Haha! I love Seattle! (Also, their opera outreach is top notch. I went for the first time and not only did they have a welcome booth with a photo backdrop and presents for me, when I went to my seat, there was a personalized "What to expect at the opera" pack there. And then a talk back.)

Extraordinary for someone in one art form to dismiss the talent, skill, achievements &hard work in other art forms. Opera & ballet have been around a while, are constantly evolving and will be making great work for years to come. He is of course welcome to try! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Time’s nearly up to respond to the DCMS public consultation on the future of the BBC! For some good inspiration and reminders of the value of the BBC for arts and culture, see the excellent paper published by Campaign For the Arts: www.campaignforthearts.org/wp-content/u...

In artefact restitution news: a model process, returning a C16 religious statue back to a live Hindu temple in Tamil Nadu from @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social - the wonderful teams at Ashmolean and High Commission of India in London show it can be done! www.telegraphindia.com/world/uks-as...

The weekend after 2024 GE @douglasbeat.bsky.social interviewed me for postscript to his book. Some other researcher from Lab HQ also got in touch and after a similar interview (both long, detailed and focussed) I asked that person to let the LP know I was keen to help. And I still am.

This from our wonderful London Mayor @london.gov.uk has articulated clearly so much that has needed articulating for some time, and does it so well. 👇🏽 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Also helpful - Lyse Doucet on Newscast. 👇🏽 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/n...

Iran thread🧵 👇🏽

Classy message from Angeliki Stogia, the Labour candidate for Gorton and Denton by-election election, thanking voters and campaigners for their support. It’s tough work being a candidate and she campaigned hard and continues to serve the people of Manchester. Thanks to Angeliki for her service.

I really would like what I learned from being Labour candidate against Greens (2015, 2017, 2019, 2024) to be useful. Did an article for @thehousemag.bsky.social couple of weeks back, yesterday an interview on R4 PM 👇🏽 c 17.10ish. Can discuss further. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

If - like me - you weren’t/aren’t at Ally Pally for Fred Again - a reminder of the truly excellent Ten Days. So many excellent tracks. I’m picking “I Saw You” and “Just Stand There” as top for so many reasons. #artprescription #Thangskitchendisco open.spotify.com/album/3DQueE...

Part 2 of #artprescription to the Sunday max was the Gwen John exhibition at National Museum Cardiff this morning (free with @artfund.bsky.social Art Pass!). Gorgeous. I will be returning many times over coming months. Strong recommend. Worth buying the Art Pass for. A taster 👇🏽

First up on the #artprescription: read a 50 page chunk of one of the @womensprize.bsky.social for non-fiction longlist, make notes, drink coffee. Then indulge in photographs of Indian art - books from @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social and @britishmuseum.bsky.social Possible mini #Tunnocks

Today’s #artprescription is in three parts. This is the third - talking about arts, culture and global politics @orieloxford.bsky.social with Oriel Provost Lord Neil Mendoza this afternoon at 16.45 - free but click link to book. Come to discuss! 👇🏽

Today’s #artprescription: more close reading of the sixteen books on our @womensprize.bsky.social for non-fiction longlist. We judge against excellence, originality &accessibility. Thoughts welcome! Please ask your local bookshop to stock/promote the longlist! womensprize.com/prizes/women...

Today’s #artprescription is this fantastic book. As the author says - you could flip the premise to how a lack of arts/culture damage our health. The political economy of arts, culture and heritage isn’t just jobs, careers, exports & growth (obvs all important!) - also about investment for health.

So looking forward to this coming Sunday! With my friend and colleague Neil Mendoza, provost of @orieloxford.bsky.social - discussing all things the political economy of arts, culture and heritage, plus anything else people want us to discuss! All welcome, see link 👇🏽

Yesterday’s #artprescription - as well as more @womensprize.bsky.social for non-fiction reading (got to get longlist of 16 down to shortlist of 6) was a wonderful visit to @welshnatopera.bsky.social and talk all things the future of this multi-art-form with the directors Sarah and Adele.

This was such an interesting and lively debate at @howthelightgetsin2.bsky.social last year - looking forward to taking part in this year’s HTLGI! Thanks to @iai.tv for sharing.

Baroness @thangamdebbonaire.bsky.social, Labour peer and Labour MP for Bristol West from 2015 to 2024, is in conversation with Lord Mendoza, Oriel College Provost, on Sunday 22 February. The event is free to attend and open to everyone. 🔗 Book your place ⬇️ www.oriel.ox.ac.uk/events/provo...

Another art prescription - being in the glorious Stroud St Laurence Church and centre for arts and peace for the wonderful Cellophonics, playing this piece and more. Glorious! Go see this band if you can.

This week’s art prescription included the poetry in dance that is the Pina Bausch show “Sweet Mambo”, with two poets for my guests. Obvs no photos of show but here’s the curtain call - the curtains and the wind are the set. Thanks @sadlerswells.bsky.social Robert Montgomery and Greta Bellamacina

Congratulations to Barbara Demick, Lyse Doucet, Jenny Evans, Daisy Fancourt, Lady Hale, Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, @judithmackrell.bsky.social, Deepa Paul, Sarah Perry, Harriet Rix, Jane Rogoyska, Arundhati Roy, Zakia Sewell, @gracespencegreen.bsky.social, @ecetemelkuran.bsky.social @leaypi.bsky.social

This longlist is one which my fellow judges and I spent a lot of care and thought over and we are very proud of its breadth, depth and quality. Now to get to a shortlist!

Only 27 days to have your say over the future of the BBC! Don’t leave it to other people - take part!. You love it? You think it could be better? There’s something special you don’t want to lose? Tell the government! Closes Tuesday 10th March. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Today we announce the longlist for the @womensprize.bsky.social for non-fiction 2026. Sixteen superb works of non-fiction, written by women. Our list comes out at 14.00 today, Wednesday 11th February. Stand by! (Can’t wait to be able to talk about what I’m reading again!)

If you want to see the BBC improve, then you MUST take part in the consultation as part of the Charter renewal. It is open now! I've spoken before on how the word 'impartial' used prominently in the current Charter to define the BBC's purposes is a major problem, only being added in 2017. 1/2

Art prescription at the National Portrait Gallery (get on Bluesky, NPG!). Never fails. This discovery is portrait of one Eleanor James, described in the label as a 17th/18th political activist and writer. By an unknown artist. Who was Eleanor James?

Also opera last night - at the opening of this run of #ENO Cosi Fan Tutti! This curtain call (we were invited to get our phones out at this point) gives a taste of the riot of colour and exuberant joy - for all this and great singing (and the silly plot) go see it!

Opera last night - at the opening of the Winter Olympics, of course! Verdi, Puccini and Rossini wrote such cracking tunes. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/f...

Watching the Commons respond to the Foreign Secretary’s statement on Sudan. A quick reminder that this is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Millions of people starving, raped, killed. Children growing up fearful and without hope. www.concern.net/news/worlds-...

Important! AHRC is looking for a new Executive Chair. A critical role for arts and humanities. £160k - £170k. Please share widely to help get the best possible field! fa-evzn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

Doing accounts forced me to assess how many memberships and subscriptions is necessary. Far from cancelling any I’ve spotted some I could add. In my 60th year maybe it’s time to join the National Trust? Or another gallery membership? Note to self - join Everyman and see more films.

At the launch of #BBC #GetSinging this morning - featuring the GetSinging ambassador Jacob Collier and one of the best sign language interpreters ever! This is BBC at its very best - doing something with national appeal, mass relevance, music, education and joy.

Because we know life gets booked and busy, we thought we’d share some key dates you might want to add to your calendar… The 2026 Women’s Prizes for Fiction and Non-Fiction will kick-off on 8 October with our judges announcement – who’s excited?! #WomensPrize

The sponsors of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, on the range of things they are OK with. Lack of Palliative care, financial worries, mental illness, feeling like a burden - according to them, these are all acceptable reasons to “choose” an assisted suicide.

Another good day to read more. @anneapplebaum.bsky.social “Autocracy Inc.” Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Maybe Foucault’s Panoptican. Perhaps some poetry. Or listen to some music. Or something.

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The exam questions for this contemplative position are: 1. How to articulate the political economy of art, culture and heritage? 2. Who needs to know this and why? 3. Why haven’t I made any coffee yet?

A joyful evening of live, beautiful music played wonderfully by #Claptoncollective in, yes, Clapton. Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” and an encore from “Last Leaf” (Danish String Quartet - wonderful album, go get it). Just beautiful.

If you want the actual headlines about what Labour have are actually doing to turn our country around, then check out my Substack. I try to give details several times a week (every day if I can) of the key events and how it benefits us. Lots of the same stuff I post here, but all in one place.

Last couple of days of the Kerry James Marshall exhibition at @royalacademyarts.bsky.social - well worth cancelling something else to see. An extraordinary, unforgettable and utterly beautiful body of work.

On House of Lords Tv right now - Digital committee hearing on AI and copyright with Secs of State Liz Kendal and Lisa Nandy. #AI #art #music #AIandcopyright www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...

Very much this! www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Woke up and found this happened. 👇🏽 “The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president”.

Can’t write much about what I’m reading till we’re done on the judging of @womensprize.bsky.social for non fiction - but here’s something I wrote on Substack. The process helped me make sense of how much of my reading, and my life, has been shaped. open.substack.com/pub/thangamd...

Not the headline (or the photo) I’d have chosen but this gives a bit of a picture of our plans for UK Opera Association 👇🏽

Oh and this happened! 👇🏽

On Friday in the latest debate on Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill the closing speech from Bill’s sponsor Charlie Falconer makes some arguments for “choice” that can best be described as troubling. Other adjectives are available. 👇🏽 hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2026-0...

On yesterday’s Record Review on BBC Radio 3 the first track is Kurt Weill’s “This Time Next Year”. So poignant and apt, in music and lyrics. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...