Monster Mash: U.S. diplomacy to include visual artists; High Museum receives major art gift

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Heading abroad: The U.S. State Department is expanding its cultural diplomacy programs to include visual artists such as painters and sculptors. (New York Times)

Major donation: The High Museum of Art has received a gift of 90 19th century American paintings and sculptures from the Atlanta-based West Foundation. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

New home: Ballet West has announced plans to build a new center for dance in Salt Lake City while renovating the existing Capitol Theatre. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Fighting back: Members of community arts organizations in Buffalo, N.Y., are protesting a decision to cut $625,000 in government support to local theaters, museums and dance troupes. (Buffalo News)

Brisk box office: The Broadway revival of Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ starring Al Pacino, is doing strong business while still in previews. (Variety)

Resignation: The chief conductor of the Hungarian National Opera has decided to step down days after the opera’s director was fired over financial irregularities. (Agence France-Presse)

Honored: Composer Philip Glass was one of a number of honorees at the recent National Endowment for the Arts 2010 Opera Honors. (Washington Post)

Controversial: A production of Handel’s opera ‘Semele’ in China has caused a cultural stir for its frank nudity and other boundary-pushing interpretations. (New York Times)

Passing: Joseph Stein, the musical librettist who wrote the books to shows including ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and ‘Zorba,’ has died at age 98. (Playbill)

And in the L.A. Times: L.A. is experiencing an exodus of major artwork; is a new sculpture destined for Pershing Square?

-- David Ng