What happens when a pile of leftover corporate event supplies falls into the hands of a natural problem-solver? For artist Greg Domres, it sparked an entirely new creative chapter. Combining a background in marketing and interiors with inspiration from icons like Hockney and Picasso, Greg has traded traditional paints and canvases for the tactile, vibrant…

If you’re looking for a way to divide an opera audience, look no further than taking one of the genre’s most beloved works and giving it a radical reimagining. English National Opera’s latest production of Puccini’s Tosca, directed by artistic director Annilese Miskimmon, has certainly done that. It is a production that seems unlikely to…

The Place’s Autumn season sparked into life with an intriguing show, Choreodrome: making progress, allowing choreographers to showcase their “beautiful, bold and bonkers experiments” – and it did not disappoint on any of those three counts. Opening the second evening of this two-night event was Kesha Raithatha’s Threads, a piece that began with the striking,…

From James Acaster’s late-game exposure to Miranda Hart’s surprisingly sharp detective work, we revisit our pre-series predictions and discover which calls were inspired, which were wildly optimistic, and which completely missed the mark. 1. James Acaster would be one of the first celebrities accused of being a Traitor James Acaster was always going to be…

Here at Close-Up Culture, we are continuing our mission to celebrate some of the most inspiring and creative talents across the arts space. This time, we’re shining a spotlight on 20 exceptional bookish creators who are helping shape online reading culture. 1. @KayleesBookClub If your ideal weekend involves pumpkin spice lattes, cosy vlogs, and diving…

Translating the life of Oscar Wilde into ballet is no small undertaking. One of literature’s most celebrated wordsmiths, Wilde built his reputation on the precision of his language, the brilliance of his wit, and his ability to expose the hypocrisies of Victorian society. To tell his story without words, therefore, is an ambitious proposition. Yet Christopher…

Few things are quite as striking as the opening of a Balanchine ballet. As the curtain rises, rows of dancers emerge in perfect symmetry, creating an image that can elicit an almost involuntary gasp from the audience. It was a fitting beginning to English National Ballet’s latest triple bill, Rhythm Riot. Bringing together George Balanchine’s…

Fashion and film have always shared a complicated relationship. Both are concerned with image, identity, and transformation and both understand the power of a carefully constructed visual world. That intersection sits at the heart of the London Fashion Film Festival, which returned this September for its 13th edition. Held across two days, this year’s festival…