UK politics

Art worldcomment

'We need to talk about class in the art world'

A recent list of young art "disruptors" published by a UK newspaper underlines the insidious dynamics of privilege which continue to define our industry

Controversial Stonehenge tunnel scheme gets greenlight from UK government

Campaign groups say move is ‘as inexplicable as it is disgraceful’

Special report: Funding cuts and weak economy send UK’s visual arts into crisis

From regional galleries becoming “unsustainable” to brutal cuts to funding of museums, galleries and arts and humanities education, the sector is in an increasingly perilous state

Labour’s education revolution will put the arts and culture centre stage

The UK's shadow culture minister sets out the Labour party's plan for arts and culture if they win the next election

Lucy Powell. UK Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Diaryblog

New career in art beckons for Boris Johnson

The former UK prime minister has painted his vision of the 'perfect' cabinet meeting

UK and Greece should share Parthenon Marbles says London mayor Sadiq Khan

The Labour party politician encourages the British Museum and the UK government to advance talks with the government of Greece and Athens's Acropolis Museum

Sculpture of whistleblowers Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden makes appearance in UK's Parliament Square

The work invites audience participation and is about defending "freedom of speech", says its creator Davide Dormino

Windrush 75th anniversary marked by series of royal art commissions including portraits by Sonia Boyce and Amy Sherald

Also commemorating the arrival of the vessel from the Caribbean is a new exhibition at London's V&A and a display in London's Piccadilly Circus

Memorial to peace activist Brian Haw to stand opposite London's Imperial War Museum

The campaigner began protesting the Iraq war outside the Houses of Parliament in 2001 and remained camped at the site until his death in 2011

Ivorynews

UK government to extend ivory ban to include hippos, sperm whales, narwhals, orcas and walruses

Ministers hope to close loopholes that see aquatic mammals vulnerable to poaching, but dealers in antique scrimshaw works of art say it will destroy their business

Declassified documents on Parthenon Marbles reveal rift between UK government and British Museum

Foreign Office was dismissive of the museum's attempts to lobby for the contested sculptures in 1983

Ai Weiweiinterview

‘It is a crime against humanity’: Ai Weiwei discusses refugees in the UK, moving on from Covid and why Lego is his medium of choice

Design Museum exhibition brings together more than a million pieces collected by the artist including spouts and Stone Age tools

Even restituted artefacts—like Benin bronzes—need export licences from UK, says arts minister

Formal requirement for government licences may well prove to be yet another obstacle to a loan agreement for the Parthenon Marbles

Diaryblog

The camera adds ten pounds, but the canvas? Slimline Boris Johnson portrait receives mixed reviews

Richard Stone’s painting, unveiled at London’s Carlton Club, has shaved off a few pounds from the UK's former prime minister

LGBTQnews

Drag queen event at Tate Britain sparks protests between trans-rights activists and right-wing groups

Aida H Dee’s storytelling event disrupted by fighting outside London museum

UK culture ministry shake up: Lucy Frazer named secretary for 'refocussed' department

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has overhauled the country's Department for Culture, Media and Sport Digital, dropping "digital" from its mandate

LGBTQnews

Controversial UK politician slams Tate for hosting children's drag queen storytime session

Conservative Party peer Emma Nicholson has lambasted the London museum for "propaganda" in open letter

Germany kicks off major Benin bronze restitution with return of 20 artefacts to Nigeria

The agreement—signed by the two countries in July—involves the return of 1,100 objects in total

New sculpture unveiled outside London's King's Cross station makes 'homelessness impossible to ignore'

The work—highlighting the growing crisis of rough sleepers in the UK—will also travel to Birmingham

Arts Council England's £446m grants: who are the biggest winners and losers?

The announcement signalled a shift of resources away from London, a broader range of venues beyond traditional art museums and an overall reduction in real terms

Now is not the time for culture cuts: England's fragile arts ecosystem needs more, not less, support

While Arts Council England slashed many organisations’ funding, the German government set aside nearly €1bn to help cultural institutions weather the financial storm

Arts fundinganalysis

'Everyone will be far poorer': England's art organisations respond to 'short-sighted and foolish' national funding cuts

Learning and community outreach programmes under threat as Arts Council England funding shift wreaks deep financial damage on institutions

'Systematically underpaid': arts courses across UK grind to a halt amid nation's biggest university strike in history

Lecturers across the country are protesting university workers’ pay, pensions and working conditions

Do UK museums ignore violence against women?

Despite the availability of work by high-profile artists, leading institutions are reticent about confronting a pressing issue

Unboxed festival under new management as chief Martin Green joins Eurovision

Anticipated audience figures for event dubbed the Festival of Brexit will be released later this month

UK government launches inquiry into risks posed by NFT market and crypto

Department for Media, Culture and Sport is asking public for evidence related to the safety of current blockchain regulations

Brutal cuts to London arts organisations as national funds are moved away from capital

“We’ve had to make invidious choices”, says Arts Council England’s chair, Nicholas Serota, as funding portfolio for 2023-26 announced

National Gallery renovation plans contested—while Britain appoints new leader uncontested

In the letter for our November issue, editor Alison Cole reflects on the tumultuous times of two London institutions