An evening with James Payne, the creator of Great Art Explained, the biggest art history channel on YouTube with over 2 million subscribers and over 60 million views worldwide. 

This will be an inspiring journey through art history, focusing on iconic masterpieces and overlooked gems, weaving artists’ lives with social, political, and cultural context. Expect stories of Michelangelo to Basquiat, Velázquez to Kusama—delivered with clarity, wit, and passion. His talks reveal why art matters, connecting centuries-old works to today’s art.

We will also have an exclusive premiere of his latest short video.

James Payne is a writer, curator and educator, as well as the creator of popular YouTube channels Great Art Explained and Great Books Explained. 

Payne's videos have been shown at museums and galleries such as the Albertina Museum in Vienna, and the National Gallery in London. He has given talks in several countries, including South Korea, Portugal and Italy. Payne was also co-owner and Head Curator of PayneShurvell gallery (2010-14). Now Payne has created a book, published by Thames & Hudson, which like his channel takes the same no-nonsense approach to art analysis to shed new light on 30 masterpieces from around the globe and reveals what makes them truly timeless works of art.