Ben Lewis

[Above Me, aged 16, Rockabilly haircut and Roy Lichtenstein T-shirt]

I’m taking part in a panel discussion on 12th Oct. The blurb says: Art: What’s it good for?

A debate chaired by Michael Portillo with panellists including documentary filmmaker, author and art critic Ben Lewis, A.C. Grayling, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, banker turned contemporary artist Nasser Azam, Julia Peyton-Jones, Director of the Serpentine Gallery, and Larry Elliott, economics editor of The Guardian. At a time of turmoil in the global economy, with a recession upon us, conflict in many parts of the world and the threat of climate change, the arts may, on the surface, seem something of an indulgence. But can the arts help lead us back to hope, health and prosperity?

Monday 12 October 7.30pm, Kings Place N1, Price: £9.50

Hopefully the took the title from Edwin Starr’s hit ‘War  what is it good for?’ and we call all sing along to the ‘hhhhhhurrrrrr’ sound that Edwin makes as he sings the title. Anyway  it’s not often I get to sit in the august company of some of Britian’s finest philosophers and economists. I will try to be funny, I promise.