We live in the age of the podcast; it feels like everyone has one, from celebrities with their massive Spotify deals to local comedians and chefs. When it comes to the art world, the best podcasts offer more than chatty curators sitting down with their favorite artists. The art podcasting scene is growing, and we’re thankful for that. While academic art podcasts are certainly worth a listen, most of us are looking for something a little livelier or, dare we say it, juicy.
Sadly, the best art podcasts can be hard to find since there are so many—what’s out there can sometimes be a bit too earnest or even basic. That’s why we put together this list of the best art-focused podcasts that aren’t just info-rich but also super engaging and a lot of fun. We should mention that these are all shows that have been updated in the past six months and are still running—for more great art-world podcasts, you’ll have to dig through the archives on your own.
Talk Art
Talk Art, a long-running podcast already on season 23, is co-hosted by actor Russell Tovey and gallerist Robert Diament. They’ve had guests like star artists Carsten Höller, Mary Ramsden and musician Tom Rasmussen, and they go to art fairs like Frieze so they can tell you everything you missed.
Are We On Air?
If anyone has a fancy job title in the culture world, it has to be Arman Naféei, who is the “Director of Ambiance” at the Château Marmont, the most legendary hotel in Los Angeles. He has his own podcast, Are We On Air?, which interviews figureheads in the culture world, from Patti Smith to pop star Kali Uchis and Willem Dafoe, an artist who has been known to bridge cultural spheres with his work (he recently did performance art with Marina Abramović).
The Great Women Artists
If you’re looking to learn more about women artists in art history or today, this is worth checking out. Hosted by curator Katy Hessel, each episode of The Great Women Artists focuses on a woman artist, and she chats about their careers with other art world insiders. A few examples: British artist Barbara Walker, German artist Katharina Grosse, Tate director Maria Balshaw, not to mention episodes spotlighting Virginia Woolf, an episode on witches in art, an interview with Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova and more.
Artist Decoded by Yoshino
Artist Decoded is an artist-to-artist podcast, where photographer and artist Yoshino interviews artists, musicians and more. Yoshino interviews Landon Van Soest, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, skateboard video maker Jacob Rosenberg, spiritual leader Sah D’Simone and many others. It’s a way to break down barriers of what we think we know about art.
Sound and Vision
Hosted by Brian Alfred in Brooklyn, Sound and Vision interviews artists and musicians on the creative process. The two intersect and, sometimes, can’t survive without each other. A few recent episodes: painter Emily Noelle Lambert, art writer Brian Boucher, artist Mark Thomas Gibson, music producer Xander and more.
About Art
Museum curator Heidi Zuckerman, currently CEO and director of the Orange County Museum of Art in Costa Mesa, California, likes to talk to artists on About Art and has more than 150 episodes in the can. She has recently interviewed British artist Robert Montgomery, ceramics artist Alex Anderson, photographer Ed Templeton, Marine Tanguy, CEO of MTAart agency, painter Mary Weatherford and curator Shamim Momin and more. She aims to create “courageous, authentic conversations” with people “she finds interesting to talk about their lives, values and always about why art matters.”
Suggested Donation
Co-hosted by artists Tony Curanaj and Edward Minoff, Suggested Donation is where we get to hear painters talking about art unfiltered, without anyone else making up the rules for them. It speaks to you from artist to artist, which is refreshing. They don’t just focus on art world artists but also craftspeople, restorers, graffiti artists, chefs, tattoo artists and more. This is where to go to discover new artists you may not know, like Simon Liu, Michael Klein, Greg Simkins, Patricia Watwood and more.
I’m Not Dead
Co-hosts Sarah Clary and Christina Glickman interview well-known women in the public eye, from Julianne Moore to Mickalene Thomas. The goal is to “make women feel they are not alone, certainly not dead, but rather more alive than ever.” I’m Not Dead is a fascinating romp with gloves-off conversations, specializing in the art of asking honest questions, especially to ourselves.
Pearl Lam Podcast
Chinese gallerist Pearl Lam is honest, asks the right questions, and brings a dose of fun to art world conversations. She has had everyone from Magnus Hastings, Henry Elkus, Amin Jaffer, art collectors Don and Mera Rubell and more as guests on her podcast. They’re released frequently, and Lam recently celebrated her one-year anniversary of hosting the podcast. What I like about the Pearl Lam Podcast is two things: Pearl Lam is always traveling, so each podcast feels like it takes place in a different location. For those who want a visual, there’s always a video YouTube channel.
ArtTactic Podcast
ArtTactic Podcast focuses on the art market and its ever-changing landscape. Hosted by the insightful Adam Green, it features industry experts piping in on where the art market is going. He recently had Tim Schneider, founder of The Gray Market, making 2025 art market predictions, along with journalists like Kabir Jhala, art market editor at The Art Newspaper and curators like Philip Tinari, director of the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. It’s a smart podcast that covers everything surrounding how art is valued and why it’s important.
Intersections: The Art Basel Podcast
If any podcast is going to represent the ultra-elite of the art world, to track their tastes and favorites, it’s Intersections. Intersections “presented by UBS” (great sponsor, if you can get one) talks not only to artists like Miranda July and Doug Aitken but also to art collectors in the spotlight like Swizz Beatz and musician-artist Kim Gordon. Basically, every star in the art world wants to get on this podcast because Art Basel has nailed it so hard.
The Creator Spotlight Podcast
Okay, this isn’t an “art world” podcast per se, but it still is loaded with gems of insight. Since our modern-day “artists” are internet “creators,” let’s look at how they’re making more money than us. If you’re bummed out about cash, this is the podcast to listen to because they offer creative solutions and hacks to making money off your own genius, whatever that may be. Whether it’s “make $100k as a local news creator” or how “being an idiot will make you a better writer” and guides to “behaving badly and going viral” (every performance artist’s dream), The Creator Spotlight Podcast is worth checking out.
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