Rephonic
Artwork for This Cultural Life

This Cultural Life

BBC Radio 4
London
Doris Salcedo
Theatre
Opera
Frank Auerbach
Trauma
Cynthia Erivo
Painting
Colombian Civil War
Steve Reich
Shakespeare
Photography
Marina Abramović
Turner
Political Violence
Colonialism
Thomas Adès
Jennifer Lawrence
Music Education
Dostoevsky

In-depth conversations with some of the world's leading artists and creatives across theatre, visual arts, music, dance, film and more. Hosted by John Wilson.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes158Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsSociety & CulturePersonal Journals

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for This Cultural Life

Latest Episodes

John Wilson talks to the actor and musician Kiefer Sutherland. The son of Canadian actors Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, he first made his mark in the 1980s and 90s with films including Stand by Me, The Lost Boys, Flatliners and A Few Good Me... more

Australian-born artist, filmmaker and speculative architect Liam Young discusses his work and cultural influences with John Wilson. Young creates imaginary future worlds through films and art installations to provoke discussion about present-day soci... more

Award-winning actor Kristin Scott Thomas talks to John Wilson about her career and cultural influences. After a breakthrough role in the Evelyn Waugh film adaptation of A Handful Of Dust, she became a global star with Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1... more

The Booker Prize winning American author George Saunders talks to John Wilson about his cultural influences. He made his name as a writer of satirical or absurdist short stories which often explore contemporary consumerist society, always underpinned... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Private Passions
Private PassionsBBC Radio 3
Front Row
Front RowBBC Radio 4
Great Lives
Great LivesBBC Radio 4
Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth
Rosebud with Gyles BrandrethGyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Recent Guests

Liam Young
Australian-born artist and filmmaker described as a speculative architect
Episode: Liam Young
Kristin Scott Thomas
Actor and director/writer
Actor, director, writer
Episode: Kristin Scott Thomas
George Saunders
Booker Prize–winning American author
Author, Syracuse University
Episode: George Saunders
Felicity Lott
British soprano known for opera and concert performances
British soprano; associated with Royal Opera, Vienna, etc.
Episode: Felicity Lott
Michael Frayn
British writer and playwright
Author (translator, playwright, novelist)
Episode: Michael Frayn
Lubaina Himid
Artist, central figure in the British Black Arts Movement
Episode: Lubaina Himid
Robert Icke
Theatre director and writer
Theatre (UK)
Episode: Robert Icke
David Szalay
Booker Prize-winning writer, author of Flesh and All That Man Is, London and The South East, etc.
Author
Episode: David Szalay
Danielle de Niese
Australian-born opera singer
Opera singer
Episode: Danielle de Niese

Host

John Wilson
Host of This Cultural Life

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 642 ratings
  • Herzog

    It’s really a shame the host was seemingly unaware that Herzog is an accomplished author of over 20 books and novellas. Made for a quite embarrassing and testy interview.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    bcsquest
    United Statesa month ago
  • The best!

    Best interviewer, best interviewees, best format! A delight!!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ms reasonable
    Australia7 months ago
  • Fascinating!

    Superb interviewer and subjects alike. I’ve listened to so many already and delighted to have discovered such a back catalogue. Marvellous stuff!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cambridge listener
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Excellent

    An exceptional set of interviews. John Wilson is an outstanding interviewer.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AdamJohnH
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Johny and the power of his voice

    Johnny has a warm voice and deep empathy of his guest making the recording, refreshingly enough to the listener. I stop what I’m doing and listen to truly inspiring podcast. Thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alibongo ee
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality, long-form storytelling with a warm, engaging interview style.
Many listeners praise how the show illuminates the creator's craft and influences.
Thoughtful, nuanced interviews with deep, cross-disciplinary conversations.
The host draws out guests' life stories as well as their work, making it feel like a cultural salon.
A few critics note the host's reverence for guests, but overall feedback highlights thoughtful depth.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#217
United States/Arts
Spotify
#47
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#13
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#111
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#33
Australia/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#130
France/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Liam Young
Q: Blade Runner influenced your visual language. What is it about that film that continues to resonate with your work?
He discusses world-building as a core practice and how Blade Runner's integration of city design, technology, and social anxieties informs his approach to creating immersive futures with social and political relevance.
Liam Young
Q: Planet City is based on a theory from Edward O. Wilson's Half Earth. How do you translate dense urban living into something that feels possible, not just provocative?
Young explains that Planet City is an extreme but practical model to spark discussion about dense, vibrant life in cities, using existing technologies and a thought experiment to reveal narratives that can inform real-world policy and design.
Liam Young
Q: You work across a really broad range of art forms. How do you describe what you do? What are you?
Liam describes himself as a world builder who crafts visions of futures and uses a variety of media to engage audiences beyond traditional museum settings, emphasizing storytelling over fixed architectural objects.
Michael Frayn
Q: How do you approach blending research with fiction?
He emphasizes that extensive research fuels ideas, but then the characters take on a life of their own, sometimes diverging from the original plan, which is both a help and a challenge to the writer.
Michael Frayn
Q: What role does memory play in your novels?
Memory provides a core impulse for Frayn's fiction, with personal recollections becoming a springboard for character-driven plots and moral complexities, as seen in Spies and Headlong.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Cultural Life

What is This Cultural Life about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show delivers in-depth conversations with leading artists and creatives across theatre, visual arts, music, film, and more, guided by thoughtful, expansive questions that blend personal history, craft, and career philosophy. Guests range from performers and writers to photographers and directors, with recurring emphasis on mentorship, collaboration, and the cultural context that informs their work. Listeners are likely drawn to richly detailed storytelling, reflective about practice and life outside the spotlight, and eager for nuanced insights into how creative minds shape culture. A standout throughline is the long-form, relaxed interview rhythm that uncovers the human and artistic through-lines behind celebrated careers, often touchi... more

Where can I find podcast stats for This Cultural Life?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for This Cultural Life. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to This Cultural Life and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does This Cultural Life get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for This Cultural Life, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for This Cultural Life?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for This Cultural Life, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does This Cultural Life have?

To see how many followers or subscribers This Cultural Life has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to This Cultural Life?

These podcasts share a similar audience with This Cultural Life:

1. Private Passions
2. Front Row
3. Desert Island Discs
4. Great Lives
5. Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

How many episodes of This Cultural Life are there?

This Cultural Life launched 5 years ago and published 158 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact This Cultural Life?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for This Cultural Life?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for This Cultural Life from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for This Cultural Life?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of This Cultural Life. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on This Cultural Life?

Recent guests on This Cultural Life include:

1. Liam Young
2. Kristin Scott Thomas
3. George Saunders
4. Felicity Lott
5. Michael Frayn
6. Lubaina Himid
7. Robert Icke
8. David Szalay

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days