Hey @bsky.app how do I find out if I’m on a blocklist and do I get to challenge it if the reason appears to be unjustified? Thanks

This excellent post! Full disclosure I was on this trip cos Imogen’s my superb EA/Researcher and I was also on this work trip. For more museum musing and more, see future posts by Imogen!

Very useful 🧵👇🏽

‘Much depended on men, and it is notable that these artists had supportive fathers and disastrous husbands who spent their money, failed to nurture their careers and in the end became burdensome.’ Rosemary Hill on the work of two eighteenth-century female painters. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Nobody should want to live in a world where antisemitism thrives. It’s not a good world.

The imperative is to get more cheap renewables to get us off Trump LNG and Gulf oil asap. Faffing about trying to do it small-scale community-owned will still take forever and still attract objections. BTW I note the other parties locally are also against. But we should expect more from the Greens.

A superb appointment for new CEO of English National Opera. Helen’s track record at Rambert and as co-founder of the Hofesch Schechter company and so much more show how innovative and successful she is at making great creative work happen and as an arts leader. www.eno.org/press/eno-ap...

If only someone, anyone, from local government or any one of quite a roomful of MPs from across the country could have warned the party four or more years ago about this….. 🤦🏽‍♀️🧘🏽‍♀️

My blog on UK-EU relations - we may finally be reaching the point of realistic UK debate on the options, now that more folk realise that there won't be special deals. Closer ties in particular mean pounds, people, and positivity ecipe.org/insights/new...

Congratulations to the wonderful English National Opera for their Olivier award for Best New Opera Production for “Dead Man Walking”. See 👇🏽 the announcement of nominees, then acceptance speech by ENO’s Artistic Director Annilese Miskimmon - tribute to whole team. www.eno.org/news/eno-win...

I’m sure they’ll make an immediate start by releasing all employees, contractors and suppliers from IP clauses in their contracts, right?

Latest newsletter looks back at work on James Baldwin in 2024 to mark the publication of Nicholas Boggs’ new book on Baldwin and tonight’s event with him at Toppings Bath. open.substack.com/pub/festival...

To continue with a theme of jobs and skills to make live performance, here a photo of @welshnatopera.bsky.social preparing set for Peter Grimes shows last Spring. #opera #liveperformance #artsandculture

Yet more reasons to love live performance - the sheer range of human skills, creativity and ingenuity that goes into making an immense in-real-life non-CGI work of story-telling. This one from the magical world of #opera - thanks @royaloperahouse.bsky.social people!

A quick reminder of the NASA live feed - one hour 11 minutes to go till splashdown. Beautiful slow/fast TV. And Jackie from CAPCOMM at Mission Control is in fine form. youtube.com/live/m3kR2KK...

There is a whole new level of destruction, madness and illegality contained in all this - including the news that Trump views having a nuclear weapon is a war crime. Liberal democracy - as well as Iran - is facing destruction. www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

The #Artemis voyage is the very definition of utterly thrilling TV that is both slow & very fast simultaneously. The thrills at the sight/sound of CAPCOM talking with the astronauts, always with complete calm. Esp. for anyone (me) who has watched Apollo 13 many times. www.bbc.com/news/live/c4...

Chag Pesach sameach to all marking Passover this week, (especially to the Jewish congregations in Bristol I had the great honour of serving and representing for nine difficult years and miss very much) #Passover #Pesach

As we wait for this speech, maybe a reminder to the USA president and co that a) NATO is a defensive alliance; b) article 5 of NATO treaty requires allies to support NATO member after a direct attack on them; c) it’s been invoked once, by USA, after 9/11. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

AI & copyright: @publishersassoc.bsky.social CEO Dan Conway nails it in his letter to @financialtimes.com: “We have an established system for how to seek the right to use content — commercial licensing. AI companies have legal certainty — it’s called copyright.” giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

Six exceptional books, six exceptional writers! So proud of @womensprize.bsky.social for non fiction shortlist 2026. I recommend all of these books and love to hear views of those who read them. It’s a privilege to chair #womensprizefornonfiction 2026. www.theguardian.com/books/2026/m...

It would be great to know when we will get a DCMS response to Margaret Hodge’s review of the Arts Council - arts and culture organisations across the country really need to know what’s going to happen. Not really sure why it’s taking so long?

I am so proud to be chair of judges’ panel for 2026 #womensprizefornonfiction - with brilliant team work with the rest of the panel - @ninastibbe.bsky.social Roma Agrawal, Nicola Elliott and Nicola Williams - and the support of the fantastic #womensprize team. Here is our shortlist! 👇🏽💪🏽❤️

Introducing the 2026 #WomensPrize for Non-Fiction shortlist – six exceptional books, each a testament to how vital women’s writing is to our understanding of the world, and our imagining of tomorrow. Discover the shortlist here: youtu.be/v0O74n1r780 #WomensPrizeforNonFiction

Bring a champion for all arts and culture, including dance, theatre, opera, animation, musical theatre, being in a band or DJ - these are not mutually exclusive! Falling for stereotype that some art forms only for posh people makes them even less accessible to young people from diverse backgrounds.

I’m just gonna re post this because I’ve got more love than ever today for creators and their work - what could possibly be the reason to want to avoid paying creators? encourage more young people from all backgrounds to create - but then take away the recognition and reward part? Why?

Today’s the day! @womensprize.bsky.social for non-fiction shortlist announcement at 2pm! So proud to be chair of this panel of judges - can’t wait to share the list with you all! #womensprize #womensprizefornonfiction

Anyone who knows what this film is - and loves it - you are my people. It was on good old BBC2 last weekend - no ads, no subs, just there on my laptop. price of license fee = £3.36 pw. Should the BBC just be news and current affairs, as some suggest? Hell no! #informeducateentertain

Last week in the Lords we voted for women having an abortion to have safe choices and not to be investigated for criminal charges. I am proud to have voted for this. We did *not* vote to legalise abortion up till birth. Lots of misinformation - so here are facts 👇🏽 www.instagram.com/p/DWPJgNgDo1...

Utterly horrifying - from this morning’s coverage the counter-terrorism police treating it as an antisemitic hate crime. As it should be. A cauldron of hate and division is being brewed in the UK and across the world.

It is not normal for the elected President of the USA to rejoice - publicly - about the death of a public servant. Personal vindictiveness knows no bounds. Nobody can doubt Trump’s grab for autocracy. It’s in plain sight. Robert S. Mueller dies: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/21/u...

What @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social said 👇🏽💪🏽. Nick Timothy might want to ask himself if *every* politician of “foreign birthplace or ancestry” is ineligible to make any decisions… 🤔 I also condemn his Islamophobic bigotry. (Just to help along Connor et al.: I’m of Indian “ancestry”.)

We keep hearing that AI/tech companies don’t want to pay for copyrighted content. Here is an AI boss saying they should 👇🏽 Mistral CEO: AI companies should pay a content levy in Europe

Theres something satisfying about Robert Jenrick being roasted by Gillian Tettt and Thangam Debbonaire on the effects of Brexit on UK economy! #newsnight

Sitting here admiring the architecture and the reflections and the blue sky and the trams and the corten steel planters. #DenHaag #readingnook

Time is nearly up to have your say over the future of the BBC! The consultation closes today, Tuesday 10th March, 23.59. Link below 👇🏽

Today’s reminder of our fantastic @womensprize.bsky.social for non fiction longlist 👇🏽👇🏽💪🏽

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