What’s going on this week? Let me tell you.
One of the first things I do every morning after I get out of bed is scroll through all my favourite news sites and social platforms.
Aside from sending memes to friend and family groups I also send pieces of news I find interesting and topical (often followed by a few minutes of rambling voice notes).
And so here’s my gift to you, from my DMs to yours, a curated list of cultural stories I think you need to know this week.
As usual, let me know your thoughts, feelings, and opinions by commenting below.
Enjoy.
Art
Tim Burton’s Retrospective Breaks Visitor Records at The Design Museum
The Design Museum has revealed that its major retrospective of director Tim Burton has become the most visited exhibition in the museum’s history with over 171,000 visitors since the exhibition opened on October 2024.
Source: FAD Magazine and The Design Museum.
UK Launches £270M Arts Fund to Revitalize Museums and Theatres
The UK government has announced the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund to boost the arts and culture sector in the country. The aim to reinvigorate museums, theatres, and cultural spaces and to make the arts more accessible.
According to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the fund will support attractions “in urgent need of financial support to keep them up and running, helping to carry out vital infrastructure work and improve long-term financial resilience.”
Source: The Guardian.
Khaled Sabsabi Defies Dismissal, Vows to Exhibit at 2026 Venice Biennale
Artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino have pledged to showcase their work independently at the 2026 Venice Biennale after Creative Australia’s decision to deselect the artist from representing the country, one week after the duo had been announced.
In a statement the pair said they are committed to present the work they pitched to ensure that the “voices and ideas behind it are not silenced.”
Creative Australia dropped Sabsabi after questions were raised in parliament due to concerns around the political content of some of his earlier works.
Source: The Guardian and Artnet News.
Met Museum Returns Stolen Ancient Greek Griffin Head After Nearly a Century
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) is returning a seventh-century BC bronze griffin head to Greece after determining it was stolen from the Archaeological Museum of Olympia in the 1930s.
The artifact, donated to the Met in 1971, had been on display since 1999. Following its repatriation, the griffin will return to the Met next year for a special exhibition.
Source: The Art Newspaper
Immersive Art Experience teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi to open in April 2025
Tokyo-based art collective TeamLab Phenomena is in the final stage of construction of their permanent location in Abu Dhabi, in the UAE. The 17,000-square-meter immersive art space in the Saadiyat Cultural District, is set to open on April 18, 2025.
Developed by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi in collaboration with Miral creators of immersive experiences and the Japanese art collective, the venue will feature dynamic, multi-sensory installations that blend art, technology, and nature.
Source: Designboom and Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi
Literature
Kazu Ishiguro Speaks Out Against UK AI Copyright Plan
Critically acclaimed contemporary fiction author Kazuo Ishiguro and other prominent writers are urging the UK government to reconsider its AI copyright proposals.
He highlights that the UK government's "opt-out" plan, which would allow tech companies to use creators' work for AI training will harm the livelihood and artistic freedom of writers. He also raises concerns over exploitation by big tech and the importance of copyright protections in preserving creators' rights.
Source: Times and The Bookseller
2025 International Booker Longlist Announced
The 2025 International Booker Prize longlist has been announced featuring 13 nominees. The selection highlights independent publishers, with 12 out of 13 titles from indie presses.
The long list includes Mircea Cartarescu the first Romanian author nominated for the prize, for her novel Solenoid, translated by Sean Cotter and the Iraqi translator Sinan Antoon nominated for the first time for The Book of Disappearance by Palestinian author Ibtisam Azem.
The shortlist of six books will be announced on April 8 and the winner revealed on May 20 at a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern.
Source: The Guardian
2,000-year-old book hits UK Bestseller Charts with Scandalous Tales of Ancient Rome
The Lives of the Caesars, a 2,000-year-old collection of biographies, written by the Roman historian Suetonius, detailing the first twelve Roman emperors, has entered the UK bestseller charts.
Translated from Latin by historian and The Rest Is History podcast co-host Tom Holland, the book includes vivid and often gossipy portraits of these historical figures.
Published by Penguin Classics, it has become their first hardback nonfiction classic to make the bestseller list.
Source: The Guardian
Marvel Age of Comics series by Bloomsbury & Marvel to Explore Superhero History
Bloomsbury and Marvel are partnering to release a new multi-volume series entitled Marvel Age of Comics.
The comprehensive series will be written as narrative nonfiction prose and delve into the history and development of Marvel's iconic characters and comics and explore the rise of Marvel Comics and its cultural impact.
The series is launching with three books on November 13 and are titled Doctor Strange: A Decade of Dark Magic by Stuart Moore, The Mighty Avengers vs. the 1970s by Paul Cornell and Daredevil: Born Again by Chris Ryall.
A fourth book entitled Spider-Man: Miles Morales by Ytasha L. Womack is scheduled for release in May 2026.
Source: Bloomsbury and Business Standard
Entertainment
First look at Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey
Photos from the set of Christopher Nolan's upcoming film The Odyssey have been leaked.
The photos show the director and some crew on location in the village of Ait Benhaddou in Morocco.
Last week the official Instagram account for the film also posted a photo of Matt Damon playing the iconic role of Odysseus (above). Universal announced the cast for the epic film back in December 2024 which includes Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Lupita Nyong'o, and Charlize Theron.
The film is based on Homer's ancient Greek epic poem of the same name and follows Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, as he embarks on a journey home after the Trojan War.
The Odyssey is scheduled for release scheduled for July 17, 2026.
John Lithgow Confirms He’ll Play Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s Harry Potter Series
Actor John Lithgow has confirmed he will portray Albus Dumbledore, the Hogwarts Headmaster in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter television series.
The HBO series aims to adapt J.K. Rowling's seven novels into individual seasons, with each season dedicated to one book. With filming set to begin in the summer of this year, the series is aiming for a release in late 2026 or early 2027.
Source: ScreenRant
New Stephen King Adaptation The Monkey breaks box office in less than a week
Comedy horror film The Monkey, adapted from the 1980 short story by Stephen King, has surpassed $21 million globally less than a week since its release.
Directed by Osgood Perkins and starring Theo James, Tatiana Maslany and Elijah Wood the film follows twin brothers whose lives are disrupted by a cursed toy monkey causing random deaths around them.
Since its release on February 21 The Monkey has received positive reviews from critics.
Source: Screenrant
Kadim Al Sahir is Cover Star of GQ Middle East’s March Issue
Iconic Iraqi singer Kadim Al Sahir is the cover star of GQ Middle East’s March issue photographed by Tarek Mawad. The interview by Nayera Yasser focuses on his enduring popularity, the diversity of his audience and Sahir’s commitment to classical Arabic music which he blends with modern influences as he has done so over the span of his 50-year career.
Source: GQ Middle East
Pink Floyd Film ‘Pompeii’ to Return to Theaters and IMAX
Pink Floyd's 1972 concert film, Pink Floyd at Pompeii, is set for a re-release in cinemas worldwide on April 24, 2025, including in IMAX format.
Directed by Adrian Maben, the film features the band performing without an audience in a deserted Roman amphitheater in Pompeii. It includes tracks from their 1971 album Meddle and glimpses of the band working on The Dark Side of the Moon.
The soundtrack will also be available for the first time on May 2, 2025, on CD, vinyl, and streaming platforms.
Sources: Billboard and The Guardian
Fashion
New Zendaya Campaign Images for Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton Collaboration
The second phase of Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami will focusing on the Cherry Blossom motif.
Zendaya, the face of the collection campaign has now appeared in two new collage-style images by fashion photographer duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
The images contrast beautifully lit cityscapes with Murakami’s smiling pink flower heads and petals. Zendaya is photographed in flash studio lighting in the foreground, creating an additional contrast to the lighting and tone of the images.
The second chapter of the collection is set to arrive in stores on March 21.
Source: WWD
Fendi Celebrates 100 Years at Milan Fashion Week
Fendi celebrated its 100th anniversary at Milan Fashion Week, paying homage to its 1920s origins with flapper dresses, art deco patterns, and sleek side parts.
The collection featured opulent furs, luxurious overcoats, and nods to past decades.
Models included Adriana Lima and Penelope Tree, while Sarah Jessica Parker was seated in front row.
Source: Independent
Diesel’s New Collection Embraces Zombie Theme
Designer Glenn Martens presented Diesel's Fall-Winter 2025-26 co-ed collection at Milan Fashion Week under a zombie apocalypse theme.
The collection showcased miniskirts, low-rise jeans, and innovative textiles. Models were styled with spray-painted smiles and walked the runway with dazed like expressions.
Martens, who has been praised for his creativity, is set to join Parisian fashion house Maison Margiela.
Pop Culture
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa found dead in their home
Acclaimed Academy award winning actor Gene Hackman has died at the age of 95.
He was found deceased at his Santa Fe, New Mexico home, alongside his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, and their dog.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office have reported no signs of foul play, and the cause of death remains under investigation.
Hackman is known for his role in films such as The French Connection, Unforgiven, and The Firm.
Source: CNN
Michelle Trachtenberg, ‘Gossip Girl’ actress has died
Michelle Trachtenberg, the actress known for her roles in Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died. She was 39.
Authorities reported her death following a cardiac arrest, and she was found unresponsive at the scene. While the cause of death remains unclear, recent reports suggest complications related to a liver transplant she had received within the past year.
Source: TMZ
Alix Earle’s podcast dropped by Unwell Network amid fued rumours with Alex Cooper
TikTok star Alix Earle’s Hot Mess podcast has been dropped by Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network after less than two years since it was signed on.
Cooper the popular host of the Call Her Daddy podcast Cooper announced in August 2023 that she was launching the Unwell Network and signed Earle to join on as one of her main talents. The news comes amid online speculation of a feud between Cooper and Earle.
Source: Variety
Epstein Flight Logs and Client List to be released
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Justice Department plans to release flight logs and related names connected to Jeffrey Epstein today Thursday, February 27, 2025. At the time of sending this newsletter these have yet to be released.
Epstein, a financier involved in sex trafficking, associated with high-profile figures died in 2019 while awaiting trial.
Source: Reuters
Real Housewives of Potomac star Karen Huger Sentenced to Prison
Karen Huger, star of The Real Housewives of Potomac has been sentenced to two years in prison, with one year suspended, following a DUI conviction.
The incident occurred in March 2024 when Huger crashed her Maserati in Potomac, Maryland, taking down multiple street signs.
She was found guilty of DUI, negligent driving, and other related charges. Huger's legal team plan to fight the court's decision.
Source: E News
Gosh, I didn't know about Michelle Trachtenberg! I was obsessed with Harriet the Spy as a kid. Also very much a Gossip Girl and Buffy fan too, I'm not ashamed to admit. Sad