
Monocle on Culture
Robert Bound and guests explore what’s new in art, film, books, and media. Expect lively discussions, in-depth interviews, and expert insights.
Latest Episodes

What’s the point of literary prizes?
Off the back of last week’s Man Booker long list announcement Sharmaine Lovegrove, publisher at Dialogue Books; Anne Meadows, commissioning editor at Granta and Portobello; and Ted Hodgkinson, senior programmer of literature and the spoken word at London’s Southbank Centre, join Robert Bound to discuss the merits and problems of…

The Escapist
We dive into summer through Monocle’s sister publication ‘The Escapist’, a journal of places less explored. Robert Bound is joined by some of the team who brought the stories to life on the page and we head to one of our destinations, Bucharest, to find out about its burgeoning arts…

Wish you were here…
As people head off to warmer climes during the summer-holiday season we celebrate the postcards that they might be posting back home.

Something Old, Something New: Fiona Stewart and Ben Coleman
Fiona Stewart and Ben Coleman, the mother-and-son duo behind Green Man Festival, discuss how music and the Brecon Beacons inspired 15 years of their annual bonanza.

How do you write an essay?
The essay is a format that prompts a mixed response. While some marvel at the endless possibilities for ideas and considered prose, for others it’s a style of writing that brings back memories of homework and set texts. Robert Bound sits down with writer Travis Elborough to tackle what an…

Summer lookahead 2017
Robert Bound is joined in the studio by co-founder of Unbound John Mitchinson, art critic and curator Francesca Gavin and film critic Karen Krizanovich to discuss the art, books and film to look out for this summer.

Behind the scenes at Monocle: issue 105
In the July/August issue of Monocle, Robert Bound goes dancing in Tel Aviv and learns how to paint in Cornwall, while Andrew Mueller meets Saint Etienne as they release their new album ‘Home Counties’.

Something Old, Something New: Sharmaine Lovegrove and Elizabeth Day
Tom Edwards stands in for Robert Bound in this month’s episode of ‘Something Old, Something New’. He’s joined in the studio by Sharmaine Lovegrove, co-founder of Dialogue Scouting and literary editor for ‘Elle’ magazine, and journalist and author Elizabeth Day, to discuss the items that have influenced and interested them.

What is the magic of Hay Festival?
As the world’s greatest celebration of literature turns 30 we find out what makes it beloved by so many.

Poetry, what poetry?
We get our rhyming couplets in order with poet and novelist Joe Dunthorne, discover a collaborative project aimed at promoting poetry across different cities around the world and head to Singapore to find out why the country loves poetry so much.