Danny Groner, 01/06/13

Manager, Shutterstock

On some level, now that everyone has an opinion, nobody's opinion really matters.

David Galenson, 01/03/13

Professor of Economics, University of Chicago

Antonio Canaletto was not the first or last painter to devote his career to recording the beauty of Venice, but he was the greatest.

Michael Kaiser, 01/07/13

President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

I have tremendous sympathy for arts organizations that are facing fiscal challenges. But it is difficult to feel much sympathy for an organization that causes its own demise by failing to fill out basic paperwork.

Jesse Kornbluth, 01/07/13

Editor of HeadButler.com

The band is sometimes described as a latter-day Fleetwood Mac, but Este, Alana and Danielle Haim are so much more than that.

George Heymont, 01/07/13

San Francisco-based arts critic

The opportunity to experience works like Woyzeck, The Threepenny Opera, Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, and The Beggar's Opera in an extremely intimate theatre like the 100-seat Ashby Stage make them far more gritty and accessible.

Debra Devi, 01/04/13

Author of 'The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu', Singer/guitarist for Devi

The blues invigorated American popular music with African musical techniques and values -- and rock and roll and jazz were born.

Rochelle Jewel Shapiro, 01/06/13

Psychic, Author

I don't know whether I love the show or I just love the role it has played in my family life. But "Annie" still fills me with tremulousness for the past and the sunny feeling that no matter how dark things may seem, there's hope for a happy New Year.

Bruce Helander, 01/04/13

Editor-in-Chief, 'The Art Economist'; Former White House Fellow of the National Endowment for the Arts

Art has represented the United States in its embassies and consulates around the world by putting our "best foot forward" in the spirit of creativity and cooperation among nations and showcasing some of America's most respected contemporary artists.

Xavier Aaronson, 01/04/13

Founder, Babes at the Museum

For all you solo museum excursionists needing some tunes for this weekend's art fix, we've got you covered.

Leonard Maltin, 01/04/13

Film critic and historian

January is traditionally a spillover month for late-December releases, almost all of them vying for critics' awards and, of course, the Oscar. There are some worthy candidates this year, along with well-intentioned films that suffer from what might be called December Bloat.

Dan Persons, 01/04/13

Film Journalist

Director Larry Buchanan, the mastermind behind such cinematic spectacles as Zontar: The Thing from Venus and Attack of the The Eye Creatures (Wiki it), was willing to tackle the tumult of the sixties head-on, countering the rise of women as a political force with a clutch of Martians.

Daniel Grant, 01/04/13

Arts Writer

As poor as he was, Vincent van Gogh didn't use 10 percent less paint on his canvases to save money, and Michelangelo didn't substitute quartz for marble. But the rising price of copper, the main component of bronze, has forced more and more sculptors to economize.

Ben Thomas, 01/04/13

Founder, The Connectome

Dr. Taylor tries to tell us, in the most precise language possible, what it was like to watch her thoughts fall away as she fell into timeless bliss. Truth be told, though, your own subjective experience is just as unique as hers -- and, ultimately, just as immune to exact translation.

Alexis Kleinman, 01/03/13

Every night when I go to sleep, I have the sounds of Comedy Bang Bang or Doug Loves Movies flowing through my ears. As I step on the subway, I'm listening to Who Charted?.

Daniel Asia, 01/03/13

Composer; Professor, University of Arizona

Let me make a bold proposition in this regard. Music appeals to the mind, emotions, and body. It unites these three aspects of man in a way that perhaps no other art form does.

Mike Love, 01/03/13

Lead singer, The Beach Boys

Around the time The Beach Boys brought the fun and the sun of Southern California to every corner of the world, those stateside began to experience the mystical sounds and the extraordinary culture originating from the Eastern world, through Ravi Shankar.

Scott Mendelson, 01/03/13

Film critic at Mendelson's Memos, Valley Scene Magazine

After plenty of foreplay, it's time to actually rattle off my picks for the ten very "best" films of the year. As always, these are not the objective "best" films of the year, but merely my out-and-out favorites of the last twelve months.