PBS News Hour - Art Beat

Apr 10 2025 24 ep. 6 mins 2.1k

PBS News Hour - Art Beat Podcast artwork

The latest news, analysis and reporting on the art and entertainment world. (Updated periodically) PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

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Musician Nile Rodgers reflects on the roots of his artistry

Apr 10 2025 4 mins

For decades, legendary photographer Platon has been taking portraits of some of the world’s most prominent people, from heads of state, to movie stars and everything in between. He recently started filming his photo shoots in which he gets his subject talking in a most disarming way. We share Platon’s dialogue with musician Nile Rodgers for our arts and culture coverage

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ stars on the evolution of their characters as series reaches its end

Apr 09 2025 6 mins

"The Handmaid’s Tale" began as a novel read by several generations and has been turned into a film and an opera. Then, beginning in 2017, a hit series on Hulu that is now coming to its conclusion. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown has a look for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Noah Wyle on the authenticity of ‘The Pitt’ and what makes it successful

Apr 07 2025 8 mins

Max's medical drama The Pitt has its season finale this Thursday. The show tackles urgent issues like the impact of gun violence, hospital staffing shortages and the lasting effects of the pandemic. It has earned praise from both audiences and critics for its raw, realistic portrayal of life inside American hospitals. Geoff Bennett spoke with star Noah Wyle for our arts and culture

Kennedy Center faces a crossroads as it’s pulled into partisan politics

Apr 04 2025 9 mins

The Kennedy Center is one of the nation’s premier performing arts centers, holding around 2,000 events each year. It’s a public-private partnership with most funding raised privately, but some coming from the federal government. The center has traditionally been a bipartisan institution but it’s now at a crossroads. Jeffrey Brown reports for our arts and culture s

West Philadelphia uses art to confront neighborhood problems and threats to democracy

Apr 02 2025 7 mins

Local arts organizations have the power to tackle everything from community challenges to threats against national democracy by expanding access to art. That mission drives one of the country’s most vibrant and diverse artistic hubs in West Philadelphia. Jeffrey Brown reports for our series, Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy and our arts and cultu

The women lighthouse keepers who saved countless lives from coast to coast

Mar 29 2025 7 mins

For generations, women have been operating lighthouses across the country, saving lives and keeping history. John Yang reports from the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the U.S. Pacific coast. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Development near Phoenix tests whether car-free living is sustainable in sprawling cities

Mar 27 2025 7 mins

The sprawling metropolis of Phoenix seems an unlikely place to build an apartment complex without parking for residents. Car dependency is just part of life for most people there. But a new development in the suburb of Tempe is providing a blueprint for car-free and more environmentally friendly living. Stephanie Sy reports for our Tipping Point series and our arts and culture cove

Graydon Carter reflects on the golden age of magazines in ‘When the Going Was Good’

Mar 25 2025 7 mins

Graydon Carter rose through the ranks at Time, Life, Spy, The New York Observer and Vanity Fair, becoming known for his sharp wit and keen eye for talent. Under his leadership, Vanity Fair transformed into a cultural juggernaut. Geoff Bennett spoke with Carter about his new memoir, “When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines." PBS

A look inside the U.S. Mint’s creation of a quarter celebrating Ida B. Wells

Mar 22 2025 6 mins

This Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look at a special series of quarters honoring notable American women. This is the final year of the program, and one of the coins for 2025 features journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells. John Yang reports from the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, where the coins are being made. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.o

Musicians push back on dwindling payments from streaming services

Mar 21 2025 7 mins

Nearly every song ever recorded is available for about $12 a month, or free if you don’t mind the ads. But while the streaming giant Spotify has conquered the music industry, many of the artists responsible for the music on the platform say they are getting a raw deal. Geoff Bennett reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.or