| May 2, 2009 | to | September 6, 2009 |
V&A Museum of Childhood
This event promises a wild and wacky journey through the childhood of Quentin Blake and Roald Dahl. This travelling exhibition shows off some of Roald Dahl’s best stories, with illustrations by Quentin Blake.
| June 18, 2009 | to | September 20, 2009 |
National Portrait Gallery
The most prestigious portrait competition in the world, the BP Portrait Award promots the very best in contemporary portrait painting. The first prize for this competition is £25,000, and it acts as a springboard for many new artists to launch a successful career. The exhibition presents a diverse range of styles from intimate family portraits to revealing portraits of celebrities.
| May 2, 2009 | to | August 16, 2009 |
Tate Britain
Tony Swain uses old newspapers as his canvas, layering on top of it with paint to create dream-like paintings. Any text that is let through takes on new meaning in his paintings.
| May 2, 2007 | to | April 30, 2012 |
Tate Britain
Price: Free
This free exhibition showcases Turner’s exploration of methods and techiniques, of colour and line. It follows Turner’s travels through Europe and his responses to different places, lighting and materials available. This ongoing exhibition will change exhibits every 6 months.
| May 22, 2009 | to | January 31, 2010 |
Victoria and Albert Museum
This exhibition by the Royal College of Art displays highlights from 2008 graduates’ final collections. It shows the garments themselves, and the process of designing them from ideas to complete clothes.
| June 12, 2009 | to | September 27, 2009 |
Fashion and Textile Museum
Wed – Sun: 11am – 6pm
This Exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum(FTM) chronicles the changes in female underwear, from health garment to fashion ‘must have’. It explores different themes, styles, advertising and it’s impact on society and culture. At the exhibition are such classics as M&S, Triumph, La Perla, Christian Dior, Elle Macpherson, Myla, Wonderbra, and others.
| May 21, 2009 | to | August 31, 2009 |
Glyndebourne
This year is the 75th anniversary of the Glyndeburne Festival, a great festival of Opera in the surroundings of Sussex. This year the operas being performed are Falstaff, Giulio Cesare, The Fairy Queen, Rusalka, L’elisir D’amore and Tristan und Isolde.
| March 13, 2009 | to | September 21, 2009 |
Soho Theatre
This sell-out event is proving Russell Howard as a big star in the comedy world. The star from Mock the Week, Russell Howard is even better on stage. His new material is great, and when he gets on a roll his comedy is some of the best around!
| June 8, 2009 | to | August 16, 2009 |
Royal Academy of Arts
This annual exhibition, now in its 241st year, continues to show new works by upcoming and known artists in a variety of media, including painting, photography, sculpture and other forms. This year, Royal Academicians Ann Christopher, Eileen Cooper and Will Alsop have selected works for the exhibition around the theme of ‘Making Space’.
| May 29, 2009 | to | September 13, 2009 |
Saatchi Gallery
This exhibition showcases new paintings and sculpture from America, including works by upcoming artists Kristin Baker, John Bauer, Mark Bradford and many others.
| September 19, 2009 | to | September 20, 2009 |
London
London’s largest architectural showcase, in this annual event 700 buildings open their doors free of charge, enabling visitors to see London from places they’d never seen before. The amount of achitectural interest that will be shown is huge, and anyone who is interesting in architecture, or just London should get involved. Many of the buildings on show are not normally open to the public, and some venues will be holding special events too.
| September 15, 2009 | to | September 19, 2009 |
London O2 Arena
Ben Hur comes to life in this live show, with 400 performers and 100 animals performing, including the legendary chariot race. Based on the novel ‘Ben Hur – A Tale of Christ’ by Lew Wallace, and now translated to the arena, Ben Hur Live is like being transported 2000 years back in history, to the time of the Romans. This production has been in the making for the past 15 years, and now the famous Franz Abraham is ready to unleash his version of the book upon audiences.
| August 5, 2009 | to | September 27, 2009 |
Clarence House
Clarence House is the official residence of The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Prince Harry. It is where they recieve official guests from within and outside the UK. During the summer months it opens it’s doors to tours by the public
| August 3, 2009 | to | October 3, 2009 |
Houses of Parliament
During the summer recess the Houses of Parliament, when members of parliament are not required to sit, there are open tours by the public. Tours last 75 minutes.
| August 22, 2009 |
Battersea Power Station
This year Red Bull brings 12 of the worlds best Freestyle Motocross (FMX) riders to London to an audience of 17,000 people to do battle for the world title. Winding in and out of Battersea Power Station the riders will perform death-defying tricks and stunts.
| August 5, 2009 | to | August 9, 2009 |
London O2 Arena
Times:
Wed: 7pm
Thu: 3pm, 7pm
Fri: 7pm
Sat: 11am, 3pm, 7pm
Sun: 11am, 3pm
Walking With Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular is a live show with 15 life-size dinosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus Rex! In this show watch them walk and fight each other for supremacy!
| June 19, 2009 | to | June 21, 2009 |
Various Houses throughout Chiswick, Hammersmith and Sheperds Bush
Fri: 6 – 9pm
Sat-Sun: 11am – 6pm
Artists At Home consists 42 open studios for artists across the local area. This year 13 new artists are exhibiting their work alongside old artists, with disciplines ranging from painting, sculpture and textiles to jewellery, photography and papier mache. And if you visit 8 or more studios, you can enter in a free prize draw.
| June 20, 2009 | ||
| 12:00 am | to | 10:00 pm |
St. Paul’s Church
Chiswick
GroveStock, now in it’s 4th year, is West London’s Biggest music festival. With a great line-up of musicians, bands, comedy and kids entertainment, it is a perfect day out for all the family. With Miles Crawford presenting the main stage, Chiswick’s got Talent, GroveFactor (childrens singing competition), kidsChoral and testDrive, if you live anywhere near Chiswick this is one event you must not miss!
| July 26, 2009 | to | September 30, 2009 |
Buckingham Palace
During the summer months, the Queen makes her annual visit to Scotland, so Buckingham Palace’s nineteen state rooms are open to the public. Lavishly furnished, the state rooms are used extensively by the Royal Family for recieving and entertaining state guests. This year there is a special exhibition ‘Queen & Commonwealth: The Royal Tour’ celebrating the 60th anniversary of the London Declaration of 1949, which recognised the British Sovereign as Head of the Commonwealth. In this special exhibition are dresses, jewels, photographs, and gifts presented to Her Majesty by the people of the Commonwealth.
| September 5, 2008 | to | November 18, 2008 |
Imperial War Museum
Admission: Free
Children under 11 not allowed, under 14 not recommended
This art exhibition explores how artists represented their feelings about the Nazi attempted annihilation of the Jews in the Holocaust. It explores the art of contemporary artists, as well as the memories of survivors years after the holocaust.
| June 13, 2008 | to | November 1, 2009 |
Imperial War Museum
Admission: Free
Marking the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the MV Empire Windrush to Britain, this exhibition tells the story of Black men and women from the West Indies and their involvment in WWI and WWII.
| March 4, 2009 | to | December 31, 2010 |
Imperial War Museum
Price: Free
Breakthrough is an art exhibition showcasing British art from both WWI and WWII, focusing particuarly on non-official and contemporary work. Official works shown will include some by Paul Nash, CRW Nevinson, John Piper and Eric Ravilious. Until the 28th June an additional display ‘The Neo-Romantics At War’ will also be on show, exploring the rise of British Neo-Romanticism during World War Two.
| July 18, 2009 | to | October 31, 2010 |
Imperial War Museum
Age: 8-12
Taken from the Horrible History series of books, this exhibition lets visitors learn more about live in the trenches. Visitors can discover battle plans and living conditions, and can even try on strange clothes for living in trenches and climbing into mining tunnels, peering through periscopes and much more!
| June 27, 2009 | to | September 13, 2009 |
Royal Academy of Arts
The first major showing of J.W. Waterhouse in the UK since 1970, this exhibition features over 40 of his works, including The Lady of Shalott, Hylass and the Nymphs and A Mermaid. Also being shown are various studies and sketchbooks by J.W. Waterhouse.
| August 1, 2009 |
Victoria Park
The return of Field Day festival at Victoria Park. This years line-up includes Mogwai, Allez Allez, Fanfarlo, Delphic, Fake Blood, Casper C and many more!
| August 1, 2009 | to | August 2, 2009 |
Lloyd Park
Live music and entertainment, a bandstand, street theatre, a funfar and much more make this summer festival in Croydon a tempting proposition. With a ‘World Party’ on Saturday, and ‘Croydon Mela’ on Sunday, this multi-cultural festival is fun for everyone!
| August 2, 2009 | ||
| 12:00 am | to | 8:00 pm |
Victoria Park
Underage Festival is the worlds only strictly 14 – 19 year old only festival, host to thousands of teenagers. With a great line up, this festival (now in it’s third year) will be a fun day out for all who attend.
| August 27, 2009 | to | August 31, 2009 |
Empire Cinema
The 10th anniversary of Film4 Frightfest, this year’s premier UK fantasy and horror film festival promises to be something special.
| July 17, 2009 | to | July 22, 2009 |
Shoreditch Park
This award-winning festival features live music, dance, fashion, sports, games and more. Highlights include Proms in Shoreditch Park, World in Motion and Shoreditch Games.
| July 3, 2009 | to | July 5, 2009 |
Goodwood
The Goodwood Festival of Speed returns again, promising a great weekend out for petrolheads. This year two world champions head the line-up of over 75 star drivers and riders. Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Loeb will be at the Festival of Speed, alongside Jenson Button and Mark Webber, Sir Stirling Moss, Jackie Steward, Eddie Irvine, David Coulthard, Dan Gurney, Derek Bell, Damon Hill, Jacky Ickx, John Surtees, Rusty Wallace and Takuma Sato. This year’s theme is True Grit – Epic Feats of Endurance. Goodwood will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of that most famous of cars, the mini.