Good reads

A new book argues that artists find success through exploration rather than experience in one discipline, writes Alina Cohen. Are artists with broader backgrounds more innovative?

Opera companies are being challenged by "a repertoire that is frozen in time and an audience that is continuing to evolve", writes Caitlin Vincent. How can they respect the classics while respecting difference?

In Mexico, a shrinking national culture budget has encouraged networks of independent theatres to form. Mariela Lopez Flores talks to theatremakers about the challenges - weather and crime rates included - of creating a theatrical culture.

Bringing same-sex and gender non-conforming works to the fore tells stories that were once actively suppressed. It also raises questions about whose histories museums represent, writes David Shariatmadari.

Traditional ballroom dancing is "a caricature of socially prescribed gender roles", writes Britt Peterson. Same-sex partnering challenges norms in dance - and the dancers themselves.

An editorial by The Guardian called the BBC Proms "an audible spa treatment". BBC Classical Music Controller Alan Davey and others respond to criticism that the event is unchallenging and elitist.

Controversy over donations runs the risk of making the arts "unfundable". Courtney Goldsmith asks the experts how organisations can make decisions about whose money to accept - and what for.

In Iran, where dance is forbidden by law, "hypocrisy and stigma" is erasing traditional forms of the art, a dancer writes. She talks about her experience of dance as a form of expression and resistance.

St Fagans National Museum of History near Cardiff has beaten off stiff competion to become the UK's museum of the year. Mark Brown looks at the local touches that make it special.

Those in the running to become the UK's next Prime Minister have said little about the arts, writes Ed Vaizey. Could Boris Johnson be the sector's best bet?

A museum programme that pays diverse audiences to act as guest critics addresses real - and sometimes surprising - barriers to access and engagement, writes Laura Raicovich

Place-based schemes being piloted around the UK offer a way to invest in communities and artists. Lyn Gardner considers the "untapped potential" in building from the ground up.

A love of literature does little for the bank balance. But for those who choose creative careers, judging merit on money alone misses the point, writes Madeline Grant.

There will always be a "random and arbitrary element" to succeeding in the arts, writes Kenn Taylor. With opportunities for access under threat, what can the sector do to cultivate talent?

Classical music performers and listeners are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with how streaming platforms deal with the genre – but hope is arriving in the form of new specialist services, writes Patrick Sawer.

Returning artworks to their countries of origin can be an incredibly delicate and complex process, writes Laura Raicovich. She spoke to curators about understanding an institution's limits and who to ask for help.

British theatre is becoming less male and less white. New directors are bringing new looks, new sounds, new subjects - and new opportunities, writes Susannah Clapp.

A mayor’s support for the cultural economy of her city has sparked protests from artists, administrators and councillors. Zachary Small looks at how a war over funding has become a battle for the non-economic value of culture.