these days that attribute things he's said in...

“Morning Edition” And The Theme Music From Nowhere

Theme music for a radio show is like graphics and fonts and paper format for a magazine. Music establishes the neighborhood, telegraphs what's going on, reinforces the mood, and...

Has Tacoma Become A Better Place For The Arts Than Seattle?

The Stranger's Charles Mudede offers this provocative idea: that Tacoma might eclipse Seattle as an arts town: "My point: As the arts are in decline in Seattle,...

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