A Letter to Mamdani
An appeal to the mayor-elect from an art worker, a controversial nativity scene in Belgium, and were medieval Psalms elitist?
In March, I remember looking around the standing-room-only crowd at Nightclub 101 in downtown Manhattan, where a relatively unknown assemblyman named Zohran Mamdani was holding a party-cum-fundraiser. I remember feeling the swell of hope and possibility, thinking — Wow. Am I crazy, or does he maybe have a shot at this thing?
He most certainly did. But now comes the real work: upholding that towering vision of transformative reform in all arenas — affordability, housing, education, and the arts. As musician and educator Sami Abu Shumays writes in a moving letter to the new administration about the role of government in arts funding, the city's Department of Cultural Affairs currently gives more money each year to the Metropolitan Museum of Art than it does to every cultural institution in Queens and Staten Island combined. As this year draws to a close, here’s hoping the next one heralds a more equitable and hopeful art world.
—Lisa Yin Zhang, associate editor
Dear Zohran, Don’t Let Art Workers Down
"Arts and culture are the very vehicles through which we express the power to shape our destinies," Sami Abu Shumays writes in a missive to New York City Mayor-elect Mamdani. "We must ensure that every member of our communities can actively participate in artistic and cultural creation and access affordable, local arts programs."
Taxes for Humans: A Radical Reimagining of Financial Empowerment
For artists, freelancers, and the self-employed, tax season can feel like a looming cloud. A new book by artist-turned-tax-specialist Hannah Cole offers an antidote.
News
- Mary Anne Carter, the Trump-appointed former chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, will return for a second term as the administration continues to gut the agency.
- A controversial monument to "victims of communism" in Ottawa will be altered after the Canadian government reportedly discovered potential Nazi affiliations among the commemorated individuals.
Must-Read
How a Nativity Scene Sent Europe Into a Tizzy
A nativity scene made of recycled textiles instead of wood caused a huge controversy after it was displayed in Brussels. Katherine Kelaidis reads this incident in the context of the larger question of whether explicitly Christian imagery should be part of European public spaces, and what form it should take.
Launch a Community-Centered Design Career with an MDes From the University of Arkansas
The two-year, tuition-free Master of Design in Communication Design program blends studio-driven research, community engagement, and advanced design practice.
Member Comment
Lorin Duckman on Lisa Yin Zhang's "The Trump Administration Looks Even Worse Up Close":
From Our Critics
Medieval Psalms Were Not For Everyone
Medievalist Tamar Boyadjian certainly knows her stuff — in this review, she argues that the Morgan Library & Museum's exhibition Sing a New Song: The Psalms in Medieval Art and Life focuses more on the luxurious visual object than the conflict-ridden reality of medieval life for ordinary men and women.
Ucross – Fall 2026 Artist Residencies
Experience the majestic High Plains on a 20,000-acre ranch in Wyoming. Artists-in-residence enjoy uninterrupted time and space, private studios, chef-prepared meals, and a $1,500 stipend. The application fee is $40.
Deadline: January 15, 2026 (11:59pm MT) | ucross.org
From the Archive
Banksy Unveils a Political Interpretation of the Nativity Scene in Bethlehem
The work was unveiled at the artist’s Walled Off Hotel, which overlooks Israel’s separation wall around Bethlehem.
