Crafty getaway: 10 of the best creative boltholes in the UK

From boutique hotels showcasing local art to historic and artists’ houses offering creative workshops, here are artistic breaks in beautiful surroundings

10 of the UK’s best rural art galleries

From the Hebrides to Land’s End, rural galleries showcase work that reflects the local area and make for great days out with lovely walks and homemade cake thrown in

Divine inspiration: rescuing run-down churches – a photo essay

Sixty-odd years ago a Welsh MP along with TS Eliot and John Betjeman formed a group to save ‘ancient and beautiful’ churches from dereliction and demolition. Today, the Friends of Friendless Churches keep the doors open to more than 50 of these cultural treasures

London’s Victorian churches deserve a second gothic revival

Many of the fine monuments to London’s golden age lie undervalued and underused. It’s time these brick and stone glories were brought back to life

Great modern architecture in Europe: readers’ tips

Our readers’ selection of (mostly) urban design masterpieces contrast or harmonise with traditional surroundings

Lausanne arts district launches on former train shed site

Plateforme 10 will unite three of the Swiss city’s museums and with free entry and a revamped station on the doorstep is set to be a major European arts hub

10 of the best art museums in Japan

Brilliant gardens and buildings, coupled with great art make these spectacular – and affordable – museums an absorbing visit

Sandbank picnic: a sailing adventure off the Norfolk coast – a photo essay

Getting deliberately grounded on a sandbank – in the company of capable mariners – makes a captivating day trip exploring north Norfolk’s hidden depths

Show stoppin’: a car-free art tour along the East Sussex coast

The Coastal Culture Trail links three modern art galleries along 18 miles of this stretch of seaside. On a family trip, our writer explores by train, bus and on foot

Hot snap: the UK heatwave on Instagram

Looking cool in the sun? From city fountains and gardens to making a break for the beach, here’s a snapshot of the country basking in the sun

Museum of underwater art to open on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Submerged sculptures and others that appear at low tide to be installed at several Queensland sites, as part of a project that also aims to rehabilitate sections of the reef

The jewellers of Jaipur’s Johari Bazaar – a photo essay

Unesco has named the capital of Rajasthan, India, a world heritage site, partly for its jewellery and artisanal traditions, which continue to thrive on one of its main commercial streets

Eastern promise: contemporary art on the Norfolk coast

The county’s current open studios event is one of many reasons to tour coastal towns such as Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn, where affordable spaces and special light are attracting young artists