Pbs Newshour - Art Beat

Presidential advisor and former News Hour contributor David Gergen died at 83 after being diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. Throughout his career, Gergen served four presidents, both Democrats and Republicans, and he spent many Friday nights offering his insights and analysis here on the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour. Geoff Bennett has this remembrance. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

At an Omaha, Nebraska, festival this summer, new work explores the intersection of art, disability and technology, asking questions like "who has a voice?" and "who gets to be heard?" Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown reports on this unusual undertaking for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

From college stardom at Iowa to shattering attendance records and becoming a top financial driver for the WNBA, Caitlin Clark’s rise has also come with its fair share of controversy. Clark is in many ways just getting started and a new book takes a deeper look at how she got there. Amna Nawaz spoke with Christine Brennan about “On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women's Sports." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Journalists Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf are out with a new book unpacking the twists and turns of the 2024 presidential election. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with insiders, the book offers a revealing look at the circumstances that led to Trump’s return. Amna Nawaz spoke with the writers about “2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America.” PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

An artist who was once uprooted from her homeland has spent decades transforming works of nature into works of art. Michelle San Miguel of Rhode Island PBS Weekly has the story from the woods of New England for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Virgil Abloh was a boundary-breaking designer who made streetwear luxurious and luxury feel accessible. Abloh was the first Black artistic director at Louis Vuitton and the visionary behind Off-White. Beyond the runways, he built bridges between worlds that rarely touched. Geoff Bennett sat down with Robin Givhan, who traces the deeper meaning behind Abloh’s work in the new book, "Make It Ours." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Sean “Diddy" Combs was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges, but found guilty of prostitution offenses. The mixed verdict brings an end to one of the most closely watched trials in the country. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Moira Penza, a former assistant U.S. attorney who led the prosecution that resulted in the sex trafficking conviction of NXIVM leader Keith Raniere. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Tuesday, jurors in the sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs reached a verdict on four of the five counts and will return for deliberations, 165 international charities and aid organizations are calling for a shutdown of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation that has been plagued by violence and USAID was officially closed and absorbed into the State Department. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Colum McCann's Narrative 4 organization is bringing the power of story to students in a time of division. The project helps young people around the world share their stories and bridge divides in politics and culture. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown reports for our series, Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy, as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Growing up in South Africa, internationally celebrated opera singer Pretty Yende hadn’t even heard of opera until she was almost out of high school. Now, she’s hailed as one of her generation’s most accomplished coloratura sopranos. Ciaran Jenkins of Independent Television News reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Arthur Sze, one of the most acclaimed poets of our time, is celebrated for exploring the natural world, the human condition and connections between cultures. A second-generation Chinese American based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Sze’s work invites readers to deepen their sense of place and reflect on the world around them. Jeffrey Brown spoke with Sze for our Arts and Culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Millions of Americans are expected to go on a European vacation this summer. Many of those going for the first time are likely to be following the advice of travel writer Rick Steves, host of “Rick Steves’ Europe” on PBS stations. John Yang sits down with him for our Weekend Spotlight series. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Dr. Carla Hayden, a trailblazing librarian of Congress, was fired by President Trump in May. Geoff Bennett recently spoke with her about being blindsided by the decision, the administration’s ongoing efforts to reshape key institutions and why she intends to keep speaking out. It’s for our series, Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy, as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Unless you’re a longtime jazz aficionado, you might only know the names and music of a handful of stars and legends. But what about all those who’ve built a life working in this art form? A new fellowship honors them and offers financial support in their final years of music and life. Jeffrey Brown has the story for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Comedian and illustrator Mo Welch has built a career blending sharp humor with emotional honesty. Her recent special, "Dad Jokes," explores her childhood with a largely absent father, culminating in a road trip to reunite with him after 20 years. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A new biography, "Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson," tells the story of the Black transgender pioneer’s fight on the frontlines of history as a leader in the early LGBTQ rights movement. Amna Nawaz spoke with author Tourmaline for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A week ago, 11 of the 12 members of the board overseeing the prestigious Fulbright Program, which promotes international educational exchanges, resigned, citing political interference by the Trump administration. Geoffrey Bennett speaks with David Price, one of the former members of the Fulbright Board and former Democratic Congressman from North Carolina. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

How lost are we without our devices? Or putting it more simply, as novelist Colum McCann might: just how isolated are we? His new novel "Twist" asks big questions through a story of characters literally at sea. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown has this profile of the book and its writer for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Smithsonian’s board of regents issued a statement on Monday declaring that “all personnel decisions are made by and subject to the direction of the secretary, with oversight by the board.” It comes amid President Trump's efforts to fire one of its leaders. Jeffrey Brown discussed more with Philip Kennicott for our series, Art in Action, and our arts and culture coverage, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Broadway hit a record-breaking box office haul of $1.9 billion this season driven by renewed interest in the Great White Way and boosted by star-studded shows. At the Tony Awards, there was a call to celebrate acting on stages big and small. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown peeks behind the curtain for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders