Whatever Happened to Regional Critics?

Arts critic Terry Teachout (the honorable and venerable) had this to say in a recent, typically spot-on Wall Street Journal column (from July 7) about the future of arts criticism:

"To be sure, it's hard for medium-size regional newspapers to attract serious critics, but it can be done. Indeed, a well-edited regional paper is often the best possible place for an up-and-coming young critic to learn his trade. I got my start reviewing second-string classical concerts for the Kansas City Star 30 years ago. Now that such entry-level jobs are drying up, I fear for the future of arts journalism in America.

Any artist who's been side-swiped by a lame-brained critic will doubtless be tempted to cheer this news. Before such aggrieved folk break out the Dom Perignon, though, they should pay heed to the warning of Virgil Thomson, who dominated American music criticism in the '40s and '50s: 'Perhaps criticism is useless. Certainly it is often inefficient. But it is the only antidote we have to paid publicity.' If you think you can do without that antidote, more power to you -- but you'd better be prepared to buy a lot of ads."

Read all of Whatever Happened to Regional Critics?

You can also read much more of Terry's work at Terryteachout.com

Thanks to The Rest is Noise for the heads up.