ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan’s website, Montage, features the latest news about the arts, creative endeavors, collaborative projects and engaging events. Visit the site: www.montage.umich.edu

This week’s features on Montage include:

• Made in Ann Arbor: A short, compelling video made by U-M film students highlights the advantages of filming in Ann Arbor. The aim is to attract filmmakers from around the world—and to create jobs for film students.
• Searching for a new key: U-M’s Mark Clague analyzes the reasons American orchestras are struggling financially, and offers a glimpse of the road ahead, including insightful analysis of the contract dispute at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
• A journey east: U-M’s Symphony Band will tour China in May. A student band of 80 musicians has been selected to perform and participate in an unprecedented cultural exchange. The trip is the result of President Mary Sue Coleman’s initiative to develop a “cultural and economic dialogue” with China. The trip will be a homecoming for Violinist Xiang Gao, an alum, who will join U-M symphony band on China tour. And, a Feb. 4 concert will feature pieces to be performed by the student-musician band.
• Wonders of digitization: U-M Library scanning 1,100 Islamic manuscripts; scholars around world gain access to collection.
• Lifetime of creativity: U-M’s Nicholas Delbanco’s new book explores the art of old age.
• Architectural jewel: The University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) has been recognized as one of 10 projects worldwide with the 2011 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Honor Award for Architecture, the profession’s highest recognition of works that exemplify excellence.
• Mining Modernism: The U-M Museum of Art’s latest exhibit offers an imaginative alternative history of 20th-century art. Mai-Thu Perret: An Ideal for Living runs through March 13 in the A. Alfred Taubman Gallery.
• Colossal fossil: A new whale skeleton exhibit at U-M’s Exhibit Museum of Natural History represents decades of research.
• The Wonder of H20: A long list of events, concerts, exhibits and lectures are among the highlights as U-M’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts explores an array of water issues.

Water Theme Semester