Elizabeth Blair
Elizabeth Blair is a Peabody Award-winning senior producer/reporter on the Arts Desk of NPR News.
Blair produces, edits, and reports arts and cultural segments for NPR'sMorning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. In this position, she has reported on a range of topics from arts funding to the MeToo movement. She has profiled renowned artists such as Yayoi Kusama and Mikhail Baryshnikov, explored how old women are represented in fairy tales, and reported the origins of the children's classic Curious George. Among her all-time favorite interviews are actors Octavia Spencer and Andy Serkis, comedians Bill Burr and Hari Kondabolu, the rapper K'Naan, and Cookie Monster (in character).
Blair has overseen several, large-scale series including The NPR 100, which explored landmark musical works of the 20th Century, and In Character, which probed the origins of iconic American fictional characters. Along with her colleagues on the Arts Desk and at NPR Music, Blair curated American Anthem, a major series exploring the origins of songs that uplift, rouse, and unite people around a common theme.
Blair's work has received several honors, including two Peabody Awards and a Gracie. She previously lived in Paris, France, where she co-produced Le Jazz Club From Paris with Dee Dee Bridgewater,and the monthly magazine Postcard From Paris.
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The arts employ nearly five million people in America, but advocates say President Trump's record of support for arts and humanities has been mixed. Will that change under the Biden administration? -
The "unabashedly sentimental" romantic tearjerker was the highest grossing movie of 1970. Since then it's inspired countless ugly cries — and plenty of parodies, too.
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Described asPitch Perfect meets March Madness, the competition received performance videos from hundreds of groups. Groups can win cash prizes for charities.
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The film continues writer Linda Kuehl's unfinished investigation into Holiday's life through never-before-heard interviews with jazz luminaries, and explores her experiences with institutional racism.
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In a new book of essays, No One Asked For This, Cazzie David writes about struggles with depression and anxiety, the perils of social media, and her excruciating breakup with SNL star Pete Davidson.
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With so many people hunkered down due to the coronavirus pandemic, jigsaw puzzle sales are booming — and retailers are struggling to meet the increased demand.
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"Any time we express ourselves, that's a form of patriotism," says writer and artist Mo Willems. He'll lead three drawing exercises, each accompanied by a National Symphony Orchestra musician.
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With increased car and foot traffic, the ground underneath the Tidal Basin — home to memorials to Thomas Jefferson, FDR and MLK Jr. — is sinking. As sea levels rise, the walkways flood daily.
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The Movie The Opening Act follows the trials and tribulations of a stand-up comedian. It stars Jimmy O. Yang, Cedric the Entertainer, Alex Moffat along with cameos by comics who've been there.
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A new fund created by the Andrew W. Mellon and Ford Foundations awards unrestricted grants to fellows working in a range of disciplines including architecture, dance, multimedia and journalism.
