It’s been a minute! Newsletter writing fell off, a casualty of eldercare and travel. Struggle and new horizons go hand in hand, of course, but they don’t afford much time for ruminating in the inbox.

As I continue to process what this hiatus has wrought, I offer a few things to note:

News & Opportunities

Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship

I’m excited to announce the 2026 recipients of the Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship! These emerging arts writers of color each receive a $5,000 unrestricted award.

Derrick Austin is a Black queer writer who has been publishing poetry for fifteen years and recently began writing prose about visual art, including pieces in AICA-USA Magazine and Brink.

Mari Carmen Barrios Giordano writes in English and Spanish about visual and performing arts in Mexico, the United States, and the Caribbean. She covers artists and artistic projects addressing hybridity, conflict, and the production of knowledge on the American continent, with a special interest in the representation of physical violence and threat.

Please join me in congratulating them and please keep an eye out for their work!

Rooted in Memory

The recording of the conversation between me and Mario H. Ramirez on Radical Metadata & Provenance is now online. We had a lively conversation affirming the need and importance of different approaches to description, acquisition, and ownership to more responsibly and ethically reflect our cultural heritage.

Collaborative Collections: Navigating Shared CMS Models and Discovery Portals

A free webinar from the folks at Relicura: This webinar provides a comprehensive guide to navigating the strategic, technical, and social frameworks of shared collection models. From simple shared databases to large-scale, consortium-led discovery portals, we’ll analyze the variety of Collections Management System (CMS) sharing models available today. Whether you aim to lower IT overhead, afford an upgraded CMS, or accelerate online audience growth, this session delivers a practical roadmap to move your institution from isolated operation to interconnected collection success. July 30, 2026. @12PM Pacific

Register here