Best BBC Arts Editor Podcasts (2025)

1
How You Can Take Part in Our Movement to Cultivate Hope 12:11

1d ago12:11

12:11

Welcome back to season 12! Today, we're digging into what you can expect from us going forward, our thoughts on the kind of place we're building in our corner of the internet, and how you can join us. I'll also share 5 reasons to join our reader- and audience-supported community, including getting on a monthly group call with Yulia every First Frid…

1
This Season, We're Cultivating Hope 8:26

9d ago8:26

8:26

Welcome back to season 12! Going Places features weekly interviews with people near and far who make our world better. At the core of it, it's about cultivating hope. And we need that feeling of hope more than ever right now. Here's a preview of who you're going to meet in Season 12: Natasha Hakimi Zapata, an award-winning journalist who wrote a bo…

1
The Traveler Going to Jordan for 17 Years with Janine Jervis (Re-Release) 44:10

18d ago44:10

44:10

Note to listeners: our new season returns next week! Today, we're speaking with Janine Jervis, a dear friend who's worked for Visit Jordan for 17 years and who currently serves as their North American Communications Director. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th and you can get all the in…

1
In Barcelona for Vacation and Fertility Treatment (Re-Release) 13:26

25d ago13:26

13:26

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, I'm sharing with you perhaps one of my most personal stories. It was published in AFAR Magazine in 2022. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The…

1
Fodor's Travel Editor on Writing a Book with author Nikki Vargas (Re-Release) 54:04

1M ago54:04

54:04

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Nikki Vargas, a senior editor at Fodor's Travel, founder of Unearth Women, and author of "Call You When I Land." In this travel memoir, Nikki shares h…

1
The Nomadic Life of a French-Algerian Language Coach with Feriel Temmar (Re-Release) 53:09

1M ago53:09

53:09

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Algerian-French language coach Feriel Temmar, who is based in Paris. Feriel was born in Algeria, grew up in London, West Africa, and New York, and wor…

1
The Colombian-American Building El Camino Travel with Katalina Mayorga (Re-Release) 1:08:04

2M ago1:08:04

1:08:04

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Katalina Mayorga, the founder of El Camino Travel, a travel community for women with a passion for culture. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip …

1
Inside the Story of a 19-Member Tribal Nation with Journalist Karthika Gupta (Re-Release) 56:40

2M ago56:40

56:40

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Chicago-based journalist and photographer Karthika Gupta. Her work has been featured in Vogue, BBC Travel, USA Today, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodors, AFA…

1
Between Karachi and NYC with Journalist Sarah Munir (Re-Release) 1:00:48

2M ago1:00:48

1:00:48

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Sarah Munir, a journalist and tech executive who split her time between Karachi and New York before moving back to Karachi full-time. Reminder: I'm ru…

1
The Power of Asking "Why Not?" with Lola Akinmade Åkerström (Re-Release) 47:16

2M ago47:16

47:16

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Lola Akinmade Åkerström, an award-winning storyteller, travel photographer, writer, creator, TED speaker, and multi-book author. She's a Hasselblad He…

1
The Privilege of Travel with Journalist Emy Rodriguez (Re-Release) 48:58

2M ago48:58

48:58

Note to listeners: we're currently on hiatus, returning with new episodes in April 2025. Until then, we're sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive each week. Today, we're speaking with Emy Rodriguez, a freelance journalist from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. His writing has appeared in Condé Nast Tr…

1
Seeing Jordan for the First Time with Travel Advisor Vanessa Abbe 41:04

3M ago41:04

41:04

Today, we're speaking with Vanessa Abbe, a travel advisor who joined me on my trip to Jordan last October. In this conversation, which we had live on Instagram recently, I wanted to hear her take on what it’s like traveling in the country right now. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs from May 18th to 27th an…

1
Five Places You Shouldn’t Miss in Jordan (Plus: Is It Safe to Go Now?) 41:56

3M ago41:56

41:56

Today’s episode is a field guide for traveling to Jordan in 2025. We’ll answer urgent questions about travel safety in Jordan, look at some of the most incredible places in Jordan you shouldn’t miss, and hear from our past travelers who went to Jordan with me last fall. Reminder: I'm running a 10-day group trip to Jordan this May. The trip runs fro…

1
Enemy of the Sun: Disrupting Colonial Narratives with Artist Dana Barqawi 21:00

3M ago21:00

21:00

Today, we're meeting Dana Barqawi, a multidisciplinary artist and urban planner based in Amman, Jordan. Dana’s multimedia work challenges colonial narratives and explores Indigenous identities and aspects of womanhood and community. Growing up with women who painted, sewed, designed, and made art, Dana has a long-standing fascination with detail. S…

1
A Hidden Cave of Treasures with Calligraphy Artist Hussein Alazaat 38:08

3M ago38:08

38:08

Today, I’m sharing with you a conversation that is going to be quite different from anything we’ve done on the show to date. We’re going to do a studio visit to meet a dear friend, a renowned calligrapher, artist, and designer Hussein Alazaat who lives and works in Amman, Jordan. Hussein is the founder of Elharf Studio, a platform showcasing rare b…

1
The Exciting Work of Imagining a New World with Justine Abigail Yu: Pt 2 36:09

4M ago36:09

36:09

Today, we’re continuing part two of our conversation with Justine Abigail Yu, a Filipina-Canadian storyteller, community builder, and activist. Justine is the founder of Living Hyphen, a community and multimedia platform that explores what it means to live in between cultures as a hyphenated Canadian – that is, an individual who calls Canada home b…

1
Living In Between Cultures with Changemaker Justine Abigail Yu: Part 1 42:20

4M ago42:20

42:20

Welcome back to the show and welcome to 2025! Thank you for being with us all throughout this season. Today, we’re talking with Justine Abigail Yu, the founder of Living Hyphen, a community and multimedia platform that explores what it means to live in between cultures as a hyphenated Canadian – that is, an individual who calls Canada home but who …

1
Custodians of Wonder with BBC Travel's Eliot Stein (Re-Release) 1:03:26

4M ago1:03:26

1:03:26

Today, we’re talking with Eliot Stein, a journalist, writer, book author, and deputy editor at BBC Travel. Eliot and I first got to know each other through our shared passion for stories that reveal something about a place through the lens of tradition and unique cultural practices. Eliot has edited a few of my stories at BBC Travel, where he start…

1
12 Things You Didn’t Know about Nordic Christmas (Plus, Meet Yulia’s AI Clone) 21:23

4M ago21:23

21:23

Today on the show, we’re traveling to Scandinavia because it's almost Christmas time. The holiday season is probably my favorite time to be in this region. I grew up in Estonia, a small country just south of Finland that, while not technically part of Scandinavia, has strong cultural ties with the Nordic countries. In my childhood, these Nordic way…

1
Palestine-born Artist Firas Zreik on Playing the Music of His People 56:05

5M ago56:05

56:05

Firas Zreik is a Palestine-born, NY-based composer and player of Kanun, a traditional Arabic string instrument. He has performed and recorded in varied styles including Arabic Maqam and jazz and collaborated with many international artists such as Residente, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, Shreya Ghoshal, and others. His debut EP "Solo" came out in 2021…

1
Counting Countries with Avid Traveler Ric Gazarian (Who’s Been to 181) 51:59

5M ago51:59

51:59

Ric Gazarian is an avid traveler who has visited all seven continents and 181 countries on his quest to visit every country in the world. He is also the host of the popular long-format podcast Counting Countries and the founder of the Extraordinary Travel Festival. Travel with us to some of the world’s lesser-known places like Abkhazia and Mauritan…

1
Fighting for Women’s Rights in Kazakhstan with Journalist Aisana Ashim 50:07

5M ago50:07

50:07

Aisana Ashim is a Kazakh journalist and civil movement activist. She is the founder of the independent media agency The Village Kazakhstan, and the co-founder of Masa Media, a political education project. In 2021, Aisana launched Batyr Jamal, an independent media platform aimed at empowering women and girls in Kazakhstan, focusing on their rights, …

1
Why Artists Must Speak Now with Emmy-Winning Storyteller Evita Robinson 1:00:50

5M ago1:00:50

1:00:50

Evita Turquoise Robinson is an Emmy award-winning storyteller who tells and amplifies stories about the BIPOC communities worldwide. She's also the founder of NOMADNESS Travel Tribe — a community of 40,000 Black and brown travelers worldwide with its own festival, the Nomadness Fest. Laugh, cry, and tune in with us as we unpack what it means to cre…

1
Going Places Is Back! 8:14

6M ago8:14

8:14

Today, stories matter more than ever. This season on Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk, we travel across the world to bring you imaginative stories about the people we meet: from the journalist fighting for women's rights in Kazakhstan to the man who believes borders are but a fiction and the Finnish keeper of ancient sauna traditions. Get to know i…

1
Bedouin Hospitality With Wadi Rum’s Ahmad Mara'yeh (Re-Release) 43:23

7M ago43:23

43:23

Today, we travel to the heart of Wadi Rum Desert in Southern Jordan with Ahmad Mara'yeh, a Bedouin man and co-founder of Rum Planet Camp. In this episode, Ahmad shares why understanding the local culture and connecting with its community is as vital as experiencing its landscapes. We also touch on the impact of tourism on Wadi Rum and how Ahmad has…

1
A Multipotentialite on a Mission to Empower the African Diaspora (Re-Release) 50:36

8M ago50:36

50:36

Today, we're speaking with Lindsay Gary, a Houston-based professor-scholar, multi-disciplinary artivist, and social entrepreneur on a mission to educate, connect, and empower the African diaspora in the US. In this episode, Lindsay talks about staying true to your purpose, finding time in our busy days to dedicate to what matters, and the value of …

1
A Kenyan Photojournalist Returns Home with Khadija Farah (Re-Release) 1:00:31

8M ago1:00:31

1:00:31

In today's episode, I speak to Khadija Farah, a travel and documentary photographer based in Nairobi, Kenya. Khadija’s work appears in the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Guardian and more. Khadija is a member of Inland Stories, an international cooperative of long-term documentary photographers. Her work is part of the 2020 Lit List by Au…

1
Escaping Arranged Marriage in India with Vibha Chokhani (Re-Release) 1:07:09

9M ago1:07:09

1:07:09

Growing up in Mumbai with her extended family, Vibha Chokhani was destined to live a traditional lifestyle. Women in her life were married young and spent their days as homemakers, yet this path never felt right to her. First woman in her family to get divorced, to get a master degree, and to live in a foreign country, Vibha has learned how to step…

1
Season Finale: What Europe Gets About Rest (and the US Doesn’t) 20:03

9M ago20:03

20:03

Today on the show, we're exploring the idea of rest (including cognitive rest), how the US culture sees it differently from Europeans, and what the relationship is between rest and creativity. And stick around in the end for a special announcement. Featured on the show: Read the CNBC report on US attitudes toward vacation Read the Financial Times a…

1
Hope Is Something You Create with Palestinian Peacemaker Aziz Abu Sarah 1:15:48

9M ago1:15:48

1:15:48

Aziz Abu Sarah is a peace builder, cultural educator, entrepreneur, author and international speaker. He’s also a Palestinian man who lost his brother to the Israeli soldiers and who is currently working with his Israeli partner, Maoz Inon, to imagine a new vision for both Palestinians and Israelis. If there is only one episode you will tune in to …

1
Writing a Book in the Age of AI with Wanderful’s CEO Beth Santos 1:03:37

10M ago1:03:37

1:03:37

Beth Santos is a passionate entrepreneur and community builder who many women in the travel industry will recognize as the CEO and founder of Wanderful, an international collective of travelers and travel content creators on a mission to make travel better for all women. Beth is the author of WANDER WOMAN: How to Reclaim Your Space, Find Your Voice…

1
Hong Kong’s Disappearing Traditions with Author Lindsay Varty 58:29

10M ago58:29

58:29

Villain hitters. Fortune tellers. Bamboo cage makers. Meet the people keeping Hong Kong's traditions alive. Lindsay Varty is an author and former professional rugby player from Hong Kong who writes about Cantonese culture and history in an attempt to generate a greater love and understanding of her home for herself and her readers. So today on the …

1
Why Jordan Is Yulia's Favorite Place (Re-Release) 43:16

10M ago43:16

43:16

Today on the show, I’m sharing with you an episode that first came out last September, in which the table is turned on me and I am, for once, in the guest seat, as my friend and podcast producer Noelia Sanchez interviews me about Jordan, one of my favorite places on Earth. What you’ll learn in this episode: The origin story of my relationship with …

1
Lebanon’s Joie de Vivre with TourLeb’s Nada Raphael: Part 2 42:15

10M ago42:15

42:15

Today on the show: Part 2 of our conversation with Nada Raphael, a journalist, storyteller, and traveler based in Beirut, who, together with her partner Joelle Sfeir has co-founded Tourleb, a socially responsible tour operator that aims to promote local, women-owned and family operated businesses while changing the narrative about Lebanon. This is …

1
Beyond the Headlines in Lebanon with TourLeb’s Nada Raphael: Part 1 52:34

11M ago52:34

52:34

Nada Raphael is a Lebanese journalist, storyteller, and traveler, who, together with her partner Joelle Sfeir has co-founded Tourleb, a socially responsible tour operator that aims to promote local, women-owned and family operated businesses while changing the narrative about Lebanon. Get ready to travel to Lebanon with Nada and me and dismantle so…

1
Unpacking Intersectional Travel with Journalist Imani Bashir 1:01:01

11M ago1:01:01

1:01:01

Imani Bashir is a world-traveling storyteller, mother, and advocate who's lived in five countries across four continents, including Egypt, Poland, and Malaysia. Her work focuses on culturally immersive social media content highlighting various atrocities and initiatives to support marginalized communities worldwide. Get ready to be immersed in this…

1
CNTraveler: In Jordan, a Community Disrupted Awaits Travel’s Return 15:18

11M ago15:18

15:18

Today, I’m sharing a story I wrote for Conde Nast Traveler called In Jordan, a Community Disrupted Awaits Travel’s Return. I traveled to Jordan this February amid the ongoing war on Gaza by the Israeli government. This story was the outcome of this trip. Featured on the show: Read Yulia's CN Traveler story, In Jordan, a Community Disrupted Awaits T…

1
Traveling to Kurdistan with ATTA’s CEO Shannon Stowell 1:10:44

11M ago1:10:44

1:10:44

If I could summarize this conversation with one phrase, it would be something Shannon said: “When people meet each other they find out that the other is not so other.” Shannon Stowell is the CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, an organization for travel industry partners that believes travel can be a powerful force for good in the world.…

1
Palestine, Orientalism, and Solidary Movements with Matt Bowles 39:53

12M ago39:53

39:53

Welcome back to Going Places! Matt Bowles is a veteran location-independent entrepreneur and host of The Maverick Show. I recently sat down with Matt to do a two-part series for his show. Matt has been doing activism work in solidarity with the Palestinian movement for the past 25 years, and in this conversation, we cover how he and I first became …

1
On Dating & Building a Content Empire with Journalist Jen Ruiz 1:02:55

12M ago1:02:55

1:02:55

Welcome back to Going Places! We’re speaking to Jen Ruiz, a lawyer turned full-time travel writer, blogger, and content creator. Jen is a 5-time Amazon bestselling author, 3x TEDx speaker, and 4-time award-winning journalist. She is also the solo female traveler behind Jen on a Jet Plane, with an audience of over 350,000 social media followers. In …

1
Welcome to Season 10! 4:53

12M ago4:53

4:53

Welcome back to Season 10 of Going Places, everyone! I'm your host Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel photographer, writer, storyteller, community builder, podcaster, filmmaker, educator, and entrepreneur working on stories from around the world for top global publications, traveling to places like Botswana and the Arctic Circle, and producing…

1
Season Finale: Can Travel Change The World? 9:34

1y ago9:34

9:34

Welcome back to Going Places, everyone! This season on the show, we learned about Bedouin hospitality, heard from Ammani artists on Gaza, traveled to Italy in search of the world’s rarest silk, and more. I hope you enjoyed the new show format - and if you did, please take a moment to leave us a rating or a review on Apple podcasts or Spotify. I app…

1
In Jordan, Amelia Bilbeisi Produces The World’s Top Olive Oil 1:06:12

1y ago1:06:12

1:06:12

Welcome back to Going Places! Today, we have a conversation with Amelia Bilbeisi, co-founder of Maida Olive Oil, known as Onsuri Olive Oil in North America. Amelia produces one of the world's most premium olive oils on a farm deep inside a Jordanian desert. Tasting this olive oil, designated ultra premium quality, a coveted grade only 5 percent of …

1
Inside The Story of A 19-Member Tribal Nation With Journalist Karthika Gupta 59:02

1y ago59:02

59:02

Join us in this episode in conversation with Chicago-based travel journalist and photographer Karthika Gupta. Her work has been featured in Vogue, BBC Travel, USA Today, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodors, AFAR, Travel & Leisure, Robb Report, and more. Karthika is also the founder of Culturally Ours, a platform dedicated to promoting cultural understandin…

1
Call You When I Land with Author Nikki Vargas 55:33

1y ago55:33

55:33

Welcome back to Going Places! Today, I'm thrilled to reconnect with Nikki Vargas, a senior editor at Fodor's Travel and the founder of Unearthed Women joins me to discuss her latest book, "Call You When I Land." In this travel memoir, Nikki shares her profound experiences navigating cultures, finding love, and discovering herself along the way. Thr…

1
The Story of The World’s Rarest Silk with BBC Travel’s Eliot Stein 1:03:32

1y ago1:03:32

1:03:32

Today, we'll learn about the story of the world's rarest silk with writer, editor, and now book author Eliot Stein. Eliot and I first got to know each other through our shared passion for the types of stories that reveal something about a place through the lens of tradition and unique cultural practices. Eliot has edited a few of my stories at BBC …

1
Ancient Baking Culture In The Land of The World's Oldest Bread 12:13

1y ago12:13

12:13

In this episode of "Going Places," I'm sharing a very special story I wrote for Conde Nast Traveler this summer called In the Land of the World's Oldest Bread, A Return to an Ancient Baking Culture. We'll journey together to the heart of Jordan, where baking is not just about sustenance but a profound cultural legacy. Join me as we explore how brea…

1
Ammani Creators on Gaza, Their Art, and What Brings Them Hope Right Now 1:13:57

1y ago1:13:57

1:13:57

In this episode of Going Places, a conversation with three remarkable Ammani creators: Sarah Shabbar, a journalist and editor at Jordan News Daily, an English Language media organization in Jordan; Hussein Alazaat, artist, calligrapher, and founder of Elharf Studio, a platform for arts and culture in Amman; and Rawan Roshni, a Palestinian Balkan si…

1
Should You Travel To Jordan Right Now With Visit Jordan’s Janine Jervis 44:59

1+ y ago44:59

44:59

In this episode of "Going Places," I'm thrilled to have Janine Jervis as our guest. Janine, who serves as the North American Communications Director for Visit Jordan, brings her extensive experience in the travel and tourism industry, spanning an impressive 17 years. In our conversation, we explore the transformative power of travel, emphasizing th…

1
Our Show Return: Going Places With Yulia Denisyuk 7:36

1+ y ago7:36

7:36

Welcome back to our show, everyone. It's been nearly three months since we've been on air. In these three months, a lot of things have happened, both in the world and in my own life, which caused me to go through an intense period of a lot of searching and rethinking the purpose of my work, the meaning behind it, and how what I do on the podcast an…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

BBC Arts Editor Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen