AI & Music Rights: HolaTune says eligible AI-generated tracks (including Suno/Udio) can reach major DSPs if creators follow copyright and platform rules, as UMG and ElevenLabs push an opt-in AI remix platform and labels strike new deals. AI in Culture & Work: Publishers at the Future of Media Technology Conference are shifting from click counts to relationship-building, while debates rage over “AI slop,” cognitive offloading, and whether AI can truly replace human creativity. Arts Institutions & Craft: The National Academy of Design elects 12 new members for “extraordinary contributions,” and the National Quilt Museum opens “Pigment, Dye & Thread,” spotlighting color, surface, and stitch as contemporary art. Community & Identity: Malaysia’s Adiwarna Runway spotlights hibiscus-inspired heritage fashion, Joshua Tree’s second Saturday art walk centers Deaf artists, and Zamboanga’s Fiesta Hermosa ties culture, tradition, and devotion into one festival story. Local Creativity Boosts: Oregon’s Cultural Trust awards a record $4.5M statewide, while San Ramon students win $5,000 each for STEM-and-culture event ideas. Film & Performance: Brad Pitt argues AI could help make mid-budget movies viable, and Nigerian filmmaker Akay Mason insists AI films “will fail” without real human emotional connection.