Arts First
Episodes
E35: Barb Jungr and the art of song
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Arts First, we turn our attention to music and the art of song: songwriting, interpretation, and performance. And who better to gui...
What does post-woke art look like?
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In December last year, critic Dean Kissick, in an article for Harper’s Magazine, caused controversy in the contemporary art world. He complained tha...
Arts First live at the Battle of Ideas - 'Are the arts too politicised?'
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special live edition, hosts Wendy Earle and Niall Crowley explore the crisis of freedom of expression in the arts and ask how artists survive ...
E33: How to look at a painting
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you enjoy going to art galleries? Have you ever done a tour of a gallery? Dido Powell’s tours are unique in the way she brings together her exper...
E32: William Blake & The Ancient of Days
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
William Blake was a religious nonconformist, deeply philosophical and political. In his recently published and highly acclaimed book, ‘Awake! Willia...
E31: Antisemitism in the arts: a Russian-Israeli experience
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 2022, a Russian art duo, who call themselves Pomidor, left their homes in Russia to take up residency in the UK because they could no longer work ...
Episode 30 - All human life is here
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Wendy Earle is joined by Niall Crowley and new team member Michael Owens to discuss the recently opened V&A East Storehouse in Stratf...
Episode 29 - Shattered ... Claudia Clare, Ceramicist
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The worrying tendency towards censoriousness in the arts is destructive of creativity. Artists often express difficult ideas and reflections in their ...
Episode 28 - Stop cancelling artists!
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The ongoing issue of artist cancellation is of serious concern. Public pressure to cancel artists’ exhibitions, performances or publications because...
Episode 27 - The museum without a collection
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode returns to the subject of museums—this time with a focus on Birmingham. Across the UK, museums are facing profound challenges: cuts to ...
Episode 26 - Reviewing the National Gallery rehang
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are delighted to bring you our special tour of the newly refurbished National Gallery in London, UK.This podcast has been going for about a year no...
Episode 25 - Je suis Salman Rushdie
31 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we pay tribute to the novelist Salman Rushdie, who was subject to a murderous knife attack in August 2022 that very nearly killed him ...
Episode 24 - Art, memory and antisemitism
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Arts First, I interview artist Caren Garfen. This is part of a special series where we talk to artists who have experienced antisem...
Episode 23 - Martin Speake - fighting for freedom of expression in the arts
03 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Freedom of expression in the arts is central to what this podcast is about, and it is at the heart of this episode. We take a look at what can and all...
Episode 22 - Andy Warhol: Portrait of America
20 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Born in Pittsburg in 1928, where he went to art school, Andy Warhol is one of the most significant artists of the late 20th century. He moved to New Y...
Episode 21 - Antisemitism in the arts
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the first in a planned series of episodes on antisemitism in the arts. The savage attack by Hamas on a music festival and Kibbutz in Israel on...
Episode 20 - Cosmic Titans: Art, Science and the Quantum Universe
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cosmic Titans: Art, Science and the Quantum Universe is an exhibition currently showing in Nottingham at the Djanogly art gallery, lakeside, Universit...
Episode 19 - David Ireland: on writing satire and not preaching in art
16 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We first met David during the Covid lockdown when he kindly agreed to do an online event for the Arts&Society Forum. I had seen his play ‘Cyprus Ave...
Episode 18 - 'What We See is Not Always Black and White'
16 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What We See is Not Always Black and White is the title of an exhibition currently showing at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery, by Manchester-based ar...
Episode 17 - The Spanish Gallery
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve been listening to previous episodes of Arts First you’ll know we are greatly concerned the future of our museums.Our discussion of Tate ...
Episode 16 - Dissident artists
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is it like being a dissident artist in the UK right now? Two artists, Claudia Clare and Con-She, talk to artist Rachel Jordan about their art pra...
Episode 14 - Why sing in a choir?
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the appeal, or even the magic of choral singing? How has it endured as a tradition? Do they have a social or cultural value? Is it a declinin...
Every Line is Me – A celebration of Harold Riley
07 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Harold Riley, Salford-born artist, is the subject of a retrospective exhibition at Salford's Museum and Art Gallery. Known for his diverse artistic st...
The War Against the Past
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sociologist and commentator Frank Furedi’s new book The War on the Past is a powerful and timely analysis of why contemporary Western society has be...
Episode 11 - Michael Craig-Martin at the Royal Academy
16 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Craig-Martin is an influential conceptual artist and painter. He was born in Dublin in 1941, but grew up in the US, studying Fine Art at Yale. He has ...
Episode 10 - The Genius of Shakespeare
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, our special guest, Andrew Doyle discusses the abiding genius of Shakespeare with Alka Sehgal-Cuthbert, Richard Woolfenden and Jane Sa...
Episode 9 - Constable & The Hay Wain
26 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Podcast host Wendy Earle talks to artist Dido Powell about whether the National Gallery has repeated or avoided the mistakes Tate Britain made in thei...
Episode 8 - Freedom of expression in the arts?
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An Arts Professional survey report published in 2020 showed that eight out of 10 people working in the arts agreed that if you speak out against the o...
Episode 7 - Gathering of Strangers
06 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Wendy Earle is joined by architecture curator and writer Vicky Richardson, historian Kevin Yuill, art critic JJ Charlesworth and co-host Niall Crowley...
Episode 6 - MOCO Marble Arch review
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Niall Crowley is joined by Art History graduate Agnes Friend and her mother, Vicky Richardson the curator and writer to review MOCO – the Museum of ...
Episode 5 - The Fifth Step by David Ireland
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Arts First, Linda Murdoch, Megan and Daniel Brick review David Ireland’s controversial new play The Fifth Step at the Pavilion Th...
Episode 4 - Passion for Freedom
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Freedom of expression is a core theme of this podcast series. Although it is a central principle of western democracy, a censorious climate is undermi...
Episode 3 - Paris Olympics Special
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Niall Crowley is joined by David Adam - cultural and economics specialist. Dido Powell - artist and art teacher. Manick Govinda - an independent arts ...
Episode 2: What Labour's landslide victory might mean for the arts
21 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Artist Rachel Jordan talks to some artist friends about their expectations and anxieties under the new Government. Art critic, JJ Charlesworth, leads ...
Episode 1 - Literary festivals cancellation of philanthropic funding. Tate Britain’s exhibition on four centuries of women artists
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode’s participants: Wendy Earle, convenor; Arts&Society Forum; JJ Charlesworth, art critic; Tiffany Jenkins, writer and broadcaster; N...