The Raleigh Tribune

Conan O’Brien announces he will return to late night TV at 11 Eastern on TBS .

“When Conan O’Brien’s audience for “The Tonight Show” settled in around 2.5 million viewers, it was such a disaster that NBC had to wade in a firestorm of ridicule and reinstall Jay Leno at 11:35,” according to NYDailyNews.com

Conan cannot return to lat night TV until September in accordance with his buyout agreement with NBC, but when he does, his show will bump the Lopez Tonight show to the midnight time slot.

“In three months. I’ve gone from network television to Twitter to performing in live theaters, and now I’m headed to basic cable. My plan is working perfectly,” O’Brien said in a statement.

O’Brien might not gather a 2.5 million viewer following on TBS, but what he will do is bring much needed attention to the cable network, attention that will boost the rating of other network shows and bring in advertisement revenue.

Popularity: 8%

Public art

The City of Raleigh is seeking qualifications from artists to provide site-specific public art for the new Buffaloe Road Aquatic Center. This recreational swimming facility will be a regional destination located within the 167-acre Buffaloe Road Athletic Park that also has athletic fields and hiking trails, wetlands, and, in the near future, connection to a greenway along the Neuse River.

Designed by Szostak Design of Chapel Hill, the aquatic center will include a leisure pool with a giant water slide, a zero-depth entry and other pool features as well as a concession area, locker rooms, and support spaces. The Buffaloe Road Aquatic Center is funded by an $88.6 million bond referendum approved by Raleigh voters in 2007.

Public art at selected City of Raleigh sites is authorized by the Half Percent for Art Ordinance established by the City Council in 2009 and implemented by the City’s Public Art and Design Board and the City’s Arts Commission. The Buffaloe Road Aquatic Center has been selected for public art based on its impact on a broad regional audience and its unique accessibility in a suburban watershed.

Under goals established by the Public Art and Design Board, the public art at the Buffaloe Road Aquatic Center will encourage visitors to reflect on the natural beauty of Buffaloe Road Athletic Park, recognize the creative spirit of the architecture, and engage visitors and enhance experiences of the park and swimming facility.  Themes that public art at the aquatic center might address include, but are not limited to: water in its different forms, water stewardship and conservation, water and healthy lifestyles, and the intersection at the facility of people of very different ages and abilities.

The selection process will have two rounds. In the first round, an Artist Selection Panel appointed by the Public Art and Design Board will evaluate qualifications of artists based on five criteria: artistic merit, place making experience, experience in collaborative public art processes, project management experience, and technical expertise.  The Artist Selection Panel will identify up to three finalists to invite to Raleigh for interviews, the second round of the selection process. The finalists will receive a stipend of $500 to cover all travel and related expenses associated with the interview.

The project budget is $70,000 inclusive of all expenses.  Qualifications must be submitted via CaFE (http://www.callforentry.org/) by 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 9.  There is no fee to submit qualifications.

For more information contact Jerry Bolas, public art coordinator for the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, at 831-2414 or email gerald.bolas@ci.raleigh.nc.us.  For application guidelines and relevant plans, visit the Arts Commission at www.raleighnc.gov/arts (under the category “Picture,” select Public Art.)

Established in 1977 as the official advisory body and advocate for the arts to the Raleigh City Council, the City of Raleigh Arts Commission holds the distinction of being the first municipal arts commission created in North Carolina.  Serving as the leading force to champion the arts with Raleigh citizens and their representatives, the Arts Commission’s myriad activities foster, support, and promote the arts in the Capital City

Popularity: 66%

Embarking in its 26th year, the Miriam Preston Block Art Gallery managed by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission is presenting its 2010 exhibition series “Exhibiting Dichotomies.”

Featured exhibitions include “dual/focus,” Feb. 4 to March 22; “home/journeys,” April 8 to May 24; “earth/sky,” June 3 to July 26; “over/under,” Aug. 5 to Sept. 20; “rew/ffwd” (rewind/fast forward), Sept. 30 to Nov. 22; and the National Arts Program, Dec. 2 to Jan. 17, 2011. All of the exhibits will be displayed in the Block Art Gallery on the first and second floors of the Avery C. Upchurch Government Complex, 222 W. Hargett St. A reception will be held the first Thursday of each exhibit’s opening month.

Launching this year’s program is “dual/focus,” curated by Rachel Berry and Sarah Powers. “Dual/focus” explores the roots of printmaking and photography in both technology and fine art. Artists featured will be Jason Arthurs, Gabriella Corter, Mary Shannon Johnstone, Judy Jones, Mary Kay Kennedy, Julie Niskanen, Alison Overton, Kristianne Ripple, and Susan Soper. The second-floor cases will showcase digital fiber art by Tricia McKellar.

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Popularity: 3%

Conan's last skit staring Will Ferrell

However anyone perceives the latest late night TV wars, I see it as a power struggle, Jay Leno vs. Conan O’Brien, and the better of the two lost his spot.

Also, the intro to Jimmy Fallon’s show paying his respects to Conan and more …

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Popularity: 26%