Arts & Ideas Podcast
Leading thinkers discuss the ideas shaping our lives – looking back at the news and making links between past and present. Broadcast as Free Thinking, Fridays at 9pm on BBC Radio 4. Presented by Matthew Sweet, Shahidha Bari and Anne McElvoy.
Episodes to download
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Proms Extra: Capability Brown: Anna Pavord
Wed 7 Sep 2016
Anna Pavord considers the landscapes created by 'Capability' Brown - born 300 years ago
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Proms Extra: The Great Fire of London
Wed 7 Sep 2016
Historians Adrian Tinniswood and Tom Charlton look at London in ruins in September 1666.
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Proms Extra: Tagore
Thu 1 Sep 2016
Novelist Tahmima Anam and Preti Taneja join Rana Mitter to explore the writing of Tagore.
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Proms Extra: Germany East and West
Tue 30 Aug 2016
Novelist Philip Kerr and historian Karen Leeder look at Leipzig in 1989 and Germany now.
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Proms Extra: Devils and Paganini
Wed 24 Aug 2016
Rev Richard Coles and poet Imtiaz Dharker on the Devil in Christian and Islamic cultures.
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Proms Extra: Shakespeare – Actors and Acting
Tue 23 Aug 2016
Actor Michael Pennington continues our series on professions in Shakespeare's plays.
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Proms Extra: Shakespeare - Sheep and Shepherds
Mon 22 Aug 2016
Shakespeare's depiction of shepherds discussed by James Rebanks and Dr Emma Smith.
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Proms Interval: What's In A Name?
Sun 14 Aug 2016
Sophie Coulombeau reflects on what history can tell us about Naming the Baby
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Proms Extra: HG Wells: Stephen Baxter and Dr Sarah Dillon
Tue 9 Aug 2016
Author Stephen Baxter and Sarah Dillon on space and time in HG Wells, born 150 years ago.
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Proms Extra: Shakespeare - Shipwrecks and Sea Captains
Wed 3 Aug 2016
The sea and shipwrecks in Shakespeare discussed by sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.
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Proms Extra: George Eliot in Germany
Wed 3 Aug 2016
Novelist Patricia Duncker and Clare Walker-Gore on George Eliot and German culture.
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Proms Extra: Shakespeare - Law and Lawyers
Tue 2 Aug 2016
What did Shakespeare know of the law? Geoffrey Robertson QC talks to Anne McElvoy.
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Proms Extra: Shakespeare - Religion and Clerics
Mon 1 Aug 2016
Religion and clerics in Shakespeare considered by Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London.
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Proms Extra: Shakespeare - Soldiers and War
Thu 28 Jul 2016
Colonel Tim Collins & Professor Emma Smith consider Soldiers & War in Shakespeare's plays
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Proms Extra: The Politics of Shaving with Shahidah Bari,
Tue 26 Jul 2016
Facial Fuzz: A short back-and-sided history with Kathryn Hughes and Alun Withey
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Proms Extra:Henry James and Italy
Mon 25 Jul 2016
Novelist Philip Hensher and Professor Philip Horne explore Henry James in Italy.
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Proms Extra: Charlotte Brontë: Gregory Tate talks to Joanne Harris & Claire Harman
Tue 19 Jul 2016
Hear Charlotte Brontë's biographer Claire Harman & Yorkshire-born novelist Joanne Harris
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Proms Lecture: Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Mon 18 Jul 2016
Frank Cottrell-Boyce on the cultural legacy of the 2012 Olympics and the role of the arts
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Free Thinking - Rio, addiction, and saying the unsayable
Thu 14 Jul 2016
Anne McElvoy looks ahead to the Rio Olympics discussing Brazilian culture.
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Free Thinking - War: Tear Gas. New Generation Thinker Anindya Raychaudhuri on the Spanish Civil War. Iraq.
Wed 13 Jul 2016
Philip Dodd discusses war and modern memory.
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Free Thinking - Liverpool Biennial 2016
Wed 13 Jul 2016
Matthew Sweet reports from Liverpool where art has taken over the city.
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Free Thinking - Scotland, Wales and the Ukraine: New Generation Thinker Victoria Donovan. The 2016 Caine Prize.
Thu 7 Jul 2016
New Generation Thinker Victoria Donovan on Welsh links to Ukraine. Caine Prize winner
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Free Thinking: The Desert: Geoff Dyer, Laurence Scott, Georgia O'Keeffe
Tue 5 Jul 2016
Georgia O'Keeffe images of New Mexico at Tate and Matthew Sweet looks at deserts
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Free Thinking - Hisham Matar. Street Furniture. Easternisation. New Generation Thinker Katherine Cooper on Storm Jameson.
Thu 30 Jun 2016
Hisham Matar's search for his father. Street furniture. Easternisation. Storm Jameson.
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Free Thinking - Post Referendum reflections and New Generation Thinker Chris Kissane on citizenship.
Wed 29 Jun 2016
The long view of the vote to leave the EU and New Generation Thinker Chris Kissane.
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Free Thinking - Tony Garnett
Tue 28 Jun 2016
British TV and film producer Tony Garnett is in conversation with Matthew Sweet
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Free Thinking - Walter Benjamin; A cultural history of the body; Edvard Munch; Soviet Superwoman
Thu 23 Jun 2016
Anne McElvoy evaluates the fiction of Walter Benjamin and the Soviet superwoman.
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Free Thinking - Universities: Therapy or Learning?
Wed 22 Jun 2016
Philip Dodd debates "Universities - therapy or learning?". Dr Seán Williams on Nietzsche
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Free Thinking: Hands - The Anatomical Venus
Tue 21 Jun 2016
Matthew Sweet discuses hands with Darian Leader plus New Generation Thinker Seb Falk.
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Free Thinking - Nottingham Contemporary Art Debate: Elizabeth Price, Alice Channer.
Thu 16 Jun 2016
Anne McElvoy is joined by curators and artists and an audience at Nottingham Contemporary
