News, Politics & Tech
Is Russia a dangerous place to tell the truth?
We explore the political and journalistic climate in Russia through three murdered journalists and their stories of suppression, censorship and assassination
Brixton residents fight the Hondo tower
How Brixton residents are fighting to maintain their home and community after Hondo Enterprises’ plans to build a 20-storey tower were approved.
Vaccine trust grows, amid concern over rights
With a coronavirus vaccine starting to reach the general public, some are questioning the approval process and bringing Britain’s medical freedoms into question.
Is Bill Gates the most vilified man in the world?
Bill Gates has been scrutinised for years by conspiracy theorists. We explore why and how misinformation can be detrimental to improvements in global health.
Covid and the future of the creative industries
The future of the arts and creative sector has been hit hard by the pandemic, Artefact looks into the effects it’s having on creative futures.
How pandemics have threatened humanity
Artefact explores how pandemics have affected the world throughout history and compare them to the modern-day coronavirus.
Battling homelessness in lockdown
Homeless charities make an urgent call for more resources to help support London’s rough sleepers this winter amid a second national lockdown in England
Poles protest over the balance of democracy
Protests over a near total ban on abortion in Poland have left people questioning their rights and the balance of their hard won democracy.
Life & Style
The dark side of home-schooling
How moving into online teaching created more social inequalities and took away opportunities from disadvantaged children
Unpicking food snobbery
Has being able to opt for luxury food items over basics produced a generation of food snobs?
Endometriosis: An invisible disease
We investigate the stigma surrounding women suffering from endometriosis, and hear from women who have fought to get a diagnosis.
Medical tourism in Turkey
We examine the rising wave of medical tourists in Turkey and how one student is trying to make affordable surgery much safer.
What’s luring young people away from the UK?
What is it about young people wanting to get as far from the UK as possible? We spoke to some young travellers about why they left home to see the world.
Why childhood obesity is not only about food
How fried chicken shops provide an alternative for young people in the most deprived neighbourhoods where there is a lack of public social space.
Are we headed for an anti-Boris ‘free party’ era?
Many people are still deeply passionate about the Free Party ‘movement’, but how has Covid affected the way they think, and are we headed for a “rave renaissance”?
Is cheap surgery creating a national health crisis?
Social media culture has highlighted how people compare their bodies to those they follow, which has lead to a growth in cheap cosmetic surgery.
Culture
Selling timeless pieces when time stopped
We meet Immy Man, a Depop icon who’s online business has flourished during lockdown.
OnlyFans: How exclusive are your images?
OnlyFans’ privacy policies are being criticised by sex workers for putting them at risk from hackers who are exploiting the site’s lack of security
Is pre-loved luxury the new way forward?
Artefact looks into the pre-loved luxury business, and talks to the founder of one niche company and the people that buy pre-loved items.
Can post-pandemic fashion be more sustainable?
For years, the fashion industry has been criticised for its huge negative impact on the environment. Will the global pandemic be a force for a change?
Hate the Tories? This is the brand for you
We talk to the founder of ‘Fuck the Tories’, a jewellery brand that’s shaking up the idea of political neutrality in today’s political landscape.
How a start-up clothing brand made it big
We meet the founder of an e-commerce business and hear of how trading is going after being open for five months.
The impact of Instagram’s new algorithm
Model claims that Instagram’s new algorithm has forced the modelling world to learn and adapt to new strategies to maintain their visibility on social media.
The writer turning fanfiction into a career
Ellena Whitfield wrote fanfiction The Chase at the age of 14, she tells us about the writing process and how her life has changed now the story has been viewed 15 million times.
Environment
How ‘Wonky veg’ can fix the climate crisis
Artefact looks at the impact supermarket’s cosmetic specifications on produce has on food waste and climate change by speaking to farmers and NGOs
Saving the planet one stroke at a time
Around 8m tonnes of plastic ends up in our oceans each year. Rowing 3,700-mile across the Atlantic, Ocean Revival 2020 are committed to making a difference.
Australian wildfires: Climate change or human criminalities?
Claims about climate change come after nearly 200 people have been accused of starting the fires. So what are the real causes?
Decisions under uncertainty
How do you deal with a danger that could last for tens of thousands of years?
Entertainment & Music
The newest Punkband on the scene
Fittingly called ‘Punkband’, the band give some insight into how they are currently beginning to navigate the music industry
SM, YG and JYP: The demise of K-Pop’s big three
The K-Pop industry’s big three have been coming under harsh scrutiny recently. We take a deep dive into the reasons behind this.
Let’s talk about ‘murder music’
Let’s discuss ragga and dancehall, Jamaica’s most popular music genres, and their toxic attitudes towards gay men.
Just a modern rock song
Ahead of Belle and Sebastian’s latest album release, we talk to the band’s guitarist, Stevie Jackson, about how it came about during the pandemic lockdown.
A+ Cities: Special edition
Diversity and disillusion
Chinese students on the complex reality of life in London
Less visible but more at risk
How Barcelona’s charities are giving the city’s homeless women a new lease of life
New York City, where poverty meets greed
New York’s homelessness problem has its roots in the American welfare system
Left out of Canada’s multicultural mecca
Systemic barriers make integration a struggle for Toronto’s economic migrants
Dramatic failures
Restrictive audition processes at some of the UK’s top drama schools highlight elitism in British acting
London’s outlawed explorers
How urban exploring has become one of London’s most desired and appealing mainstream pop cultures.
China’s hidden LGBT pain
Two students’ secret relationship exposes their home country’s conservative attitudes towards homosexuality
Encounters in Ecuador
Are Ecuador’s indigenous cultural traditions being lost to tourism and modernity?