“The cultural bore of the autumn is the lover of Mad Men.” So wrote FT arts writer Peter Aspden in his weekly culture column, provoking a storm of reader responses – some grateful, others outraged. As it enters a fourth series, has Mad Men made the fatal mistake of falling in love with itself? Is the series losing its sense of time and place, and are the characters becoming stale? We look at Mad Men's plot, historical significance and, crucially, its impact on fashion – the skinny ties, hourglass figures, and excessive drink consumption. Has it influenced our own sense of style? In this week’s arts podcast, FT columnists Peter Aspden, John Lloyd and Nicola Copping are in the studio with arts editor Jan Dalley. Produced by Rob Minto and Griselda Murray Brown  

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Shadow Catchers, the latest exhibition at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, is a showcase for ‘camera-less’ photography – where images are captured directly on photographic paper without the use of a camera. Deputy arts editor Neville Hawcock and Francis Hodgson, the FT’s photography critic, discuss the ideas behind the exhibition, and the works of the five contemporary artists on show, with the show’s curator, Martin Barnes.  

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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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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.  

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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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How best to celebrate Chekhov's 150th anniversary? Sky Arts 2 have chosen to mark the occasion with "chekhov: comedy shorts" - four one-act plays transposed to the small screen, with a cast of well-known comedians including Johnny Vegas and Steve Coogan. But do they make good television? In this week's arts podcast, Neville Hawcock, the FT's deputy arts editor, talks to the paper's theatre critic, Sarah Hemming, and television columnist, John Lloyd, about the venture.  

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The music scene is currently awash with aging rockers and pop groups re-united. Take That, complete with Robbie Williams, will tour next year; space rockers Hawkwind, formed in 1969, tour the UK next month; while Lemmy, born 1945, is currently taking the stage with Motorhead. Whatever happened to “hope I die before I get old”? Aren’t they old enough to know better? Neville Hawcock, deputy arts editor, talks to Peter Aspden, the FT’s arts writer, and Richard Clayton, who regularly reviews pop for the paper.  

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Is the operatic tradition defunct? Where and how should new operas be put on? And which are the great modern operas? On the opening of Alexander Raskatov's A Dog's Heart at the Coliseum in London, Jan Dalley, FT arts editor, puts these questions to Andrew Clark, the paper's chief classical music critic, and Nicholas Payne, former director of The Royal Opera, the English National Opera and Opera North. Plus, Martin Bernheimer, the FT's classical music critic in New York, discusses what he sees as the conservatism of American opera-goers.  

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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.  

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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.  

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Slapstick; sexual jealousy; and mistaken identity. At its best, farce can be sublime – its intricate plotting and sheer silliness combining to blissful comic effect. But should we take farce seriously, or is is mere lowbrow entertainment? What makes a good farce, and how should a director approach it? On the opening of Georges Feydeau’s 1907 farce 'A Flea in Her Ear' at the Old Vic in London, Jan Dalley puts these questions to its distinguished director, Sir Richard Eyre, who was artistic director of the National Theatre for a decade, and to Sarah Hemming, the FT's theatre critic. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown.  

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On the announcement of the BBC's 'Sounds of 2011' list, FT pop critics and panel judges Ludovic Hunter-Tilney and Richard Clayton look back at the year in pop, and forwards to 2011. What do polls like this say about the state of pop? And what do we want our pop music do to - soothe the soul or confront difficult issues? They talk to deputy arts editor Neville Hawcock about their artists and bands of the year: Rumer, Warpaint, Everything Everything, Ellie Goulding, Kings of Leon and Arcade Fire - their band of 2010. 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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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  

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It’s awards season in the music industry, with the Brits in London following hot on the heels of the Grammys in LA. The Brits have been revamped this year – but will they lose the unscripted edginess of previous years? How can they compete with the might of the Grammys? And is Tinie Tempah better than Mumford & Sons? FT pop critics Ludo Hunter-Tilney and Richard Clayton join deputy arts editor Neville Hawcock to discuss the hype and the hopefuls. 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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There are a lot of musicals moving into London's West End right now – including "Shoes", "Million Dollar Quartet", "Betty Blue Eyes" and "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" - and rumbling in the background is the hoo-ha in New York over "Spiderman". What is the enduring appeal of the musical? Is it more diverse than its critics imagine? And, are musicals a good thing for the theatrical landscape? Jan Dalley talks to Jamie Lloyd, director of the Donmar's "Spelling Bee", and FT theatre critics Ian Shuttleworth and Sarah Hemming. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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This year 3D films look set to be bigger and more expensive than ever - with Werner Herzog's Cave for Forgotten Dreams just out in the UK, the latest Pirates of the Caribbean installment on its way, and offerings from Spielberg and Scorsese. But has the novelty worn off? Neville Hawcock, deputy arts editor, puts the question to Peter Buckingham of the BFI and Nigel Andrews, FT film critic. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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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  

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It premiered at Cannes to cheers and boos, and went on to win the Palm D’Or. Some called it a masterpiece; others dismissed it as overblown nonsense. But what’s so divisive about Terrence Malick’s ambitious new film? It’s a coming-of-age story set in 1950s Texas but it also has long sequences that explore the natural world and the origins of the universe. Does it work? And is its strong religious strain likely to turn off non-believers? Raphael Abraham is joined in the studio by Nick James, editor of Sight & Sound magazine, Peter Aspden, FT arts writer, and Leo Robson, film critic. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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The Edinburgh Festival – the world’s largest arts festival – is really a collection of different festivals that take place across the Scottish capital every year throughout the month of August. There is the stately International Festival and the so-called “Fringe” festival – a more unruly, sprawling affair with a reputation for experimental theatre and bawdy stand-up. There’s also an acclaimed Book Festival, as well as an Art Festival and even a Festival of Spirituality and Peace. Jan Dalley, FT arts editor, turns her attention to the Edinburgh’s theatrical offerings. She is joined in the studio by Ian Shuttleworth, FT theatre critic, and Matt Trueman, theatre blogger and critic for Time Out. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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War Horse has just won five Tony Awards; last year the RSC put on an acclaimed production of Matilda; and now Punchdrunk are staging their first show for children, The Crash of the Elysium. Is children’s theatre on the up – or is it still the poor relation of “proper” theatre? Where is the new writing among the successful adaptations? And what are the best shows on in Britain this summer holiday? Jan Dalley puts these questions to Tony Graham, artistic director of London’s Unicorn Theatre, Sarah Hemming, FT theatre critic, and Neville Hawcock, deputy arts editor – as well as to four budding young critics. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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The Arts Podcast remembers Amy Winehouse, the brilliant but troubled British singer who died tragically, at just 27, on July 23. Jan Dalley talks to FT pop critics Ludovic Hunter-Tilney and Richard Clayton about her musical roots and unique appeal; how her increasingly wild lifestyle influenced her songs; and her legacy – what was her impact and who are her successors? Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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On the occasion of his British Film Institute retrospective, Ken Loach, the acclaimed director of films such as Kes, Land and Freedom and the Cannes Palme d’Or winning The Wind that Shakes the Barley, talks about the state of political filmmaking. He is in the studio with Raphael Abraham, Peter Aspden and Lucian Robinson. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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Postmodernism defined itself against the stifling clarity and seriousness Modernism. It put style before drab functionality. It embraced pop culture and garish colour. But it got a bad rep. “PoMo” was called vacuous and kitsch, and in the 1980s it became associated with corporate culture and consumerism. Now this controversial cultural movement is the subject of a major exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert museum, "Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970–1990". Neville Hawcock talks to Glenn Adamson, co-curator of the show, and to FT columnists Edwin Heathcote and Peter Aspden. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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London has seen many Hamlets in recent years - David Tennant, Jude Law and Rory Kinnear to name but a few. And now Michael Sheen take the prized role in the Young Vic's new production. Jan Dalley talks to actor Simon Russell Beale, David Lan, artistic director of the Young Vic, and Sarah Hemming, theatre critic for the FT, about the enduring appeal of the troubled Dane. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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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  

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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  

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As the winners of the BBC’s Sound of 2012 poll are announced, FT deputy arts editor Neville Hawcock asks three of the judges: who are the real “tastemakers”? What’s more important nowadays, a rave review or hits on YouTube? And how do unsigned artists make it? He is joined in the studio by FT pop critics Ludovic Hunter-Tilney and Richard Clayton, and NME assistant reviews editor and blogger Laura Snapes; music clips from Sound of 2012 winner Michael Kiwanuka, as well as Context, Emeli Sandé and Skrillex. 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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Jan Dalley is joined by Louis de Bernières, author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, the playwright Mike Packer, and journalist Carl Wilkinson to discuss literary adaptations. At the Oscars this month, six of the nine movies up for Best Picture are based on books – and the film version of de Bernières’ novel Red Dog is released in the UK on February 24. Why are adaptations so popular? Are filmmakers and investors just playing it safe in uncertain times? And how does it feel to see your novel – or play – on the big screen? 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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We’ve heard a lot about the new generation of British playwrights – but how much of it is hype? Does age matter in writing? And who are the names to look out for? Jan Dalley is joined by young writer Bola Agbaje, whose first play ‘Gone Too Far’ won an Olivier Award; Steven Atkinson, artistic director of the HighTide Festival for new writing; and Sarah Hemming, FT theatre critic. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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She's the most successful female recording artist ever – and now, 30 years after her first single, Madonna has released her twelfth album, 'MDNA'. It's already caused a stir, with the video for the opening track 'Girl Gone Wild' banned on YouTube for being 'too raunchy'. But is she still good? What's more important: Madonna the brand or the artist? And, at 53, should she really be wearing those hot pants? Neville Hawcock puts these questions to FT writers Lucy Kellaway, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney and Richard Clayton. With clips from 'Girl Gone Wild', 'I'm a Sinner' and 'I'm Addicted'. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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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  

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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  

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In 1919 Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus school in Weimar, Germany "to create the new structure of the future". Its teaching combined fine art with craft, and its adherents saw design as the key to a better way of life. Were its utopian aims misguided? What is its relevance today? On the opening of a major exhibition at the Barbican Centre in London, Neville Hawcock puts these questions to Lydia Yee, co-curator of the show; Edwin Heathcote, FT architecture critic; and Peter Aspden, FT arts writer. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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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  

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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  

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In 1926, LP Hartley called The Great Gatsby “an absurd story”. Now, it is hard to imagine that F Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel was ever considered less than a masterpiece. And it seems particularly popular in our recessionary times – with the remarkable eight-hour play Gatz having had rave reviews in York, and now about to open in London; and Baz Luhrmann’s film version starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan released later this year. Jan Dalley talks Gatsby mania with Sarah Churchwell, Professor of American Literature at the University of East Anglia; Mark Ball, artistic director of the London International Festival of Theatre; and the critic Matt Trueman. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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Forget “London 2012”, this summer it’s all about the 1990s – with the Stone Roses reunion gigs, Suede headlining the Hop Farm festival, and Blur playing the Olympics closing ceremony gig. As 40-something fans relive the glory days of “Cool Britannia”, FT pop critic Ludovic Hunter-Tilney looks back at the renaissance of British rock 20 years ago, and asks – was it all it was it cracked up to be? And what is its legacy? He is joined in the studio by Richard Clayton and David Cheal. Featuring music from the Stone Roses, Oasis, Blur and Pulp. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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The Olivier award-winning playwright Simon Stephens is often drawn to dark subjects. “Pornography” tackled the 2005 London bombings; “Punk Rock” depicted violence at an English private school; and his controversial recent play “Three Kingdoms” shed light on the European sex trade. Now, Stephens’ adaptations of two classics – one old, one new – are about to open in London: a rewriting of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and a dramatisation of Mark Haddon’s novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. He talks to Jan Dalley and Sarah Hemming. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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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  

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The Cultural Olympiad spans four years and encompasses more than 500 events – culminating with the current London 2012 Festival. This unprecedented artistic marathon has cost a reported £97m – but is it worth it? Jan Dalley puts this question to Sarah Weir of the Legacy List, a post-Olympic charity for arts, culture, education and skills; William Sieghart, founder of the National Poetry Day and of Winning Words, a national project to incorporate poetry in the games; and Peter Aspden, FT arts writer. Produced by Nicholas Spencer  

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Can art fulfill the purpose of religion in a pluralist, secular society? Can we reconcile religious dogma with individual artistic creativity? FT arts editor Jan Dalley discusses the long and sometimes fraught relationship between religion and art with Alom Shaha, physics teacher, film-maker and author of "The Young Atheist's Handbook", history painter Tom de Freston, and art critic Richard Cork. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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Elgar, the Beatles and Dizzee Rascal have all had a starring role in London’s Olympic Games, with some astonishing scenes that told the world the story of Britain’s contribution to popular culture. But can British music continue to punch above its weight? In this special edition of the Arts Podcast, FT pop critic Ludovic Hunter-Tilney is joined in the studio by Laura Battle, an FT classical music critic, Peter Aspden, the newspaper's culture columnist, and Paul Morely, radio and TV presenter and music critic. With music by The Beatles, Thomas Ades, Roy Harper and Amy Winehouse. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown and John Sunyer  

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Documentary films are breaking UK box office records and are, arguably, having more success than ever before. As "The Queen of Versailles", one of the hits of this year's Sundance Film Festival, heads for UK cinemas, Raphael Abraham discusses the new appetite for reality with critics Nigel Andrews and Leslie Felperin  

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It's 100 years since the birth of Woody Guthrie, bard of the Great Depression, storyteller of genius, and huge influence on Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and the rest. Billy Bragg, whose upcoming tour plays tribute to Guthrie; Tom Paley, veteran folk musician; and Mojo journalist Colin Irwin discuss this remarkable man and his legacy with Richard Clayton, FT pop critic. With clips from Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land” and “Pretty Boy Floyd”, Billy Bragg’s “My Flying Saucer” (set to lyrics by Guthrie), and the title track from Tom Paley’s new album Roll On, Roll On. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  

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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.  

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Based on a novel by Peter Stephan Jungk, 'The Perfect American' is the story of one of the 20th century's biggest entertainment moguls. The FT's arts writer gives his verdict on the work's premiere at the Teatro Real, Madrid.  

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