Arts First live at the Battle of Ideas - 'Are the arts too politicised?'

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 – and even prosper – in an age when political activism or ‘artivism’ has proliferated within the arts.The arts have long been considered a sphere of freedom, with successful artists often thriving on a reputation for pushing boundaries and challenging how we see the world. But as activism has taken hold, artists are increasingly under scrutiny – whether for their work, what they think or even who they associate with. To what extent does this new censoriousness affect artists and how do they deal with it?Wendy and Niall are joined by writer and journalist Joan Smith, cultural historian Dr Tiffany Jenkins, dancer Rosie Kay and New Culture Forum Literary Festival director, Philip Kiszeley to reflect on this challenging new climate for artistic production. How has been the impact of activism varied across different spheres of art? How has cancellation – or the threat of cancellation – affected their work, careers and lives? How should artists remake the case for artistic freedom?Guests panelistsJoan Smith: writer and journalist, whose latest book, Unfortunately She’s a Nymphomaniac, takes a thoroughgoing and fascinating swipe at the misogyny in the representation of women in Ancient Rome… including the failure to expose the vile treatment of women of the time. (full biog here)Dr Philip Kiszely: academic, author and political commentator, a Senior Fellow of the New Cultural Forum who has confronted attacks on freedom of expression at many different levels as an observer of and warrior in the culture wars. (full biog here)Rosie Kay: first and foremost a dancer and choreographer, she is a courageous defender of free expression in the arts, and co-founder of Freedom in the Arts with Denise Fahmy, which recently published a report evidencing how much this principle is now under threat. (full biog here)Dr Tiffany Jenkins: cultural historian, whose most recent book, Strangers and Intimates, provides a fascinating account of the emergence of the modern concept and value of privacy over the past 2000 years, pointing to how much that value is now being undermined. (full biog here)A big thank you to everyone at the Battle of Ideas Festival and staff at Church House, Westminster for the recording. Get full access to Arts First at artsfirst.substack.com/subscribe

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