From hit novels by late bloomers to artists turned chess masters, our critics select culture that revels in reinvention

From a vast anti-war statement by Pablo Picasso to a powerful treatise on section 28, our critics showcase culture that reminds us what we can achieve when we come together

Whether it’s a grape-guzzler held up by satyrs or Britney Spears not knowing when to stop, our critics offer up art that likes to go large

From dire warnings about social media to a genuinely meditative video game our critics select culture to help you overturn the overload

From Dickens’s depiction of the Gordon riots to Alessia Cara drifting around a party, our critics select culture about the seething masses

From Lily Allen’s withering takedown of self-obsessed fame to a ravaged painting in an attic, our critics pick culture about taking self-love too far

Because you don’t need to have another person around to know that you’re fantastic, our critics select the finest odes to flying solo

Sometimes life becomes a little stale. From upbeat pop to teenage last hurrahs, our critics have the moodboard for forging a fresh path

From a beach comedy movie to people-free abstract art, our critics offer cultural escapes for those who’ve already had enough festive spirit

You’ve had a big one, but what goes up must come down. From gentle piano to breezy laughs, our critics offer salves for sore heads

From the aristocratic boutiques of 18th-century Paris to a zombified consumerist dystopia, our culture critics help you shop till you drop

With the Qatar World Cup imminent, our critics offer up cultural highlights – from a damning tale of homophobia to David Peace’s Damned Utd – about the ‘beautiful game’

From music extolling the virtues of red beets to chilli-based larks, our critics select culture to make you salivate

From misty travelogues to the bitchiest of bureaux, our critics select music, tv, literature, art and film that celebrates life on the continent

From murky goings-on within Fifa to warring media scions, our critics select culture that delights in degradation