Local News Isn’t Complete Without Arts Coverage

From theaters to galleries, arts coverage reveals what communities value and how people connect across a city.

On Local News Day, we tend to talk about accountability reporting, city hall coverage, and the steady, essential work of keeping the public informed. What we often leave behind, though, is the equally essential work of covering how our communities understand themselves.

Journalists are storytellers. We believe, deeply, in the power of narrative to lift truth from from complexity and help people see the world around them more clearly. As a long-time journalist, but first time arts reporter, it has been a revelation to see this same urge in the context of my new beat. Because artists, too, search for narrative and truth. They also dig deep to share what they understand of the world, with the world. And though the mediums are different, arts, I firmly believe, are as vital to our communities as is news.

And yet, arts coverage is often treated as expendable. As local newsrooms shrink, dedicated critics disappear, and coverage narrows, arts reporting is often one of the first areas to be cut.

Over the past year what I've realized is that when people argue that arts coverage isn’t essential, what they’re often really saying is that the arts themselves are not for everyone. And there’s a reason that perception exists. When tickets can cost $75, $150, or more, access is uneven and the audience reflects that. But that’s not an argument for less coverage; it’s an argument for better, more intentional and inclusive coverage.

It's not hard to do. Artists want people to see their work as much as people want to see it. In reporting on Boston's theater scene I've learned just how much this is true. Theaters, in Boston at least, are really working with audiences to fill seats through ticket discounts, rush policies, and community programs designed to open the doors wider. By surfacing those opportunities, arts journalists can help more people find their way in. At Scene in Boston, we treat that as core reporting, not a bonus feature.

This is why, while my cohost, Lisa Thalhamer, and I do talk about performances we've seen recently, we are explicitly not reviewing them. Instead, we’re helping people navigate the world of theater. We’re offering context, making connections, and, ideally, widening the circle of who feels like they belong. It’s not just about what’s on stage this weekend. It’s about building a sense of cultural momentum—helping people see that these stories are part of a larger conversation happening across the city.

On Local News Day, we should be clear about what we mean when we talk about “saving the news.” It’s not just about preserving institutions—it’s about preserving our ability to understand ourselves and each other. That work happens in city council chambers, yes. But it also happens in theaters, galleries, and performance spaces across our communities. If we want a fuller picture of who we are, arts coverage isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Today, take a moment to explore and support the local news organizations telling those stories—across beats, across formats, and across communities. You can find a list of local news organizations in your area at the Local News Day website here (I guarantee that there will be some you're hearing about for the first time). And if you find value in arts coverage, seek it out, share it, and help sustain it. You can start be forwarding this newsletter to someone you know.

Thank you, today and every day, for being a part of Scene in Boston.

-Laura