Several New York State museum executives and legislators are criticizing a state board’s surprise decision last month to abandon regulations barring institutions from selling works to cover operating expenses, says The New York Times.

The New York State Board of Regents had been expected to make the two-year-old temporary ban on such sales permanent but instead voted to let the rule expire.

Leaders of large New York City institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney and Guggenheim museums wrote to Merryl H. Tisch, the chancellor of the board, shortly before the vote last month to oppose a permanent ban. The Museum Association of New York and smaller institutions in the state would like to see the rule in place.

In other arts news, the nonprofit Sundance Institute, which puts on an annual film festival in Park City, Utah, is starting an international program to promote independent films by both American and foreign artists, The Washington Post says.

The initiative, co-financed by Sundance and federal arts agencies, will develop customized mini-festivals to showcase 10 independent films in locations across the United States and abroad.

Also, the Washington National Opera named Philippe Auguin its music director, replacing Heinz Fricke, the Post also reports.

(Free registration is required to view the Times and Post articles.)