In this special programme from London, we look back at Queen Elizabeth II's life as a cultural icon. During her 70-year reign, the late monarch was the subject of countless portraits, photographs and artworks around the world. Artist Nicky Philipps painted the queen's official portrait three times. She speaks to Eve Jackson about their sittings together, the stories Elizabeth II shared and the moment she had to tell the queen to close her mouth.

In Russia, artists who speak out against the invasion of Ukraine are being blacklisted. A State Duma commission formed to investigate "anti-Russian cultural activities" is targeting artists, musicians and other prominent figures in the cultural sphere.

As the war in Ukraine continues, one Parisian NGO is using art as a force for unity. The "Agency of Artists in Exile" is currently inundated with requests from both Ukraine and Russia. The agency is building bridges and collaborations between artists from both countries, all of whom are united in their opposition to Vladimir Putin's war. Our team reports.

Tiwani Contemporary is pleased to present 'The company she keeps'. A group show bringing together five artists, Chioma Ebinama, Miranda Forrester, Temitayo Ogunbiyi, Nengi Omuku, and Charmaine Watkiss who worked internationally. Materially and collectively their works draw attention to intimacy, reparative approaches, and the valorization of labour.

Khatia Buniatishvili was born in Georgia and has become one of the best-known pianists in the world. This week she led a concert in Paris with other artists in solidarity with Ukraine. She speaks to Eve Jackson about the conflict, why she stopped performing in Russia in 2008 after the country launched a ground assault against Georgia, and shares her thoughts about the world's boycott of Russian artists.

The Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation, an initiative of renowned Nigerian-British artist, Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, recently welcomed key figures in the Lagos art scene to the opening of its residency and incubator spaces for artists and creatives.⁣

Our first stop in our new show FrancEurope is the Italian capital Rome and the prestigious setting of the Villa Medici. It's home to the Academy of France and each year a select group of contemporary artists receive a fellowship, allowing them to work on their dream project in a uniquely cossetted setting. Our reporters Luke Brown and Xavier Chemisseur were lucky enough to get a sneak peek of what the artists-in-residence have been working on.

In Ivory Coast, painters, photographers, designers and sculptors are choosing to settle in the city of Grand-Bassam, away from the urban chaos and air pollution of Abidjan. The historic UNESCO World Heritage city, located an hour from the economic capital, is attracting more and more designers in search of a more serene and affordable lifestyle. As the once-popular artisanal village of Grand-Bassam grapples with a drop in tourism, a new generation of artists from diverse backgrounds is reclaiming this historic cultural centre and breathing new life into it. Our correspondents report.

From an image of Hulk who suddenly leaps over your head to a painting that changes its colours, one Berlin street art exhibition offers visitors a chance to experience paintings in 3D. Called "Game Over", the exhibition inspired by video games is housed in a former casino stretching over 2,000 square metres (21,500 square feet) which is due to be torn down.

After three months of rehearsals, the Moulin Rouge dancers are back on stage for a dress rehearsal before the Parisian cabaret reopens on 10 September.

When the Taliban swept back into power in Afghanistan on August 16, Kabul-based artist and curator Rada Akbar felt she had no other option than to leave. Last week, she managed to escape to France, where she is now in quarantine. In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24’s culture editor Eve Jackson, Akbar describes the Taliban’s bloody crackdown on female artists. “They would either put me in prison or kill me,” she said.

Artists of all kinds, from musicians to actors and dancers, speak out and perform during a new protest against the government of Colombian President Ivan Duque in the city of Medellin. Musicians play in street side orchestras, and actors perform live theatre, as they express their dissatisfaction with the government. Demonstrations have continued in the face of a violent, deadly police crackdown that has drawn international condemnation in the country.