Devon Akmon

How Do Museums Resist Censorship? Co-presented by Zócalo Public Square, Japanese American National Museum (JANM), and The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)

February 23 | Herald Examiner Building, Downtown LA. Can't attend in person? Join us via livestream!

Learn more and register: www.eventbrite.com/e/how-do-mus...

Event flyer for "How Do Museums Resist Censorship?" featuring a bronze equestrian statue by Kara Walker titled "Unmanned Drone" (2023). The flyer lists the date and time as February 23, 2026, 7:30-9:30 PM at Herald Examiner Building in Los Angeles. Panelists include Elizabeth Larison (moderator, Director of Arts and Culture Advocacy Program at National Coalition Against Censorship), Devon Akmon (Director of Michigan State University Museum and Chair of the Board at American Alliance of Museums), Ann Burroughs (President and CEO of Japanese American National Museum), and Hamza Walker (Director of The Brick and Co-Curator of MONUMENTS). Bottom text reads "RSVP HERE - Join us in person or online" with URL zps.la/museums.

Museums are under pressure like never before—and the fights over what we see are intensifying. Join me, Ann Burroughs (Japanese American National Museum), Hamza Walker (The Brick), & moderator Elizabeth Larison (National Coalition Against Censorship) for: "How Do Museums Resist Censorship?"

Philip Glass cancels Kennedy Center symphony premiere in protest of Trump's leadership Prize-winning composer Philip Glass has canceled the world premiere of his symphony about Abraham Lincoln at the Kennedy Center.

Prize-winning composer Philip Glass has canceled the world premiere of his symphony about Abraham Lincoln at the Kennedy Center.

Promotional graphic for an event titled “How Do Museums Resist Censorship?” The design features large bold text and event details on a dark textured background. Date and time listed as February 23, 2026, from 7:30 to 9:30 PM at the Herald Examiner Building in Los Angeles. Panelists shown in individual headshots include Elizabeth Larison, Devon Akmon, Ann Burroughs, and Hamza Walker, each with their titles and affiliations. A photograph of a bronze sculpture by Kara Walker appears on the left side. The bottom includes logos of partner organizations and a call to RSVP at zps.la/museums.

Excited to be part of a powerful conversation, hosted by @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social, called “How Do Museums Resist Censorship?” If you are in Los Angeles on Monday, February 23, join us for a timely and important discussion. RSVP to join online or in-person: zps.la/museums

Black graphic with white text reading “In Solidarity.” The Minnesota Museum of American Art announces it is closed today, January 23, for staff community service and well being, expressing support for the communities it serves. The message notes the museum will reopen Saturday and Sunday as a place of respite and inspiration, with free admission for all.

Teal graphic with white text stating that the Science Museum of Minnesota is closed on Friday, January 23, in solidarity with the immigrant community to allow space for action, reflection, rest, and safety. The message says the museum will reopen with regular hours on Saturday and includes the phrase “Science is for everyone.”

Interior view of the Minneapolis Institute of Art with large windows overlooking a winter cityscape and a sculptural installation in the foreground. Text overlay states the museum is closed on Friday, January 23, to recognize the weight of the moment in the community and to prioritize care for employees and the Twin Cities community, with regular hours resuming Saturday.

Screenshot of the Walker Art Center website with a yellow banner at the top reading that the Walker is closed today in support of the community and that a Nile Harris performance has been canceled. The page features images and listings for exhibitions and performances, including Dyani White Hawk: Love Language.

Prominent museums in Minneapolis are standing in solidarity with the local community today.

National Park Service Dismantles Slavery Exhibit in Philadelphia

Limiting our national story to only “the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people” erases essential truths about who we are and how we arrived here. That kind of selective history is not consistent with American values.

The Rise and Fall of the American Monoculture For most of the 20th century, pop culture was the glue that held the U.S. together. But what will it mean now that everything has splintered?

Some interesting food for thought in this article: "For most of the 20th century, pop culture was the glue that held the U.S. together. But what will it mean now that everything has splintered?"

American museums could lose trust submitting to Trump demands - WDET 101.9 FM The Smithsonian has submitted documents to the White House for ideological review. Will trust in American museums survive the pressure campaign?

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tia Graham of The Metro on WDET, Detroit Public Radio, for a segment titled “Can museums maintain public trust amid Trump pressure on Smithsonian?” Give it a listen and let me know your thoughts on the topic.

How Museums Can Help Rebuild Trust in a Divided America Museums remain among the few places where curiosity still draws people across political and cultural lines. Can they model how people might think and listen together?

92% of adults view museums as nonpartisan sources of education, and 96% would support lawmakers who fund them. Now museums are using that trust to foster dialogue in polarized times — modeling how people might think and listen together.
https://phlnthrp.com/49zGzXF

Trump’s assault on the Smithsonian: ‘The goal is to reframe the entire culture of the US’ The long read: The president has vowed to kill off ‘woke’ in his second term in office, and the venerable cultural institution a few blocks from the White House is in his sights

"Through lawsuits and executive orders, threats and intimidation, the administration is seeking to shift the country to the right...To do so, he is targeting the institutions – universities and museums – that form people’s minds and imaginations, their sense of identity."

How museums can help rebuild trust in a divided America As social divisions grow, museums provide forums for civic connection and discourse across political and cultural lines.

92% of adults view museums as nonpartisan sources of education.

This rare level of confidence gives museums both an opportunity and a responsibility to model how people might think and listen together, explains one museum director.

Washington National Opera Is Leaving the Kennedy Center

It was only a matter of time. Donors are withholding contributions, & ticket sales are declining. What will become of the Kennedy Center?

"The opera, which has performed at the arts center since 1971, was concerned about declines in attendance and donations during President Trump’s second term."

Arts to promote mental health goal of new University of Michigan clinical program Michigan ArtsRx is a new clinical arts initiative to assist the mental health of students, UM affiliates, and Ann Arbor residents through arts programming.

UMich is launching ArtsRx, a new clinical-art initiative that harnesses the healing power of music, visual arts, performance, and storytelling to support students and Ann Arbor residents while strengthening community well-being.

Copenhagen: Art, Architecture, and the Joy of Movement
devonakmon.com/news/adventu...

The Metro: What our museums offer — and why the White House is clamping down on them - WDET 101.9 FM On Tuesday, the White House called for a “comprehensive internal review” of eight Smithsonian museums.

Earlier today, I joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro, hosted by Detroit’s flagship NPR station WDET, to discuss how museums are responding to political pressure amid the White House’s ongoing attacks on the Smithsonian.

Jeff Mills to bring new residency to Detroit's Spot Lite next month · News ⟋ RA The September residency will encompass live performances, film screenings and a public exhibition featuring art and artifacts from his personal collection.

"The September residency will encompass live performances, film screenings and a public exhibition featuring art and artifacts from his personal collection."

Visitor wearing headphones viewing interactive and digital algorithmic art installations, including a central illuminated column with abstract marine-inspired visuals, at Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms, Toledo Museum of Art.

Digital wall display of colorful rose petals arranged in grid patterns alongside a video portrait of a man, part of Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms, Toledo Museum of Art.

Large algorithmically generated wall art featuring a grid of colorful gradients and geometric patterns in red, blue, pink, and yellow hues, at Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms, Toledo Museum of Art.

Additional works on display in the exhibition Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms at Toledo Museum of Art.

Video of Jardins d’Été by artist Quayola, on view at the Toledo Museum of Art as part of the exhibition Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms. toledomuseum.org/exhibitions/...

Huge thanks to @ulabeast.bsky.social for taking an interest in the @aadl.org #summergame and reporting on it for a national audience on Morning Edition! And humongous thanks to all the players, staff, partners and volunteers who make it happen, bigger and better, every summer!

Call for Artists! The Ann Arbor Housing Commission has issued an RFQ for public artwork at the new Dunbar Tower. Selected artists will be commissioned to create original works for the building’s interior, exterior, & new community space. Deadline to submit is coming fast: August 31. #A2Council

Slide titled ‘RECOMMENDATION 4: Make engagement events more accessible and attractive.’ It explains that inaccessible, unwelcoming, or hostile events deter engagement. Below are ten listed strategies, such as offering hybrid meetings, holding meetings at various times, recording and sharing meetings, enforcing respectful ground rules, compensating participants, training facilitators, and clearly communicating decision-making processes.

That’s something our group of 30 residents, likely the city’s most diverse to date, emphasized over 18 months of work with staff on the Achieving Equitable Engagement in Ann Arbor report. I’m not sure how it’s being used now or whether its impact is being assessed. www.a2gov.org/services/equ...

Glad to see my screenshot of Alan is still making the rounds. A perennial favorite.

Excurio | Horizon of Khufu Explore the last wonder of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid. Welcome to Egypt!

I wonder if immersive storytelling & technologies will make "visiting" historical/cultural landmarks & heritage sites more accessible as consumer tech like VR expands opportunities. Excurio, founded in 2020, is one example creating “immersive expeditions” to explore the world virtually.

The moveable middle, lol.

A red, white, and blue “I Voted” sticker featuring the U.S. flag, Arabic text reading “لقد صوتت” (I voted), and the hashtag #A2Votes, all on an oval white background.

I’m delighted to share that I voted Yes on Proposals A and B in the Ann Arbor special election! Now it’s your turn—have you made your voice heard? #A2Council #A2Votes

Toum and hummus on everything. 🇱🇧

I mean, if someone attended preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school — as well as university — then the answer is clearly yes.

In a nutshell, that is leadership.

The generational divide on the CLUP is real. One side wants change—density and diversity. The other wants to keep things the same. This debate will shape our future. #A2Council

An AI-generated brain with glowing nodules rests on a vast blue computer chip interface with orange-red circuits. Text on image reads "Open Call: Singularity. An Exhibition Examining When AI Outthinks Humans. Entry Deadline: July 4, 2025"

There's less than a month left to submit a proposal for the MSU Museum CoLab Studio's exhibition, "Singularity," don't miss out! buff.ly/r47qJJb