Same Old Blah – Why We Need To Reinvigorate Arts Criticism (Get Some New Voices!)

Can anyone argue that our largely white critical contingent in Boston isinterested in generating hard hitting debate, controversy, andunconventional ideas? In the hands of these white critics and theireditors, arts coverage is shrinking into terminal boredom — in the Globe, ARTery,and elsewhere — as critics embrace the role of diplomat/consumerguides, dispensers of ad-copy happy talk. Reviews that market to thelowest common denominator may sell tickets, and that reassures thepowers-