Free Thinking

Original version

BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

BBC Radio 3

Radio 3

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

The ideas shaping our lives today - with artists and thinkers in debates and interviews.

The ideas shaping our lives today - with leading artists and thinkers in extended interview and debate.

Free Thinking: The Black Fantastic

The Black Fantastic

BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, The Black Fantastic

How the speculative and the mythical have shaped and continue to shape Black art.

How the speculative and the mythical have shaped and continue to shape Black art, music, film and writing.  Curator Ekow Eshun and DJ/turntablist NikNak join Shahidha Bari.

From Beyonce to Octavia Butler, from Chris Ofili to Jordan Peele, the  speculative and the mythical have been used as powerful tools to shape Black art, film, music and writing.  Ekow Eshun, who has curated a new exhibition on this theme at the Hayward Gallery, joins Shahidha Bari along with DJ/turntablist NikNak and New Generation Thinker Louisa Egbunike  to discuss how this idea of the Black Fantastic relates to and in some ways challenges Afrofuturism.

In the Black Fantastic runs at the Hayward Gallery, London until 18th September 2022.  The exhibition is accompanied by a book and by a season of films at the BFI, including Djibril Diop Mambéty's 1973 film Touki Bouki which you can hear being discussed by Matthew Sweet and guests in another edition of Free Thinking available on BBC Sounds.

NikNak is touring the UK with Sankofa, her latest multi-media project and album, from 12th-18th July.  Details can be found on the Sound UK website.

Producer: Torquil MacLeod

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Free Thinking

The Black Fantastic

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 3

About BBC Radio 3