| 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.
| July 2, 2009 | to | October 18, 2009 |
National Portrait Gallery
This exhibition explores gay social and cultural history through the unique personal insights of ten high profile gay figures, who have selected their historical and modern icons. The chosen icons (not all of whom are gay) range from artists and writers to composers, politicians, sports stars and entertainers. It is these icons who have influenced those who chose them, and their stories are displayed here, along with over 60 photographic portraits, including works by Andy Warhol, Snowdon and Cecil Beaton. The icons inclue Francis Bacon, David Hockney, Daphne du Maurier, Quentin Crisp, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Benjamin Britten, k.d. lang, the Village People, Will Young, Ellen DeGeneres, Lily Savage, Kenneth Williams, Martina Navratilova, Ian Roberts, Harvey Milk, Angela Mason and many others.
| 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.
| July 8, 2009 | to | September 20, 2009 |
National Gallery
This exhibition aims to chart the development of open-air landscape painting up to the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874. It draws upon the National Gallery’s fabulous collection of 19th Century French landscapes, and features all of the major artists from the time, including Jean-Bapiste-Camille Corot, Simon Denis, Pierre Henri Valenciennes, Théodore Rousseau, Jean François Millet, Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Peña, Claude Monet and others.
| July 2, 2009 | to | September 13, 2009 |
Serpentine Gallery
This is American artist Jeff Koons’ first major exhibition in the UK. This exhibition presents paintings and sculptures from his Popeye series, which he began in 2002. It explores some of his signature ideas and motifs, including surreal combinations of everyday objects, cartoon imagery, art-historical references and children’s toys. It features works from both public and private collections.
| June 22, 2009 | to | August 23, 2009 |
Tate Britain
This exhibition is a rare opportunity to view exceptional works by Britains leading artists today, and explore Tate Britain’s contemporary collection. This exhibition encompasses paintings, sculpture and installations by artists including Damien Hirst and Gillian Carnegie.
| 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.
| July 4, 2009 | to | July 12, 2009 |
Various Venues around Streatham
Over 50 events will fill this week-long festival going on all around Streatham. Kicking off with Splash! and Top of the Common on the 4th July, with art, music, stalls, storytelling, dance and much more, all with the theme of water. The rest of the week will have events ranging from art, music and poetry to film, dance, literature, heritage, theatre and many more. With the current weather, this is sure to be great fun for all the family!
| July 8, 2009 | to | July 12, 2009 |
Old Royal Naval College
Summer blues and brews come to Greenwich again, with the return of the Greenwich Beer and Jazz Festival. A lazy 5 days of laid-back jazz together with some of the finest real ales, bottled beers and cocktails, all to the strains of some great jazz musicians, including Courtney Pine, TJ Johnson, James Taylor Quartet, Los Albertos, Jezebel Sextet, Jandira Silva, and many others. This looks set to be London’s perfect pint-sized festival.
| July 4, 2009 | to | July 26, 2009 |
France
Made up of 21 grueling stages covering a total of 3,500km, this years Tour de France is a challenging proposition. The 21 stages consist of:
This year the tour starts off at Monaco, taking in the areas of Brignoles, Marseille, La Grande-Motte, Montpellier, Le Cap d’Agde, Perpignan, Gérone, Barcelone, Andorre Arcalis, Andorre-la-Vieille, Saint-Girons, Saint-Gaudens, Tarbes, Limoges, Issoudun, Vatan, Saint-Fargeau, Tonnerre, Vittel, Colmar, Besançon, Pontarlier, Verbier, Martigny, Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Le Grand-Bornand, Annecy, Bourgoin-Jallieu, Aubenas, Montélimar, Mont Ventoux, Montereau-Fault-Yonne and Paris Champs-Élysées.
| June 27, 2009 | to | August 22, 2009 |
Kenwood, Hampstead
For those who like to gather with a group of family and friends and chill out in the summer with a picnic and great music, Kenwood Picnic Concerts is for you! A great way to spend a summer evening, this year’s line-up includes James Morrison, Gipsy Kings, Russell Watson, Simply Red, Jools Holland and others!
| July 9, 2009 | to | July 18, 2009 |
Somerset House
This summer sees a series of 10 concerts decend on Somerset House. The picturesque surroundings are great for bands and visitors alike. This year’s lineup has been confirmed to be:
| July 2, 2009 | to | July 30, 2009 |
Epsom Downs Racecourse
Every Tuesday in July, after the racing there will be open air concerts to enjoy music in the summer! The line-up contains some great names:
| July 10, 2009 | to | July 25, 2009 |
London Bridge Area
The London Bridge Festival is an arts festival set in the heart of London. With events such as art, comedy, music, poetry, film, theatre, street shows, tours, photography and children’s events, there ’s sure to be something for all the family at this festival.
| July 7, 2009 | to | July 12, 2009 |
Hampton Court Palace
The annual flower show at Hampton Court Palace returns again this year on 7th July until Sunday 12th. This years highlights include ‘Garden Energy’, an interactive feature garden, ‘Growing Tastes Feature’, ‘Fiji Long Water Feature’, ‘Henry VIII’, ‘Catwalk in Bloom’, and of course the gardens themselves.
| July 2, 2009 | to | July 16, 2009 |
Southbank Centre
This festival at the Southbank Centre has a fascinating programme of literature, music, poetry and debate. Headlining events include Buzz Aldrin, Arundhati Roy, Benjamin Zephaniah, Sarah Waters, Lemn Sissay, Amartya Sen, Peter Ackroyd, Martin Bright, Billie Whitelaw, and Vikram Seth.
| July 4, 2009 | to | July 19, 2009 |
Leytonstone
The Leytonstone festival consists of a series of events occuring throughout July. The array of musicians living in Leytonstone is truely great, and the festival promises to be somthing special. In addition the the great music, films, drama, comedy, walks, and other events will be occuring. Highlights include A Night of South African Jazz, Leytonstone Film Club presents Bronco Bullfrog, Woodhouse Players present ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’, The Misfits Comedy Club presents Christian Lee, Patrick Monaghan & Andi Osho, Cornelius Night, East Side Jazz Club Special and many more!
| 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 26, 2009 | to | October 2, 2009 |
The Scoop
Wed, Thu, Fri: 7pm
Every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, The Scoop will be offering free film viewings as part of More London. Simply turn up, grab a seat, and enjoy! Recommended to get there early as seats are first-come, first-serve. The film line-up includes some great films, such as: Slumdog Millionaire, For a Few Dollars More, Mama Mia, The Wizard of Oz, Local Hero, The Usual Suspects, Strictly Ballroom, La Vie en Rose and Oh Brother Where Art Thou?
| 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.
| 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.
| 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.
| July 7, 2009 | to | July 11, 2009 |
Kew Gardens
At Summer Swing you can dance the night away and enjoy a picnic in the park to the sounds of many great acts on stage. And you can be happy in the knowledge that each ticket sold goes towards supporting Kew’s vital education, global research and conservation work.
The line-up includes Jools Holland, Bjorn Again, Jive Talkin’ as The BeeGees, Bootleg Beatles, Counterfeit Stones, Gipsy Kings and Motimba.
| May 1, 2009 10:00 am | to | September 30, 2009 10:00 am |
Kew Gardens & Wakehurst Place
There are many great events happening to celebrate Kew Garden’s 250th Anniversary this summer. Events will be held in both Kew Gardens and Wakehurt Place to mark this momentus occasion.
Exhibitions and attractions at Kew Gardens include:
Exhibitions and Attractions at Wakehurst Place include: