What my local gallery has got wrong; and the real problem for News Corp's lobbyist

Music: In the car I'm listening to Tom Waits's 'Bad as Me' (I'm releasing an album of his songs with Opera North Projects), Carla Bley's 'Carla's Christmas Carols' (unseasonably) – especially her gospel version of "O Holy Night" – and my daughter's Count Basie albums (with virtuosic rhythm guitarist Freddie Green). Late at night, the jazz pianist Tony Genge, as well as Michael Chance singing "Erbaum dicht" from the St Matthew Passion.

Until now, anyone who aspired to be well versed in the artistic highlights of the world's great galleries required time, money and a penchant for air travel. Soon, they will need just a laptop.

Days after The Independent published his stark condemnation of Damien Hirst as a "con artist" whose art is "worthless" financially and artistically, Julian Spalding was yesterday barred from entry to the Tate's Hirst exhibition.

Two shows demonstrate the irreversible if brief impact on these shores of Picasso's journey to London and Ben Nicholson's pilgrimage to Paris

David Shrigley, 43

How the master of Modernism taught the Brits a lesson

Sutherland is one of many mid-20th-century artists storming back into fashion at galleries and in salerooms alike

In 1629, Rubens came to London to negotiate a treaty between England and Spain; that done, he was knighted by Charles I and arose as Sir Peter Paul.

Beyond the overbearing and clunking blockbusters, the year's best shows were far-flung, small and perfectly formed

Staff at the Tate galleries are furious about the use of two external consultants who have made £750,000 of savings, describing their techniques as "psychobabble" whose only purpose is to force through job cuts.

Anti-war protester Brian Haw was a very public thorn in the British Government's side.