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From formaldehyde sheep to giant horses, Simon Schama - in this recording of his FT Frieze week lecture - traces contemporary animal attractions to great works in the history of art  

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It's been a big week for contemporary British art. First the opening of the British Art Show 7 in Nottingham, then the second instalment of Newspeak at the Saatchi Gallery in London. To round it off, on Sunday Channel 4 will show “Modern Times”, the fifth in its series The Genius of Britain, this time presented by Janet Street-Porter. Peter Aspden, FT arts writer, and John Lloyd, FT television columnist, discuss art and celebrity: Charles Saatchi, Damien Hirst and the inimitable Janet Street-Porter. FT art critic Jackie Wullschlager reports on the British Art Show. Does it really represent the art of the nation? Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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As the Royal Ballet rehearses Christopher Wheeldon's 'Alice in Wonderland', its first new full-length ballet in 15 years, Peter Aspden talks to Royal Ballet principal Tamara Rojo, Sadler’s Wells artistic director Alistair Spalding and FT critic Clement Crisp. Does 'Alice' represent a return to traditional values? Are ballet companies doing enough to encourage new work? And, what is the relationship between classical ballet and contemporary work? Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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Does bad language have a place in the opera house? Is the life of a stripper turned reality TV star a suitable subject for operatic treatment? And, can opera find a viable way of reflecting culture today? The day after the premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage's "Anna Nicole" at Covent Garden, Andrew Clark, FT classical music critic, puts these questions to Gina Thomas, UK cultural correspondent of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and Laura Battle, FT staff writer and critic. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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The arts podcast reviews new albums by two of the most venerable singer-songwriters around: Leonard Cohen's "Old Ideas" and Paul McCartney's "Kisses on the Bottom". Have they still got it? Does their latest work speak to modern times? And just what are we to make of Macca's album title? Neville Hawcock is joined in the studio by Ludovic Hunter-Tilney, FT pop critic, Peter Aspden, FT arts writer, and Gautam Malkani, FT writer and novelist. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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Ever been to a classical club night or an opera in a warehouse? This week on the arts podcast Jan Dalley talks to her guests about how people consume classical music today. She is joined by Gabriel Prokofiev, composer, DJ and grandson of the Russian composer Sergei; Frederic Wake-Walker, artistic director of pioneering company The Opera Group; and FT writer Laura Battle. With clips from Gabriel Prokofiev's 'Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra', and Elena Langer's 'The Lion's Face', commissioned performed by The Opera Group. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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The FT's arts writer reports on Mat Collishaw's transition from conceptual shock artist to ‘proper’ draughtsman - and why, unlike revolution or virgin birth, an economic recession makes a poor subject for art  

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Europe’s film-makers want protection from the might of Hollywood. That’s understandable, argues the FT’s arts writer, but also wrong-headed: the two traditions are deeply intertwined  

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Where there is a public clamour for explanation, writers and artists should be unafraid to step in, says the FT's arts writer  

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The market for Orthodox icons has been revivified by Russian money in recent years – yet the genre’s spiritual charge and innate conservatism make it a challenging field for collectors  

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They seem always to be on, but ‘Rules of Engagement’, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and their ilk shouldn’t be taken for granted: these immaculately crafted, relentlessly inoffensive series open a window on American society  

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Businesses like buying contemporary art to show off their forward-thinking and investment savvy. Fair enough – but it still sits oddly with artists’ desire to provoke and subvert  

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Matthew McConaughey’s career revival provides a neat case study of how an actor can wrest back control of his image. It also tells a broader story about our weakness for a certain kind of Acting.  

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The UK’s culture secretary is a ‘Star Trek’ fan who wants the arts to be ‘accessible to everyone’ - while the filmmakers of the defiantly highbrow ‘Life May Be’ remind us that there are merits in other ambitions.  

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Peter Aspden visits the V&A’s ‘Disobedient Objects’ exhibition and reflects on the art of protest in the age of rapid digital dissemination.  

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With their ever-growing ability to crunch data and analyse patterns, computers are valuable tools for art research – but that doesn’t mean art historians will soon be a thing of the past, argues Bendor Grosvenor  

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The singer-songwriter is about to turn 80 – a rite of passage not only for him but also for rock music. Peter Aspden celebrates a musician with a rare talent for staying ahead of the times  

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By focusing on the personal rather than the political, Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski created a quietly subversive masterpiece, Peter Aspden says  

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The London venue’s exhibition of Presley memorabilia is curious mix of the banal and the resplendent – and none the worse for that, says the FT’s arts writer  

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Between 1962 and 1972, the magazine set new standards for its industry – and in doing so created the perfect collectible, says Peter Aspden  

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Politicians love to keep things simple, at least in their public pronouncements. Artists, by contrast, embrace complication, nuance and imagination – so who better to tackle slippery questions of national identity as the UK prepares for a general election?  

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David Cheal follows Modest Mussorgsky's dramatic 19th-century composition from orchestral standard to Disney classic and floor-filling disco anthem. Credits: Disney Records, Masterworks Jazz, Bee Gees/Reprise.  

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This year’s carol was specially commissioned by the FT with the help of Nicola Clase, Sweden’s ambassador to the UK. Jane Owen talks to Clase about the piece, which was composed by Johan Hugosson and features lyrics adapted from medieval Scandinavian rune poems. It is sung by the choir of Stockholms Musikgymnasium conducted by Bengt Ollen.  

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Blind Willie Johnson's gospelly, moaning adaptation of an 18th-century hymn might have seemed an odd choice for the disc of music attached to Voyager 1 in 1977. But artists from Ry Cooder to Jack White have been drawn to its ethereal power. Credit: Legacy/Columbia, Warner Bros., Alligator Records  

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What drew jazz musicians like Miles Davis and Chet Baker to a twinkly tune from Disney's 'Snow White'? And what became of the child star who first sang it? Lilian Pizzichini traces its history  

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Sam Cooke's political lament, released after his untimely death, went on to become a civil rights anthem. Sue Norris charts its history. Credit: Universal Music Group International, Rhino Atlantic, Time Life Music, RCA  

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Joy Division's stripped-down sound signaled a new direction for music in 1978, but the lyrics to this song would prove horribly portentous. Credits: WM UK, London Records, Universal Music International Ltda, Palare, BBE  

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Fears over health systems prompt states to take early preventive measures