David Lister

A founder member of The Independent David Lister joined the paper in 1986 as Assistant Home Editor. He became the paper's arts correspondent in 1988 and is now Arts Editor and writes a column each Saturday. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

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An auctioneer receives bids for Gerhard Richter's work 'Abstraktes Bild' during the Sotheby's London Evening Sale of Contemporary Art held at Sotheby's, New Bond Street, London.

Arts funding is going, going – and if we don't think of alternatives, it will soon be gone

Plus: No sympathy for the devil in the booking detail for The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park, and how did ITV's Savile documentary not win a BAFTA?

I'm sorry, Helen Mirren, but with this latest crowd-pleaser you broke the golden rule of acting

Plus: This rehang will transform the Tate Britain and a chorus of disapproval for these Cambridge folk

Sylvie Guillem has criticised Britain’s biggest dance company

Famed dancer Sylvie Guillem fires on 'stupid' former boss at the Royal Ballet

The world-famous dancer and former star of the Royal Ballet, Sylvie Guillem, has strongly criticised Britain’s biggest dance company, and revealed her dislike of its recently departed director, in an astonishingly frank interview with The Independent.

Sylvie Guillem: The most exciting dancer in the world is back at Sadler’s Wells – and she’s got scores to settle

She has never been afraid to upset the dance establishment. The outspoken star lets rip on Nureyev, the Royal Ballet, and the environment

If galleries want to be friends, they'll have to come with benefits

Plus: The curious incident of Luke Treadaway, the non-appearing Best Actor and I'm not a 'stakeholder' in this ugly use of English

POSH:
One of the highest grossing shows in the Royal Court's history, Laura Wade's hit is now at the West End's Duke of York's Theatre. It features the elite Oxford student dining society, the Riot Club. The fictional body echoes the Bullingdon Club of Cameron, Osborne, and Boris Johnson fame.

Sorry, Mike Bradwell, but you can't just blame the Oxbridge lot for theatre's diversity problem

Plus: A chorus of approval for this Commitment to cheap theatre tickets and The Proms go punk, but something better change

What has Culture Secretary Ed Vaizey done to anger Dame Helen?

Plus: Go, girl! More Flynn and less Mantel, please; and the award for histrionics goes to the inaugural International Opera Awards at London's Hilton Hotel

Glass act: BBC2 drama 'The Hour'

She may not have known it, but even Thatcher was not immune to art's capacity to challenge

Plus: The BBC should regret the passing of The Hour and Hytner's first-class

Tony Hall arrives for his first day as Director General of the BBC at New Broadcasting House in central London yesterday

Here's another job for your to-do list, Lord Hall: restore arts at the BBC to their former glory

Plus: Stoppard's still making waves and these trumped-up fees are beyond a joke

So what does go on inside the Arts Council, Mr Bazalgette?

He failed to mention or defend the seemingly outrageous use of public money

Day In a Page

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

A meeting of global power brokers in a Hertfordshire hotel is exciting conspiracy theorists, but what are they really about?
'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system': Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console

'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system'

Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console
Plenty of Fish dating site founder pulls 'Intimate Encounters' option to ward off sleazy men

Plenty of sleaze

Dating website pulls intimate 'hook-up' section to curb harassment
Inferno author Dan Brown 'honoured' to be invited to join the Freemasons

The Freemasons’ Code

Dan Brown reveals the message that told him door to the lodge is open
Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Nick Buckles survived the Olympics débâcle and a £5bn bid fiasco but a profit warning finally triggered his downfall
How to say ‘I’m a sellout’: Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar

How to say ‘I’m a sellout’

Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar
Why clubs are keen to take a stand

Why clubs are keen to take a stand

There's a real desire around the grounds for safe standing. But will the authorities listen?
In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

Disillusion with a siege mentality and negative playing style made change inevitable
James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

British driver was fascinating man whose epic duel with Niki Lauda in 1976 was typical of an era of glamour and glory – but also the ever-present threat of death
Stuart Hogg: Ready to climb his own Everest

Stuart Hogg: Ready to climb his own Everest

Lions' cub, 20, joins long line of players from Scottish borders club Hawick given opportunity to make his mark at highest level
Carl Froch handed rare chance of revenge with dream rematch

Steve Bunce on Boxing

Carl Froch handed rare chance of revenge with dream rematch against Mikel Kessler
'There is a battle going on inside us that is never discussed'

Masculinity in crisis?

'There is a battle going on inside us that is never discussed'
Have US shock jocks gone too far?

Have US shock jocks gone too far?

An incendiary remark from Rush Limbaugh may be the beginning of the end for outspoken right-wing US broadcasters
The ‘Beverly Hills’ of Surrey pays more income tax than big cities of the North

The ‘Beverly Hills’ of Surrey

Elmbridge pays more income tax than big cities of the North
Heavenly Bodies

Heavenly Bodies

Michael Landy's artistic marriage made in heaven... and hell