From business closures to movement restrictions, some countries’ policies show first signs of easing

Putting up barriers to travel is proving much easier than taking them down

Donald Trump’s claims that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was source of outbreak belie scientific evidence

Factories reopen but economy still faces challenges from weak services sector

Arbus in Aberdeen, Long in Lakeland - Tate director Sir Nicholas Serota talks to FT arts editor Jan Dalley about next year’s Artist Rooms programme of touring exhibitions. In its past two years, the scheme has drawn tens of thousands of visitors in towns throughout the UK to shows by Beuys, Ruscha, Woodman, Hirst and others – but how easily can the model be replicated elsewhere? Jan Dalley interviews Sir Nicholas Serota in his office at Tate.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As the final object is revealed, FT arts editor Jan Dalley talks to Peter Aspden about the significance of the BBC Radio 4 series 'A History of the World in 100 Objects' presented by Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As the ninth Art Basel Miami Beach takes place this week, Andres Schipani discusses the growing presence of Latin American collectors and galleries at the international art fair. He is joined by Mark Spiegler, director of Art Basel Miami Beach; Tim Marlow from London's White Cube gallery; Elizabeth Neilson, who heads the London-based Zabludowicz Collection; and Henrique Faría from Venezuela's Faría Fábregas gallery.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Is it acceptable for an artist to have his work produced by others? And what are the implications of the artist as businessman on conceptual art as we know it? As a new generation of artists openly declare themselves marketing men, FT arts editor Jan Dalley discusses the business of art with Jackie Wullschlager, FT visual arts critic, and Peter Aspden, FT arts and culture writer.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The launch of Sky Atlantic on February 1 – the result of Sky's exclusive five-year deal with HBO - raises questions about British and American television drama. Is the US - with cult series like The Sopranos, Mad Men and now Boardwalk Empire - enjoying a Golden Age of TV drama? What about Britain? Has its Golden Age been and gone? Jan Dalley, FT arts editor, is joined by Mark Duguid, senior curator of the British Film Institute National Archive, Huw Kennair-Jones, Sky1’s commissioning editor for drama, and John Lloyd, the FT’s television columnist. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What's happening in the world of pop? FT critics Ludovic Hunter-Tilney and Richard Clayton join Neville Hawcock in the studio to look forward to this summer's pop festivals - and to ask whether pop itself has become too backward-looking, as Simon Reynolds argues in his new book Retromania. Are we really addicted to the past? And are YouTube and now the Apple iCloud part of this trend? Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From shouts of “he’s behind you” at a Christmas pantomime to truly “immersive” productions in which audience members shape the action, audience participation is rife. The radical Belgian theatre company Ontroerend Goed – known for shows that test theatrical as well as moral boundaries – are now staging their latest play, Audience, at London’s Soho Theatre. Sarah Hemming, FT theatre critic, talks to Matthieu Sys, an actor in Audience, Neville Hawcock, the FT’s deputy arts editor, and the critic Suzi Feay about the changing role of the audience. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Margin Call, the latest in a line of films on the crash of 2008, depicts a Wall Street investment bank’s last ditch attempts to save itself from impending disaster. Written and directed by first time feature director J.C.Chandor – and starring Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore and Jeremy Irons – The New Yorker called it “the best Wall Street movie ever made”. It’s been marketed as a thriller – but how do you create excitement when the action consists of men in suits peering at computer screens and talking on Blackberries? Does Margin Call have anything new to say on the much-debated causes of the collapse? Andrew Hill, FT management editor, puts these questions to Alex Preston, ex-City trader and author of This Bleeding City; Peter Aspden, FT arts writer; and Leo Robson, film and television critic. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Author Amy Waldman reads her short story set in Afghanistan 'Mile 54', commissioned by the Financial Times for the new year.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ahead of the Victoria and Albert museum’s new exhibition 'British Design 1948-2012', Jan Dalley asks: can great design build a better society? Can Britain be called a leader in the field when its manufacturing industry is all but dead? And are we doing enough to foster a new generation of artists and designers? She is joined by the furniture designer Matthew Hilton, co-curator of the V&A show Christopher Breward, and FT arts writer Peter Aspden. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nelson Mandela once said, “Somehow, Shakespeare always seems to have something to say to us.” This year, the bard is saying it in 37 languages. Globe to Globe, a six-week festival starting on April 21 at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, presents all 37 of Shakespeare's plays, each by a different international theatre company. But what is lost in translation? Can other countries really do Shakespeare better than Britain? And how do the plays relate to the world today? Jan Dalley is joined by Dominic Dromgoole, artistic director of the Globe; Professor Robert Grant, formerly of Glasgow University; and Peter Aspden, the FT’s arts writer. Roger Granville, producer of the Dari Persian "The Comedy of Errors" from Kabul, joins down the line. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From Dickens’ London to Wordsworth’s Lakes via the painter George Shaw’s suburban “edgelands”, the British landscape has long permeated writing and visual art. On the opening of the British Library’s exhibition Writing Britain: Wastelands to Wonderlands, Jan Dalley talks to the poet Owen Sheers; the exhibition’s curator Jamie Andrews; and FT art critic Jackie Wullschlager. The travel writer Robert Macfarlane is on the line. Plus, Faber's 1998 recording of Harold Pinter reading his poem “Joseph Brearley 1909-1977” © Faber & Faber Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hip hop may have started in the Bronx, but today’s rappers are millionaires with business empires that extend way beyond music. Ahead of Jay Z and Kanye West's European tour of their joint album Watch The Throne, Raphael Abraham talks to FT critics Ludovic Hunter-Tilney and Richard Clayton about the evolution and future of rap. With clips from The Sugarhill Gang, Jay Z and Kanye West, Evidence and DJ Shadow. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Spoken word is a form of poetry usually written to be performed in front of an audience, and often associated with hip hop culture. In recent years its popularity has soared in the UK – and now, as part of the London Literature Festival, the Southbank Centre is hosting the final of “Shake the Dust”, a national poetry slam for teenagers. So, what’s the difference between “page” and “stage” poetry? Does spoken word have a political bent? And can poets hope to change anything? Jan Dalley puts these questions to the poet, rapper and playwright Kate Tempest; poet and artistic director of the “Shake The Dust” Jacob Sam-La Rose; and critic Suzi Feay. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Thinking differently is what makes Bowie stand out in the noisy world that killed off HMV. And it will be the key skill in the disembodied cultural universe of the future, says FT arts writer Peter Aspden.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The German band’s shows at Tate Modern were wildly oversubscribed. But hot tickets and artistic pleasure don’t necessarily go hand in hand, says the FT’s arts writer  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With his brother Jake, the British artist has tackled some of modernity’s grisliest themes. The FT’s arts writer finds out why he’s now trying his hand at music  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Like it or not, the vibrancy of London’s art scene is due in part to the efforts of marketeers, public relations teams and great coffee shops, says the FT’s arts writer,  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

‘Robot and Frank’ paints a benign picture of silicon-based life-forms. But the film’s ‘near-future’ setting is one that often wrong-foots screenwriters  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As a stage version of the classic BBC sitcom comes to London, the FT’s arts writer reflects on the series’ pioneering mix of comedy and drama  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We love French culture, yet according to a recent study there’s something in it that makes the French miserable. But every nation’s artistic mindset has its drawbacks, argues the FT’s arts writer  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Even at a time of economic hardship, crowd-funding schemes could be a money-spinner for the arts because of the way they play on human psychology, says the FT’s arts editor  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As performance artist Marina Abramovic showed, the paradox of our digital age is our hunger for personal presence, says the FT's arts editor  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Artists responded vigorously to the confrontational politics of Margaret Thatcher’s premiership – but the vivid creativity of the time had its roots in an earlier era, argues the FT’s arts editor  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The late pop singer, whose work has just gone on show at London’s Royal College of Art, was a far more nuanced figure than his punk image would suggest, argues the FT’s arts writer  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The sheer scale of suffering in the 1914-18 conflict is hard to grasp. As preparations begin for the centenary commemoration, the FT’s arts editor argues that culture has a vital role to play  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The FT’s arts writer finds that, for all the acquisitive buzz around art fairs, they still richly cater for people’s inquisitive side too  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An exhibition of Soviet-era sporting paintings shows how, even in a repressive political climate, artists still made work with real human insight  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Christian Bale’s hairpiece in the Oscar-nominated movie caper epitomises the preposterousness of the 1970s – but the decade’s unabashed lack of polish looks increasingly appealing in our technology-dependent age  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As King’s College, London, devotes an exhibition to its charismatic alumnus, the FT’s arts writer reflects on the artist and film-maker’s earliest inspirations  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As St Paul’s Cathedral prepares to unveil a Bill Viola installation, the FT’s arts writer considers the potentially enriching relationship between sacred settings and contemporary art  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In a despatch from Hong Kong, the FT’s arts writer reflects on the city’s ‘Tate bricks’ moment, and what it tells us about the fast-changing status of contemporary art in China  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As Sotheby’s prepares for a selling exhibition of the street artist’s work the FT’s arts writer reflects on shock culture – and the art market’s appetite for it.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When David Cameron presented Li Keqiang with a ‘Downton Abbey’ shooting script recently, the gesture was fraught with subtext. But what should a post-imperial premier give to his rising-power counterpart? Peter Aspden has some suggestions. . .  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The FT’s arts writer meets one of street art’s biggest names and reflects on what is lost when underground culture becomes part of the commercial mainstream  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dolly Parton, Judi Dench, Louise Bourgeois. . . in recent years, women in all branches of the arts have enjoyed major career successes in their 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. But what’s behind this phenomenon? The FT’s arts editor has some suggestions.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.