Discover our pick of things to do in London this week: 27 March - 2 April 2023.

Explore London

3 talks, 100 people, all climate

The Climate Connection community will host an event designed for individuals who are passionate about addressing climate change and cleantech. The event will feature three lightning talks delivered by distinguished members of the Climate Connection community, providing attendees with unique insights and inspiration.

In addition to the lightning talks, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in speed-networking exercises, allowing them to connect with new people and build valuable connections. The event is aimed at bringing together people from various backgrounds, including founders, policy experts, investors, and creatives, who share a common goal of averting climate change.

Date: Wednesday 29 March 2023. Time: 6-9pm. Location: Sway Bar 61-65 Great Queen Street London WC2B 5BZ. Price: Free. Book now.

Heroes and Heroines - Tania León

Tania León, a Cuban-born composer and pianist, is currently gaining recognition in the US for her achievements. She recently won a Pulitzer Prize for her composition Stride, which will have its UK premiere on 31 March 2023. Stride is part of the New York Philharmonic’s Project 19, commissioned to honour the 100th anniversary of the 10th amendment that gave women the right to vote. León's impressive career includes being the resident composer and music director of Dance Theatre of Harlem, the founder of Composers Now, and receiving a Kennedy Centre Honour. The performance of Stride will be followed by a piano concerto by Beatrice Rana.

Date: Friday 31 March. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Price: £14 ⁠–⁠ £65.Book now.

Kirtan & Mantra Meditation evening

Are you feeling drained after a long week and looking for a refreshing way to kick-start your weekend? Look no further than Mantra Lounge! Their weekly events in London offer a unique opportunity to connect with your spiritual side through the transformative power of sound. Experience the uplifting energy of Kirtan and Mantra meditation, where the group comes together to create a beautiful symphony of sound that fills the room with positive vibrations. Afterward, indulge in some delicious vegan tea and cake while connecting with like-minded individuals in their welcoming and inclusive community. Whether you're a seasoned meditator or a curious newcomer, it’s the prefect opportunity to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate.

Date: 31 March 2023 (Every Friday). Time: 7pm  Location: Neal's Yard, Covent Garden Meeting Rooms, 14B Neal's Yard London WC2H 9DP. Price: from £7. Book now.

Mosaic Class for Adults at Hackney City Farm
Unleash your inner artist with the expert guidance of experienced instructors in a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere. Please be aware that a fee will be charged for all necessary materials at this event, depending on the surface area you select to cover. The standard rate for calculating material costs is £5 per A5 size. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn a new skill and create stunning mosaic pieces!

Date: 30 March 2023. Time: 7pm-  9pm. Location: Hackney City Farm 1a Goldsmiths Row London E2 8QA. Price: £9.75. Book now.

Clitbait: Feminist Poetry Workshop & Open Mic

Clitbait is hosting its first-ever London poetry event this tuesday at Cafe 1001 on Brick Lane. The event invites feminist poets, writers, artists, and others to share their creative writing practice and connect with members of the Clitbait team. The community champions the voices of women, trans, and non-binary people and encourages everyone, regardless of experience, to share their thoughts and feelings about intersectional feminism through poetry and songwriting. The event promises a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere, with opportunities to perform, connect with like-minded people, or enjoy the voices of new and exciting poets.

Date: 28 March 2023. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Cafe 1001 91 Brick Lane London E1 6QL. Price: from £3. Book now.
 

Museum Lates

As the month draws to a close, art lovers have a reason to rejoice with several museums offering an exciting line-up of late night openings! These events provide a unique opportunity to engross yourself in late night art and engage with a diverse programme of events that promises to be nothing short of fantastic. Here are some of our hand-picked favourites that are not to be missed!

Lates at the Science Museum

This Wednesday, brace yourself for an exciting evening at the Science Museum Lates, where a multitude of fascinating topics await! From conspiracy theories to deep fakes, cryptocurrency and NFTs, counterfeits to AI art, delve into a thought-provoking exploration of our increasingly digital world. As the lines between what we perceive as real and fake continue to blur, and trust becomes harder to place, the event offers a unique opportunity to ponder on these issues. Be prepared to be amazed by enlightening talks, engaging tours, and hands-on workshops, all of which will enrich your experience and leave you wanting more. Come and join us for an unforgettable evening full of discovery and exploration!

Date: Wednesday 29 March 2023. Time: 6.30pm – 10pm. Location: Science Museum, Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD. Price: General admission tickets: free. VIP tickets: £10. Book now. The event is for ages 18 and over.

Victoria & Albert Museum Friday Late

The Friday Late event at the Victoria and Albert Museum this month is centred around exploring and celebrating all bodies and their potential for expression. This event coincides with the museum's latest exhibition, Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance, which features over 120 works from the Renaissance period, including pieces that depict the human body in innovative ways. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the exhibition after hours and enjoy an evening program designed to celebrate and appreciate all types of bodies.

Date: 31 March 2023. Time: 18.30 - 22.00. Location: V&A, South Kensington. Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL. Price:Free ( fee to attend exhibition). Book now.

Tate Modern Lates

This Friday at Tate Lates, visitors can join workshops, music performances, talks, and more to celebrate women in the arts while exploring tactility and connection. The event features a range of activities, including the opportunity to view Cecilia Vicuña’s textile sculpture and music performances by Rachel Lyn and Lauren Auder. There will also be a workshop on tactility and performances by MA Contemporary Art Practice students from the Royal College of Art. Some events require free tickets, which can be collected on a first-come, first-served basis from the Starr Cinema or the Level 0 ticket desk.

Date: 31 March 2023. Time: 6 - 10pm. Location: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Price: Free (exhibitions ticketed). Book now.

Soane Drawing Late 

​Sir John Soane’s Museum will host a a candlelit evening celebrating the architectural drawing mastery of Sir John Soane. Original sketches from his career will be displayed, including rarely seen sketches in his own hand. Attendees can listen to a spotlight talk on the Architectural Drawing Prize exhibition and try their hand at creating architectural drawings using objects from the museum's handling collection. The event includes admission to explore the museum, a complementary drink. Tickets are available for arrival at different times throughout the evening.

Date: 31 Mar 2023. Time: entry at 6, 6.30, 7.30 and 8pm. Location: 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3BP. Price: £18. Book now.

Arts & Culture

Opening this week

Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney

The highly anticipated exhibition of dog portraits at the Wallace Collection, which was postponed due to the pandemic in 2020, is finally set to be unveiled. Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney, pays tribute to the profound connection between humans and their loyal canine companions throughout history. Through a thoughtfully curated selection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, and even taxidermy, visitors will have the opportunity to witness the special bond that exists between humans and dogs.

Date: 29 March - 15 October 2023. Location: The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN. Price: from £14. Book now.

Stanley Whitney : There will be song

Gagosian is presenting an exhibition of new paintings by Stanley Whitney. Whitney's paintings consist of rectilinear, predominantly monochrome blocks of oil colour in three or four registers demarcated by horizontal bands. His paintings reveal the active trace of his hand through variations in the direction of application and opacity of pigment. Whitney's process-based approach has evolved over the course of three decades, influenced by ancient Roman murals, artists such as Piet Mondrian, Giorgio Morandi, and Mark Rothko, and American quiltmakers. Whitney's use of colour evokes a synaesthetic merging of the senses. The exhibition showcases a range of Whitney's works, including his largest painting to date.

Date: 30 March –May 13, 2023. Location: 20 Grosvenor Hill, London W1K 3QD. Price: Free.

All the Flowers are for Me and Plants of the Qur’ān  

Renowned artists Anila Quayyum Agha and Sue Wickison are set to unveil their latest works at Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens this week. The exciting dual exhibition centres around the theme of faith and cultural exchange and showcases contemporary sculptural works and intricate botanical paintings that are sure to captivate visitors. Among the striking pieces by Anila Quayyum Agha is All the Flowers are for Me, a large laser-cut steel cube that draws inspiration from patterns found in Islamic art and architecture, as well as Stealing Moments (After Morris and Dürer), I and II, a wall-mounted piece that takes inspiration from Albrecht Dürer's Great Piece of Turf. Sue Wickison's exhibition, Plants of the Qur’ān, features an impressive collection of new botanical paintings that beautifully depict plants mentioned in the Qur'an and highlight their cultural, agricultural, and botanical significance.

Date: 1 April - Sunday 17 September 2023. Location: Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens. Price: from £12. Book now.Admission to the exhibition is included in a ticket to Kew Gardens. 

Berthe Morisot: Shaping Impressionism

Explore the captivating world of Berthe Morisot, in her first major UK exhibition since 1950. In partnership with Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, the Dulwich Picture Gallery will showcases over 30 of Morisot's most significant works, including many never before seen in the UK. Unveiling Morisot's pioneering role in the Impressionist movement, the exhibition highlights her overlooked contributions and unique connection to 18th-century culture. Witness Morisot's artistic evolution through 15 works on display for comparison.

Date:  31 March - 10 September 2023. Location: Gallery Road, London SE21 7AD. Price: from £16.50.Book now. 

Andy Warhol: The Textiles

The exhibition features more than 60 fabric lengths and garments designed by Andy Warhol. This will be the first exhibition dedicated to Warhol's commercial textile designs, showing how this work contributed to the artist's oeuvre and became sought after by collectors worldwide. The exhibition reveals a new side to Warhol, exploring his unknown and unrecorded world of textile design. Co-curated by Richard Chamberlain and Geoff Rayner, the exhibition showcases Warhol's fascination with everyday items and mass production, his development as a Pop Artist, and includes many never-before-exhibited pieces.

Date: 31 March - 10 September 2023. Location: the Fashion and Textile Museum 83 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3XF. Price: from £12.65. Concession available. Book now.

RESOLVE Collective: them's the breaks

The Barbican Art Gallery is presenting a new site-specific installation called them's the breaks by interdisciplinary design practice RESOLVE Collective. The installation, at The Curve will be an interactive landscape made up of reclaimed and re-purposed materials that visitors are encouraged to touch and interact with. The exhibition aims to break down barriers between the public and art, and RESOLVE will co-curate a programme of thematic events to facilitate critical discussion around society’s institutions. The installation will also address social challenges and provide a platform for the production of new knowledge and ideas. The exhibition will culminate in July with a "Closing Down Sale" where everything must go.

Date: 30 March – 16 July 2023. Location: The Curve, Barbican Centre, Barbican Centre, Silk St, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: Free.

The Holy Art Fair 2023

The Holy Art Fair 2023 is set to take place from 30 March - 2 April 2023 at the OXO Tower/Bargehouse in London. The fair promises to be an exceptional collection of modern and contemporary art from all around the world. Guests can expect to enjoy a diverse range of artworks, including traditional, NFT, and digital art. The fair offers a curated experience that includes workshops, artists' insights, and other inspiring programs to make for an immersive and enjoyable experience.

Date: 30 March - Sun, 2 Apr 2023. Location: Oxo Tower Barge House Street London SE1 9PH. Price: Free. Book now.

Last chance

Sarah Ainslie: Women of Bethnal Green at Work

This is the last chance to catch the heritage program exhibition at Oxford House, featuring photographer Sarah Ainslie's collection of portraits of diverse women in Bethnal Green. The exhibition showcases the valuable contributions of tradeswomen, community organisers, artists, faith leaders, and shopkeepers who contribute to the vibrancy of life in the area. Sarah has been documenting these remarkable women for over three decades, making this exhibition a unique opportunity to celebrate their stories and contributions.

Date: until March 31, 2023. Location: Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, Bethnal Green, London E2 6HG. Price: Free.

Pop-ups & Venues

Kensington Vintage Second Life Fashion Pop-Up

Kensington Vintage Second Life Fashion Pop-up offers pre-loved designer vintage garments in various sizes at affordable prices. All tickets are refundable when you checkout, regardless of the purchase amount. You can buy as much or as little as you like, and prices start at around £4 per garment. Booking a ticket in advance is recommended, but tickets are also available at the door if there are empty spots. The pop-up is constantly restocking throughout the day, so there's no need to arrive early to find the best clothes.

Date: 1 April 2023. Time: 10am - 4.30pm.  Location: Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street London W8 7NX. Price: £2.50 refundable after purchase. Book now.

Big Plant Sale

Plants for All is having a big plant sale this weekend, with over 150 varieties of plants available at low prices starting from £2. The sale features indoor and outdoor plants directly from producers for maximum freshness, as well as rare plants from £15 and up. The selection is sorted by category to help buyers make their choices and accessories such as pots and planters are also available. The sale runs on a first come, first served basis and tickets are free.

Date: 31 March - 2 April 2023 Time: 10am - 6pm, 7pm. Location: Top Office Machines 133-135 Bethnal Green Rd London E2 7DG. Price: Free. Book now.

Iftar 2023

Open Iftar

The Ramadan Tent Project is an award-winning charity that hosts various initiatives to bring communities together and spread the spirit of Ramadan. One of its flagship initiatives is the Open Iftar event, which has connected over 500,000 people across the UK since 2013. Open Iftar bridges communities, highlights commonalities, celebrates differences, and fosters human connection. As part of the Ramadan Festival 2023, Open Iftar will be hosted in 10 UK cities, celebrating the charity's 10th year. The event features engaging speeches, free food, exciting stalls, community cohesion, spiritual reflection, prayers, and great conversations. Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast at sunset during Ramadan. This week's Open Iftar in London  will be held at QPR FC, British Library, 100 Bishopsgate and Granry Square. Click here for the full Iftar calendar and to book your tickets.

#FLOFavourite: Pick of the week

FREE ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK

Cuddles For Troubles

Experience a night of endless laughter at Cuddles for Troubles - a novel comedy event featuring a lineup of professional and upcoming comedians. The performers will be presenting fresh material and classic routines, making for an unforgettable evening. Although reference tickets are available, admission is not guaranteed, so prompt arrival is strongly advised. If you are unable to attend this Friday's show, mark the calendar for the next Cuddles for Troubles in May!

Date: 31March 2023. Time: 7.45pm. Location: The Trinity, Borough 202-206 Borough High Street London SE1 1JX. Price: Free. Book now. 

Interview of the week

We had a chat with Merryl Ansah

Merryl Ansah is an actress and singer from London. She started her career in 2017 after graduating from The Royal Academy of Music with an MA in Musical Theatre. Since then, she has gone on to do a variety of musicals, plays, commercials and short films. She will be playing  Nala in the West End production of @thelionkinguk from May 2023. Click here to read the full interview.

Upcoming events

Aunty Donna, Australia's Favourite Sketch Group, Announces UK Tour

Australian absurdist sketch group Aunty Donna is embarking on its first-ever UK and Ireland tour after the success of its Netflix series, Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun. The tour will visit Glasgow, Dublin, Bath, Birmingham, London, and Manchester. The group gained a global following after the release of their Netflix series and a record-breaking tour of Australia and New Zealand. Aunty Donna's unique brand of surreal, fast-paced, alternative sketch comedy has won them numerous awards and a worldwide fanbase. The group is excited to showcase new material and fan-favourite sketches on their upcoming tour. They will be preforming at London Eventim Apollo on 22 August 2023. Book now.