Dr John Wright

Labour is learning the wrong lessons from Reform on immigration Cutting student immigration won't win votes and won't improve the economy. James Coe urges the government to learn the right lessons from May's local elections and he thinks universities can help.

This week on Wonkhe: Cutting student immigration won't win votes and won't improve the economy. James Coe urges the government to learn the right lessons from May's local elections and he thinks universities can help.

Trump’s attack on the film industry is a sign of xenophobic contempt | Jesse Hassenger By insisting tariffs on films at least partly produced outside the US, the president is trying to limit the important worldview of cinema

Trump’s attack on the film industry is a sign of xenophobic contempt | Jesse Hassenger

'Straight A's' exhibition book and album launch Support the publication of a book and cassette for a milestone exhibition! | Check out ''Straight A's' exhibition book and album launch' on Indiegogo.

This is an excellent crowdfunding project by my friend and long term collaborator John Ledger. His work is highly considered and empathetic. To make it happen he needs collective support! www.indiegogo.com/projects/str...

Great to participate in the Midlands Conference in Critical Thought so good to meet up snd collaborate with Experimental Space Collective and Q_plus_I mcct.margins.org.uk

📆What policy interventions will the Industrial Strategy need to take to meet the different needs of places around the country?

Six months on from the Industrial Strategy Green Paper, join us to discuss the external factors shaping the strategy in 2025👇
buff.ly/HgSFb1V

Gary Lineker’s critics have got it wrong. It’s reasonable to talk about more than sport | Max Rushden The Match of the Day presenter has been challenged again on his views on Gaza and Israel. But can we really expect him to have no opinions about the outside world?

Gary Lineker’s critics have got it wrong. It’s reasonable to talk about more than sport | Max Rushden

Ingenious protest about the ongoing decimation of HE teaching and research funding in Madrid. Speaks to the public good that universities bring! ¡Solidaridad con mis camarades!

Charities warn of record high child poverty if two-child benefit cap not scrapped Failing to scrap the limit could put child poverty at its highest level since records began by the end of this parliament, charities have warned

UK charities warn of record high child poverty if two-child benefit cap not scrapped.

£3.6bn would lift 350,000 children out of poverty, reduce poverty for another 700,000.

Govts that bail out & subsidise corporations can eradicate poverty.

Ditch the Tory policy. Tax the rich. Save the future.

Looking forward to getting stuck into this over the Easter break! We need a new political imaginary more than ever! Hoping Leela Gandhi’s politics of friendship will help focus my thoughts for some new trajectories that I am working on.

We have started work on our allotment! Feels really good to dig the land and start to grow/nurture things. This is about regenerative practice and quiet activism.

Brooklyn Welcomes a New Center for Formerly Incarcerated Artists Founded by formerly incarcerated artist Jesse Krimes, the Center for Art and Advocacy will host exhibitions and programs in a 2,600-square-foot space in Bed-Stuy.

The Center for Art and Advocacy, a nonprofit supporting artists affected by incarceration, entered its new home in Brooklyn with an inaugural exhibition of visual artworks, written projects, and films by its Right of Return fellows.

“Tolerance dies when it’s performative” - Nothing but thieves

New antibiotic that kills drug-resistant bacteria discovered in technician’s garden The molecule targets bacteria in a way that other drugs don’t.

A headline Alexander Fleming would have been proud of!

@nature.com #AMR #IDSky #ClinMicro

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Prem Sikka: A boost in the minimum wage is welcome, but more must be done to improve people’s material conditions 'Despite the increase, the minimum wage will still be comparatively low, and millions will live below the minimum acceptable standard of living.'

UK law denies the full minimum wage rate to workers below the age of 21.

They pay full price for housing, food, shoes, clothes, transport, medicines and other essentials.

Output of their labour is not sold at lower price.

Legalised age discrimination, exploitation of young workers.

New model for Scottish artists - Arts Professional Shân Edwards is the founder and director of the Scottish charity Outdoor Spaces, helping to forge new ways for artists to make work using affordable spaces. She thinks this model forms a vital component...

Shân Edwards is the founder and director of the Scottish charity Outdoor Spaces, helping to forge new ways for artists to make work using affordable spaces. She thinks this model forms a vital component of the wider arts ecology.

"I don’t believe in healthcare, labor, and human rights because I’m a Marxist… I believe it because I was a waitress."

We need real people to govern us, not billionaires. 💙💯

@aoc.bsky.social @sanders.senate.gov

#HumanRights

The second was a webinar led by @britishcouncil.bsky.social on #research focusing on UK and Ireland relationships within the arts and cultural sectors. Findings by the wonderful and @name-janemorrow.bsky.social and Amberlea Neely. Some promising research on shared forums across these Isles!

The first ‘What’s next for Yorkshire’s Arts and Culture Sector?’ @universityofleeds.bsky.social was an event discussing the future of arts and culture in Yorkshire. Interesting themes emerging on forms of collaboration that are in the pipeline and a palpable sense of optimism in hard times

As we reach the end of another week, I wanted to briefly reflect on two highly interesting events that I attended this week. Collaboration and connection seems to be in the ether!

Earth’s lungs are choking on plastic and smoke – scientists hope to unblock them Plastic and climate change are interfering with how plants make food. It will blow back on us.

Plastic and climate change are interfering with how plants make food. It will blow back on us.

Heritage-led regeneration ‘can revitalise high streets’ - Arts Professional A government-backed initiative to regenerate high streets through community engagement and cultural events provided an economic boost of nearly a quarter of a billion pounds, a study has found. An evaluation...

A government-backed initiative to regenerate high streets through community engagement and cultural events provided an economic boost of nearly a quarter of a billion pounds, a study has found.

Bradford 2025: ‘Pop-up’ arts venue opens in former warehouse - Arts Professional A new arts venue has opened in a converted storage depot in Bradford city centre. The Loading Bay on the city's Duke Street has been converted by Bradford 2025 to host events throughout the year. The...

A new arts venue has opened in a converted storage depot in Bradford city centre.

“What’s the point of it?” Art, community, and the challenges of cultural value - Centre for Cultural Value Rob Eagle reflects on their experiences of creating a four-week art installation with and for their local community.

What is the role of art in a community, and who really benefits from cultural placemaking?

@rob-eagle.bsky.social reflects on their own experiences of creating a four-week art installation with and for their local community in the market town of Shipley.

www.culturalvalue.org.uk/art-communit...

Some great moments this week. A brilliant online discussion led by Sophie Hope on sharing power with some fascinating discussion on #Friendship.

Then a deep dive into #Midjourney #AI experimental workshop by Martine Neang ‘Home, Nowhere and Everywhere’.

Red book on a light wooden desk, black keyboard visible off shot.

When a book just hits right for your #research and your world view! Highly recommend Matt Hern and Am Johal’s book on the potential of friendship for thinking about a future that is, currently, very unthinkable!

What happens next? Taking time to reflect, learn and move forward - Centre for Cultural Value As the Centre for Cultural Value's initial five-year funding period ends, we share our plans to take a deliberate and strategic pause to reflect, innovate and prioritise the Centre’s long-term sustain...

Today, we share news about the future of the Centre for Cultural Value and the funders who will be supporting our work as we take a deliberate and strategic pause to reflect, innovate and prioritise our long-term sustainability.

Read more: www.culturalvalue.org.uk/what-happens...

Now I am become life, builder of worlds

Sluice is pleased to announce the inaugural Sluice Film, an itinerant film festival for artist films

Applications are now open – link in bio or via sluice.info

Theme: World-Building
Where: Seyðisfjörður
When: 23 – 25 May
Partners: @lungaschool + @herdubio

Trump can’t fulfil his promise to fix the economy, so he’s blaming workers instead Forget about inflation. Now it’s all about cutting ‘waste’ in the form of jobs and our already paltry social safety net

Trump can’t fulfil his promise to fix the economy, so he’s blaming workers instead

Emmanuel Macron used every diplomatic trick in the book at the White House – but Trump writes his own rules Trump’s diplomatic how-to guide boasts new chapters on the arts of bullying, harassment, gaslighting and, of course, the deal.

Trump’s diplomatic how-to guide boasts new chapters on the arts of bullying, harassment, gaslighting and, of course, the deal.