Who is ‘working class’ and why does it matter in the arts?

In recent years, a string of academic reports have shown in stark terms just how elitist the arts have become over the last four decades. The proportion of working-class actors, musicians and writers has shrunk by half since the 1970s, according to one piece of research, while another study found fewer than one in 10 arts workers in the UK had working-class roots.Sutton Trust research released last year found the creative industries were dominated by people from the most affluent backgrounds, which it defined as those from “upper middle-class backgrounds”, while a Netflix report claimed working-class parents did not see film and TV as a viable career for their children.Guardian analysis has found that almost a third (30%) of artistic directors and other creative leaders were privately educated, compared with a national average of just 7%. More than a third (36%) of the organisations’ chief executives or other executive directors went to private schools

Noel Clarke loses appeal court challenge that could have delayed Guardian libel trial

Noel Clarke has suffered a legal setback in his lawsuit against the Guardian after the court of appeal rejected his 11th-hour attempt to add a “conspiracy” claim to his lawsuit, which could have delayed the start of the libel trial.The claim would have involved adding six co-defendants to the case before the trial.Clarke’s lawyers argued they had been unfairly prejudiced by a high court decision last month to postpone the legal application to avoid a delay to the trial.In a unanimous judgment on Friday, three appeal court judges supported the decision by the trial judge, Mrs Justice Steyn.Lord Justice Warby, who wrote the lead opinion, concluded the trial judge’s approach was “fair and her procedural assessments were all legitimate”

Stephen Colbert on Trump: ‘With this guy, every troll is a trial balloon’

The Late Show host delves into New York City’s congestion pricing and Bigfoot maybe becoming California’s official state cryptid.On Thursday evening, Stephen Colbert took on a topic close to his professional home at New York’s Ed Sullivan theater: congestion pricing, a toll on most vehicles entering Manhattan’s central business district between 5am and 9pm to cut traffic and emissions.The new tax was introduced at the beginning of this year, “and it’s working”, Colbert explained, as January saw a 7.9% reduction in traffic, and the governor’s office noted that foot traffic to local businesses spiked. “Or, as the New York Times put it, ‘Ay! People are walking here!’” Colbert joked

The Sims at 25: a terrifying facsimile of life, death and the endless cycle of work

Launched in an era when voyeurism reigned supreme, The Sims was both a curious pleasure and a Lynchian oddity. A new program in Melbourne celebrates its legacy“Who would you put in your pool these days?” asks my friend while we stand in a giant lime-green dollhouse. We’re at Acmi’s celebration of The Sims’ 25th birthday, inside a Y2K-inspired pop-up styled by the interior designer influencers and diehard Simmers Josh and Matt. There are a couple of blocky PCs where people can play the original Sims. There is also a grim reaper and a llama wandering around

Stephen Colbert on Elon Musk: ‘An unelected donor running an unauthorized employee kill squad’

The Late Show host looks into the chaos created by Elon Musk’s unofficial “department of government efficiency” (Doge).“It feels like every day we get news of yet another inexplicable, chaotic move seemingly bent on undermining everything we as Americans hold dear,” said Stephen Colbert on Wednesday evening. “And today is no different,” as KFC announced it was moving its corporate headquarters from Kentucky to Texas.“What’s next? Jersey Mike’s becomes Maine’s Mickeys?” he exclaimed. “Will Papa John step down as the pizza pope? Burger King abdicates his throne to nary a common nugget?”Meanwhile, in Washington, “our government is getting spatchcocked by Elon Musk and his post-pubescent pink-slip troopers”, as Doge’s mass layoffs of government workers have been met with anger, chaos and confusion

Indie legend Miki Berenyi: ‘There was a falling out in Lush. And, if I’m honest, it still hurts’

Ahead of her trio’s new album, the indie star answers your questions on the harsh 90s music press, her harrowing memoir, and the joy of Spurs walloping ArsenalYou’ve talked about how trying to break America led to Lush almost breaking up by the time of Chris Acland’s death. Did you actually want that level of success? tomfowler500If we had, then we wouldn’t have been on 4AD – because Pixies and Cocteau Twins were on 4AD and neither of them had a Top 10 single. They were popular and respected, but 4AD was not the label to push you up the Billboard charts. I don’t think any of us were built for that treadmill, or those long distances, and it’s hard not to lose your mind. I used to prepare for tours by taking Linguaphone tapes and thinking, “I’m going to learn Italian”