Hyperbolicity and specialness of symmetric powers

Inspired by the computation of the Kodaira dimension of symmetric powers Xm of a complex projective variety X of dimension n ≥ 2 by Arapura and Archava, we study their analytic and algebraic hyperbolic properties. First we show that Xm is special if and only if X is special (except when the core of X is a curve). Then we construct dense entire curves in (suf-ficiently hig) symmetric powers of K3 surfaces and product of curves. We also give a criterion based on the positivity of jet differentials bundles that implies pseudo-hyperbolicity of symmetric powers. As an application, we obtain the Kobayashi hyperbolicity of symmetric powers of generic projective hypersur-faces of sufficiently high degree. On the algebraic side, we give a criterion implying that subvarieties of codimension ≤ n − 2 of symmetric powers are of general type. This applies in particular to varieties with ample cotangent bundles. Finally, based on a metric approach we study symmetric powers of ball quotients.