Highlights
30th November 2021 - 7:15 pm
Emmanuel Centre, London
Pandora Sykes Meets Emily Ratajkowski
Live on Stage in London
What does it mean to be a woman today? Pandora Sykes meets model and activist Emily Ratajkowski for an investigation into feminism, sexuality and power.
GO TO EVENT25th November 2021 - 6:30 pm
Online - GMT
Arwa Mahdawi – Lessons from Women in Power
In Conversation With Pippa Malmgren
From Jacinda Arden to AOC, Angela Merkel to Alicia Garza, what can women in power teach us all about leadership?
GO TO EVENT1st December 2021 - 7:30 pm
Online - ET
Gary Shteyngart: Our Country Friends
Gary Shteyngart (Super Sad True Love Story) presents Our Country Friends—his new novel about love, friendship, family, and betrayal.
GO TO EVENT23rd November 2021 - 6:45 pm
Live and Online - GMT
John Cleese Meets Iain McGilchrist – Live on Stage in London
On Imagination, the Mind, and the Future of Culture
Join us for an unmissable meeting of art and science as the comedy legend and preeminent neuroscientist celebrate the power of human imagination.
GO TO EVENT1st December 2021 - 7:00 pm
Online - ET
Bestselling Author & Experimental Psychologist Steven Pinker on Rationality with Brian Greene
Rationality — What is it? Why does it seem scarce? Why does it matter?
GO TO EVENTFeatured Events
30th November 2021 - 7:15 pm
Emmanuel Centre, London
Pandora Sykes Meets Emily Ratajkowski
Live on Stage in London
What does it mean to be a woman today? Pandora Sykes meets model and activist Emily Ratajkowski for an investigation into feminism, sexuality and power....
1st December 2021 - 2:30 pm
Online - ET
Adam Gopnik on Molière
Adam Gopnik delivers a three-session online seminar coinciding with the 400th anniversary of Moliere’s birth and the publication of Richard Wilbur’s translations of his plays by the Library of America....
1st December 2021 - 7:00 pm
Online - ET
Bestselling Author & Experimental Psychologist Steven Pinker on Rationality with Brian Greene
Rationality — What is it? Why does it seem scarce? Why does it matter?...
1st December 2021 - 7:30 pm
Online - ET
Gary Shteyngart: Our Country Friends
Gary Shteyngart (Super Sad True Love Story) presents Our Country Friends—his new novel about love, friendship, family, and betrayal....
2nd December 2021 - 6:30 pm
Online - GMT
An Evening with Ann Patchett
In Conversation With Hannah MacInnes
‘I don’t think that there’s a book of hers that I haven’t put down at the end and been haunted by for weeks after’ (Gillian Anderson)....
2nd December 2021 - 7:30 pm
Online - ET
Jonathan Franzen: Crossroads
Jonathan Franzen returns with a much-anticipated new novel, Crossroads, a sweeping look at the country’s shifting culture as told through the experiences of a Midwestern family in crisis one winter’s day in the early 1970s....
6th December 2021 - 6:45 pm
Live and Online - GMT
Fi Glover and Jane Garvey – Live on Stage in London
Did I Say That Out Loud?
At a time of constant uncertainty, join us live in London to hear the wisdom of two women who haven’t got a clue what’s going on either....
7th December 2021 - 6:30 pm
Online - GMT
Charlotte Higgins Retells the Greek Myths
In Conversation With Hannah MacInnes
Join the award-winning author for spellbinding tales of love and desire, adventure and magic, destructive gods and helpless humans....
8th December 2021 - 8:00 pm
Online - GMT
Margaret Atwood in conversation with Bruce Miller
Join Margaret Atwood in conversation with The Handmaid's Tale showrunner and executive producer, Bruce Miller....
8th December 2021 - 7:00 pm
Online - ET
Mothers, Fathers, and Others: Essays
Siri Hustvedt in conversation with Danielle Spencer
Harvard Book Store's virtual event series welcomes award-winning novelist and essayist Siri Hustvedt....
9th December 2021 - 7:30 pm
Online - ET
Wildland: Evan Osnos in Conversation with Gen. David H. Petraeus
Join National Book Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning New Yorker writer Evan Osnos on the troubled state of 21st-century America — and his new book, Wildland: The Making of America’s Fury....
10th December 2021 - 6:30 pm
Online - GMT
Blood and Bronze – The British Empire and the Sack of Benin
David Olusoga Meets Paddy Docherty
David Olusoga and Paddy Docherty reveal the history of Britain’s conquest of the Kingdom of Benin and the plunder of its fabled Bronzes....
13th December 2021 - 6:00 pm
Online - GMT
The Rothschild Women: Natalie Livingstone on The Untold Story of the World’s Most Famous Dynasty
In Conversation With Catherine Ostler
The story of the family who rose from the Frankfurt ghetto to achieve incomparable wealth and power is a familiar one. Yet many of the Rothschilds, the women, remain virtually unknown – until now....
14th December 2021 - 6:30 pm
Online - GMT
An Evening With Elif Shafak – The Island of Missing Trees
In Conversation With Matthew Stadlen
Join the prizewinning, bestselling author for a rich, magical tale of belonging and identity, memory and amnesia, destruction and renewal....
15th December 2021 - 6:30 pm
Online - GMT
A Night in with James Martin
Join one of the UK’s favourite TV chef, James Martin, as he talks about his favourite and most well-loved ingredient, BUTTER; the subject of his latest cookbook....
16th December 2021 - 6:30 pm
Online - GMT
Sathnam Sanghera Meets William Dalrymple
The Rise and Fall of the East India Company
A story of powerful empires, covert political machinations and bloody resistance, Sathnam Sanghera and William Dalrymple join us with the history of the world’s first corporate power....
International Highlights
UPDATE
As all talks are currently online only, we are incorporating Unmissable talks organised outside the UK in the UK section so you don’t have to look in two sections. When live talks start to happen again we will revert to UK and International....
Museums and Galleries
Online
How Botticelli Revolutionised Portraits
Art history in 10 minutes with the National Gallery
Associate Curator Laura Llewellyn discusses ‘Portrait of a Young Man’ by Sandro Botticelli, and explores how he revolutionised portraits.
Power and the Palette: How women artists painted a revolution
The London Library
Katy Hessel of The Great Women Artists Instagram and Podcast speaks to Rebecca Birrell and Jennifer Higgie about their most recent books, both of which investigate women artists throughout history whose self-portraits and still life paintings were inherently, often implicitly, political.
Katy Hessel explores the work of Nina Hamnett and Lisa Brice
Charleston Trust
Curator, writer and founder of @thegreatwomenartists Instagram account, Katy Hessel, takes a tour of our current exhibitions. Sharing her favourite works in the show, Katy explores the connections between the two artists working a century apart. ‘Nina Hamnett’ and ‘Lisa Brice’ are open until 31
Gerhard Richter | Patti Smith, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Rashaun Mitchell + Silas Riener
The Gagosian
The Gagosian Premieres celebrates “Gerhard Richter: Cage Paintings” with a musical performance and reading by Patti Smith, new choreography created and performed by Rashaun Mitchell + Silas Riener in response to the artist’s work, and commentaries by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Richard Calvocoressi.
Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk | Hikihaku Woven Obi
Victoria and Albert Museum
For over ten generations, Yamaguchi Genbei’s family have been creating exquisitely crafted obi. We visited the workshops of Kondaya Genbei in Kyoto, Japan, to find out about the inspiration and creative process behind the designs and learn more about the technique from Genbei himself.
Jean Dubuffet: Brutal Beauty – Curator Tour
Barbican
Barbican Curator Eleanor Nairne takes us on a tour of her highlights from Jean Dubuffet: Brutal Beauty.
Curators’ tour of Nero: The man behind the myth
British Museum's Thorsten Opper and Francesca Bologna
Exhibition curators, Thorsten Opper and Francesca Bologna, takes us on an in-depth tour of the latest exhibition at the British Museum – Nero: The man behind the myth.
Curator Chats Series: The Significance of African Americans in Sports
With Dr. Damion L. Thomas
Damion Thomas discusses experiences that sparked his interest in researching the history of African Americans in sports, and some of his favorite objects in our Sports: Leveling the Playing Field exhibition.
Theatre, Opera and Concerts
Free Online
Berliner Philharmoniker
Various Artists
Berliner Philharmoniker Digital Concert Hall presents a variety of free concerts in the upcoming weeks and months....
Online
Phantom Of The Opera at the Royal Albert Hall-25th Anniversary Celebration
In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, Cameron Mackintosh produced a unique, spectacular staging of the musical on a scale which had never been seen before....
Festival Highlights
Unmissable Long Reads
Pompeii Still Has Buried Secrets
Rebecca Mead
The first major excavations in decades shed light on how ordinary citizens shopped and snacked—and where slaves slept.
Sophie Calle and the Art of Leaving a Trace
Lili Owen Rowlands
The French artist has attained celebrity—and attracted controversy—by pursuing the objects of her obsession. What is she really after?
The Elephant Who Could Be a Person
Jill Lepore
The most important animal-rights case of the 21st century revolves around an unlikely subject.
How Your Family Tree Could Catch a Killer
Raffi Khatchadourian
Genetic genealogists like CeCe Moore are cracking cold cases and transforming policing. As DNA analysis redefines ancestry and anonymity, what knowledge should we be permitted to unlock?
How the Week Organizes and Tyrannizes Our Lives
Jill Lepore
From work schedules to TV seasons to baseball games, the seven-day cycle has long ordered American society. Will we ever get rid of it?
The Emily Ratajkowski You’ll Never See
Andrea Long Chu
With her new book, the model tries to escape the oppressions of the male gaze. So our writer is keeping some of her secrets.
Early Civilizations Had It All Figured Out
Gideon Lewis-Kraus
A contrarian account of our prehistory argues that cities once flourished without rulers and rules—and still could.
Energy, and How to Get It
Nick Paumgarten
All of us know people who have more energy than we do, but the science of the phenomenon is just coming into view.
The Accidental Wine Educator
Eric Asimov
Over the last 50 years, America has become the world’s leading wine consumer. Kevin Zraly has had a lot to do with that.
When a Witness Recants
Jennifer Gonnerman
At fourteen, Ron Bishop helped convict three innocent boys of murder. They’ve all lived with the consequences.
Unmissable Podcasts
Agree to Disagree: Leaving Afghanistan
Intelligence Squared Podcast
Those who say “yes” argue that the world is a decidedly different place than it was in 2001, that the mission was never to nation-build, and that continued presence prolonged the violence and distracted energies and resources away from more pressing global challenges, particularly on those centered on China....
Africa’s Oldest Burial
The Science Hour
Maria Martinon-Torres and a team from Kenya and Germany used techniques from paleontology and forensic science to reveal his story from the fragile remains....
Humor Us
Hidden Brain
The average four-year-old child laughs 300 times a day. By contrast, it takes more than two months for the average 40-year-old adult to laugh that many times. This week, we talk with behavioral scientist Jennifer Aaker of Stanford University about why so many of us fall off a “humor cliff” as we become adults....
Elizabeth Gilbert Meets Julia Cameron – The Path to Higher Creativity
How To Academy Podcast
Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way has inspired millions to realise their passions – including Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert. Coming together for this podcast, they show us the path to a creatively-fulfilling life....
Dr Gabor Maté on Why We Are All Addicts
Feel Better Live More
In conversation with Dr Rangan Chatterjee, Dr Gabor Mate talks about how we now live in a culture that doesn’t meet our human needs....
Derren Brown – How To Be a Little Happier
Learn how to think differently and overcome anxiety in a difficult world with the legendary star of stage and screen....
Israel Story – Ep. 1: Faking It
Mishy Harman and Ira Glass
From our relationship with Ira Glass to priceless antiquities all the way to coveted sick passes – Israeli stories that are anything but real. In our very first episode, the Israel Story team delves into the realm of fakes, forgeries, and mimicry. Three stories, from different periods and places, of people pretending to to be something they are not....
The Portal
Eric Weinstein
The Portal is an exploration into discovery, including conversations with thought leaders....
Revisionist Revisited: A Good Walk Spoiled
Malcolm Gladwell
Golfers everywhere love to hate this episode. Since its debut in Season 2, the subject of golf ignites Malcolm's Twitter feed like no other. Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood....
How to Fail: Mo Gawdat on how to cope with anxiety in a time of Coronavirus
How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
Elizabeth Day and Mo Gawdat, the former Chief Business Officer for Google [X], talk about how to handle negative thoughts, how to practise gratitude and the concept of 'committed acceptance', working out what you can actively do to make life better....
Katrine Marcal and Caroline Criado Perez – Mother of Invention
How To Academy Podcast
For too long we have underestimated the consequences of sexism in our economy. In conversation with Caroline Criado Perez, Katrine Marçal sets the record straight and shows how, in a time of crisis, the ingenuity and intelligence of women is that very thing that can save us....
Penguin Perspectives
Penguin Podcast
Penguin Perspectives is a collection of essays by twenty Penguin authors, written as a direct response to the Covid-19 crisis. These authors have recorded their essays from their homes during lockdown, and these recordings are collected together here...
