Music
Bland Brit Awards 2015 reflect how boring life is for most people today
The most interesting thing to come out of the awards was Madonna's tumble – and this says a lot.
TV
Wolf Hall: intelligent, subtle, artistic – but meticulous costumes have stolen the show
Costume in the TV adaptation is not only authentic. It also, like the use of dress in contemporary Tudor portraiture, helps tell the story.
Books
Penguin celebrates its 80th birthday – and cashes in on its past
The Little Black Classics are 80 little black-and-white books selling at 80p each. Capitalising on a rich history?
Fashion
If you think newspapers are losing their credibility, take a look at fashion magazines
The line between advertising and editorial may be blurred in newspapers, but it's all but non-existent in consumer magazines.
Photography
Photography’s default history is told as art – it shouldn’t be
The Tate's latest exhibition goes some way towards freeing the history of photography from the artistic canon.
TV
As culture gets ever more socially skewed, arts TV is fast becoming cultural heritage
The archive of more than 35 years of The South Bank Show tells us a great deal about changing cultural tastes in Britain.
Culture
We’re obsessed with zombies – which says a lot about today
Every generation creates a fictional enemy or monster that reflects the principal concern of the time – ours are zombies.
Film
Oscars 2015: expert reaction
Indies to the rescue, the quiet power of foreign language films, Gen-X's crowning moment. All – and more – are covered by our experts, who weigh in on this year's Oscars.
Film
Oscars' snub to world cinema promotes a very outdated worldview
The Foreign Language category at the Academy Awards is old-fashioned and flawed.
Music
Music teacher sentenced to 11 years in prison as abuse film Whiplash prepares for Oscars
Aspects of Whiplash are implausible – but it does reflect the real and insidious bullying culture that exists in music education.
Culture
World Heritage status can be a poisoned chalice for cities
Edinburgh, recently voted fourth-most-beautiful city in the world, is one of many having problems with the coveted UNESCO status. It's time for change.
