Featured Events in London in August 2025 (August Updated)

Alison Jacques presents Sites, a solo exhibition of work by Scottish artist Carol Rhodes (b.1959; d.2018). Spanning nearly 20 years, many of the exhibited works have never been seen in London. In 1994, Rhodes began a body of highly distinctive paintings, which she proceeded to develop over two decades, until motor neurone disease made it finally impossible for her to paint and draw.

Explore a multi-layered exhibition of new work collectively created by two Iranian-Canadian artists, featuring image-based works, sculpture, video and found objects.

Gagosian presents an exhibition of new paintings by Rudolf Stingel. The works on view mark the inaugural presentation of the artist’s 2024 series, Vineyard Paintings.

Cristea Roberts Gallery opens the first exhibition dedicated solely to the complete print portfolios by Josef Albers made during the latter decades of his life, including his final body of work.

The inaugural artist for the Infinities Commission is artist, DJ and producer Christelle Oyiri. In a perpetual remix where is my song? is a work made specially by Oyiri for the Tanks, Tate Modern’s unique spaces dedicated to performance, installation and film.This is an audio-visual installation made up of sculpture, sound, music, video and light. With this new work the artist draws similarities between techniques used by DJs, such as cutting and repetition, and those used in cosmetic surgery and online image-making technologies.

This major group exhibition and event programme curated by Lubaina Himid celebrates 40 years since The Thin Black Line, the groundbreaking group show of young Black and Asian women artists at the ICA in 1985.

Mirror, Mirror is the largest solo presentation of Permindar Kaur’s work in a London institution to date and will take place across the main gallery and the historic manor. Kaur’s installations use a visual language of toys, clothing, and shelter to explore how domestic settings shape individuals, and how identity and background relates to these things. Child-like figures equipped with claws, horns, or beaks haunt the gallery like sentinels or misfits, suggesting protection, defiance or both. Drawing on cultural symbolism, including ceremonial Sikh colours such as saffron and navy, her works use techniques of camouflage whilst simultaneously asserting their presence. Throughout, motifs suggesting a high society country house — such as pairs of antlers — are set against materials such as felt or fleece, which suggest both the safety of a childhood comfort blanket or toy as well as the realities of everyday life.

Fresh water is the source of life. The exhibition spans time and culture, from ancient Mesopotamia and Victorian London to contemporary Nepal and Singapore, exploring the important value of "fresh water" through 125 works. The exhibition also displays new works commissioned by Raqs Media Group, Karan Charesta, Zhou Feifei and Zahi Suhaimi.

Lévy Gorvy Dayan presents Francesco Clemente’s Self-Portraits in the Bardo­—a significant series from his recent practice on view for the first time. In the eight vivid and visionary canvases on display, the artist fuses self-portraiture with an exploration of the imagery found in traditional Tibetan Buddhist representations of the bardo. The bardo is a central concept in Tibetan Buddhism, describing a liminal state of consciousness associated with the moment between death and rebirth. The awe-inspiring figures seen in Clemente’s paintings draw on the sacred peaceful and wrathful deities that inhabit this noncorporeal space—given life by Clemente in his vibrant compositions.

For their exhibition Doubles, artist Prem Sahib brings together objects and sculptural interventions that stretch beyond the last decade, referencing the local area, both past and present. The exhibition explores the idea of a copy or replica, as it pertains to performance, mimicry, memory, deception and perceived threat.

In the autumn of 1989, photographer Nick Waplington was introduced to fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi through their mutual friend, the titan of photography Richard Avedon. This initial meeting would turn into a three-year working and personal relationship, resulting in a collection of photographs of the goings-on behind the scenes at Mizrahi’s studio in downtown Manhattan.

Variations is an evolving installation investigating the processes and power dynamics at play in a new era of photography. Developed across four UK venues in 2024-25, Felicity Hammond (b. 1988, UK) uses artificial intelligence (AI) to map how digital photographic material makes its journey from mineral to pixel; and from beneath the Earth’s surface to the screen. During the staging of the last two variations at Brighton and Derby, photographs and data were collected from the exhibition spaces and people in them. The collected data and images have been used as training sets for each subsequent variation, including V3: Model Collapse at The Photographers' Gallery. Like AI image creation, the reiteration of past datasets in each new work mimics the constantly evolving data sets that inform machine learning platforms.

ATLAS Gallery announces the joint acquisition of the complete photographic archive of Marlborough Gallery, including immaculate exhibition prints by Berenice Abbott, Bill Brandt, Brassaï, Robert Frank, Irving Penn and Helmut Newton.

Celebrate the work of British-Jamaican photographer Dennis Morris. Renowned for his intimate portraits of cultural icons such as Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols and Marianne Faithfull, Morris’ images are a vivid exploration of music, identity and social change. Music + Life captures the spirit of some of the most pivotal moments in 20th-century culture, from the soulful vibrancy of reggae to the rebellious energy of punk. Morris provides a rare glimpse into the lives of legendary musicians, revealing the trust and connection he forged with his subjects. His candid photographs of Bob Marley, both on stage and off, along with the raw, chaotic world of the Sex Pistols, illustrate his unique ability to capture the personalities behind the music.

Vincent van Gogh has had an enduring influence on Anselm Kiefer. See work by both artists side by side this summer.

Camden Art Centre and New Curators present akâmi-, the first major UK institutional exhibition of Duane Linklater, an Omaskêko Ininiwak multimedia artist based in North Bay, Ontario, Canada.

Beto Fame’s art, born in Rio’s Tijuca, blends chance, memory, and urban rhythms. From tropics to London’s greens, his palette and collages craft poetic chords, shifting between figuration and abstraction. Found on the Way traces a transformative path.

Jane McAdam Freud (1958–2022) dedicated her creative output to the exploration of life, death and the libido. This exhibition, the first of her work since her untimely passing in 2022, presents key pieces from across her career. It seeks to unlock the poignancy and power of the art object, and showcases how Jane, in a rich variety of media and with idiosyncratic humour, used the physical to express the immaterial. As the great- granddaughter of Sigmund Freud and daughter of Lucian Freud, an unflinching analysis of the self remained a constant across her art.

Ian Kirby is a London-based, portrait and landscape photographer. Born to mixed Japanese and English heritage, Ian draws significant influence from an eclectic upbringing rooted deeply in two distinct cultures and within a richly multicultural environment. This unique blend of backgrounds has equipped him with an ability to appreciate the intricate details and subtleties present in both the environments he inhabits and the personalities he encounters.

Alice Amati presents Eyes Open, I Breathe Again, a group exhibition curated by Samuele Visentin, bringing together ten international artists, all new to the gallery’s programme. Conceived as the visualisation of a summer love story, each work in the exhibition represents a phase in this journey—from the arrival in a yet-unknown place, to the first encounter, infatuation, intimacy, and, eventually, departure. The exhibition follows a fictional character whose account of his summer fling at times veers into the personal and the political, reflecting on this universal experience of love through a queer lens.

London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE showcases a series of contemporary art commissions, responding and bringing fresh perspectives to the site’s archaeological history. Our next commission will be Performance of Entrapment by Jane and Louise Wilson.

The Camden Fringe is a performing arts festival held in Camden each August, founded in 2006. Everyone is welcome to register. Past Fringe events have included new work, opera, musicals, stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, dance, cabaret, poetry, opera, mentalism, improvisation and quizzes. Performances run throughout the day and typically last one hour. The Camden Fringe was established as an alternative to the Edinburgh Festival, offering performers the opportunity to try new material and different ideas in a supportive environment, with a smaller investment of time and money than the then existing Edinburgh Fringe. The Camden Fringe aims to provide opportunities for everyone, from experienced performers and companies to ambitious newcomers, to perform and showcase their talents. Since 2006, the Camden Fringe Festival has been renowned for its support of acts and for providing useful information and guidance to those who take part.

2 Day Puppet Making WorkshopMonday 4th & Tuesday 5th August 2025 11am – 3pm both days For Ages 8+ £86 per person for both days Join us for a hands-on creative adventure into the world of puppetry! In this two-day workshop, young artists aged 8 and up will explore a variety of basic puppet making techniques to design and build their own unique characters. From simple shadow puppets to jointed paper puppets and beyond, we’ll experiment with different materials and methods to bring ideas to life. Children will learn about movement, expression, and character development as they craft, decorate, and play with their creations. This workshop is perfect for imaginative minds who love making, storytelling, and bringing things to life with their own hands. All materials are provided – just bring a packed lunch and dress for mess! Information Source: Arty Farty Retreat | eventbrite

From the award-winning creator of ‘Bring Your Baby Guided London Walks’, ‘Bring Your Baby Pub Quizzes’ are fun, brain-stimulating daytime parent socials, which take place all over London. In GREAT pubs. Team size is 6 maximum to make it fair on everyone. Quizzes take a slower pace than traditional ones. We are parents ourselves, and understand juggling a ‘baby brain’ with baby distractions! Toddlers are welcome, but are the parent or carer's responsibility. Please bring suitable toys and games to entertain them while you quiz! We take two breaks to feed, change and chat, and questions are always repeated. Settle in with the picture round from 12pm, with a further five quiz rounds (including general knowledge, music, connection and themed) starting at 12.30pm until 2.30pm. Don’t panic if you’re a bit late - we repeat questions. A lunch menu including vegan and gluten-free options is available. Baby change is available, including our legendary mobile baby change which means you don't need to leave the quiz to change baby! A number of high chairs are also available. Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd places include items such as Prosecco, beauty boxes and luxury chocolate boxes. The prizes are for you, not the babies! Complimentary sweet treats for each table (sealed in packaging). Important notes: - Children are the responsibility of the parent or guardian, and must be monitored by them at all times. - Refunds or requests to move to a future event or date must be requested within 24 hours of the event commencing so that we can try to refill the space in adequate time. - On occasion we take photos or short video clips at our 'Bring Your Baby Pub Quizzes' or 'Bring Your Baby Guided London Walks'. By attending you are giving your permission for these to be used for Bring Your Baby Ltd promotional purposes. Any individual who we have taken a photograph of and published can request that any photographs are removed and deleted at any time. Even if they have given consent when booking according to our terms and conditions, they can of course withdraw their consent and can contact us at Lucy@bringyourbaby.org - At 'Bring Your Baby Pub Quizzes', we understand that the parent or guardian will want to keep sleeping babies close to their table in baby carriers (including, for example: prams, buggies or car seats). However if babies are awake we reserve the right to ask the parent or guardian to move their baby carrier into a designated area of the venue to meet health and safety requirements (such as clear access to fire exits and clear walkways). Information Source: 'Bring Your Baby' Pub Quizzes | eventbrite

Let us introduce you to 15 potential partners at a super-fun, informal speed dating event designed for guests aged 25 to 38 who are looking to make new connections. A few moments from King’s Cross underground & St Pancras stations, Drake & Morgan at King’s Cross is a trendy and cosmopolitan bar spread over two floors with a great atmosphere. Guests at this popular speed dating event can relax in private area, hosted by an It’s a Date team member. Our host will be at the venue ready to welcome you at 19:30. Please arrive on time for registration, grab any drinks from the bar, and receive a summary of how things will work. You will be given an optional name sticker, a pen, and a note card to keep track of everyone you’ve met. Ladies will be seated on tables adequately spaced, discreetly numbered, and arranged in a comfortable area of the venue. When speed dating commences, gents will join ladies for 5-minute dates to get to know one another. Your host will notify all guests at the end of each date, signalling for gents to move to the next table in ascending numerical order. During table rotations, you will have a moment to record on note cards your feelings towards the previous date and intention to reconnect, for your reference only. Mid-way through the evening, your host will indicate a 15-minute comfort break to use the rest room, head to the bar, or socialise with new connections. Dating will then resume for the second half of the evening. At the end of the speed dating the bar will remain open for more socialising. You can then access the event listing in your dashboard to enter feedback on dates and await your matches. If you have any questions on the event or how things will work, please get in contact with James on 07517 065 492 or james@itsadate.club. Information Source: It's a Date | eventbrite

Get ready to dive into the dark and mysterious world of Slaytanic Art at our Corpse Paint Life Drawing event! Join us at Helgi's Bar for an evening of artistic exploration like no other. Date: Monthly on Tuesdays Time: 8 PM - 10 PM Location: Helgi's Bar | Hackney Step into the shadows and sketch live models transformed by bold, theatrical corpse paint inspired by gothic vampirism and black metal aesthetics. Whether you're picking up a pencil for the first time or you're a seasoned artist, all levels are welcome. We provide the materials — just show up ready to create. Join us at Helgi’s Bar in Hackney for a night of dark expression and alternative art. Expect haunting visuals, heavy music, and a bar serving absinthe, Bloody Marys, and more. Time Out describes Helgi's: What's the vibe? A self-described 'occult rock bar', this is a heavy metal bar by any other name. If you like your music loud and your bands bearded, Helgi's is the one. When to visit: After the witching hour. This place is open very, very late, every night of the week. What to drink: A michelada, the mighty Mexican combo of beer, lime and clamato juice. Think of it as a Bloody Mary lite. Created by Neon Naked Events . @corpsepaintlifedrawing Information Source: NEON NAKED LIFE DRAWING | eventbrite

Join us on the first Tuesday of every month for a brilliant night of live comedy in one of London's most iconic (and oldest) riverside pubs. This event takes place in the Lookout Room - named for its brilliant views across the Thames. A line-up of 8 comedians, with a pint and a view - what more could you ask for?! Advance tickets are £6.50 (+fees) or £10 on the door. Doors at 7pm, event starting approximately 7:30pm. Keep an eye on our socials for information and line-up announcements! F ollow us on Instagram at @wapping.comedy P.S If you'd like to support our comedians and give them an extra tip, please purchase an "add-on" when purchasing your ticket. Information Source: That Comedy Night | eventbrite

Hidden Literature presents MY WORD, an intimate and soulful open mic night celebrating the best in Spoken Word, Poetry, Hip Hop, R&B, and Neo Soul. Hosted in the heart of Hackney, this vibrant event is the ultimate showcase for creativity, connection, and talent. Whether you're a poet, a musician, or love live performances, MY WORD offers something for everyone. This is more than an event—it’s a space where artistry and community come alive. This event is held at a cosy canal-side live music bar and restaurant Grow , offering a relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy great food, drinks, and performances. What to Expect at Our Open Mic Night Get ready for an unforgettable evening packed with passionate performances and feel-good vibes. MY WORD welcomes a diverse lineup of talent. Here’s what you can expect from the open mic night: Poetry and Spoken Word: Be moved by heartfelt poetry and spoken word pieces from London’s finest poets and spoken word artists. Music Performances: Enjoy live performances from Hip Hop, R&B, and Neo Soul artists, blending rich melodies and soulful rhythms. Open Decks for DJs, Beatmakers, and Producers: From 10:30 pm onwards, the night opens up to DJs, beatmakers, and music producers. Bring your tracks, showcase your beats, and keep the energy flowing with feel-good sounds. We welcome genres like Hip Hop, R&B, Neo Soul, Afrobeats, Reggae, Dancehall, Jazz, Lo-Fi Beats, Garage, Funk, Drum & Bass and more! Food and Bar: Enjoy a delicious fusion of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Modern British plates and sharers, all made with seasonal ingredients sourced from top-tier suppliers and crafted with handmade touches. Whether you're performing or enjoying the show, MY WORD is the perfect way to immerse yourself in London’s vibrant arts scene. Why Choose MY WORD in Hackney? Hosted by the charismatic and talented Ovyuki , this open mic in London stands out as a celebration of diversity, creativity, and community. Performers from all walks of life—different genders, ages, races, and styles—come together to share their unique voices. At MY WORD, every performance is a testament to the power of self-expression. You’ll leave feeling inspired, connected, and ready to create your own masterpiece. Join the Fun – Perform or Watch Whether you’re a performer or just enjoy live creativity, MY WORD has something for you: Performers: Sign up in advance at hiddenliterature.com/o pen-mic-london. Whether you’re a poet, singer, rapper, DJ, or beatmaker, this is your moment to shine. Perform your poetry, music, or tracks acappella, with instruments, or using a USB backing track. Veterans and new performers are all welcome! DJs, Beatmakers, and Producers: From 10:30 pm onwards, the floor is yours! Bring your best beats and tracks to keep the night alive. Grab a ticket online or pay £5 on the door. Sit back, relax, and let the performances sweep you away. Event Details: When: Doors open at 6:30 pm. Open mic performances run throughout the evening, followed by open decks at 10:30 pm. Where: Grow, Main Yard, 98C Wallis Road, Hackney, London E9 5LN. Tickets: £5 on the door or book in advance. Table books are available. Why Hackney? Hackney’s buzzing creative scene makes it the perfect home for MY WORD. This iconic London area is known for its dynamic energy and inclusive artistic community, making every event a memorable experience. Don’t Miss MY WORD – Poetry, Music & Open Decks in Hackney Looking for the best open mic night in London? Look no further. With an inspiring mix of poetry, live music, and an opportunity for DJs and beatmakers to take over the decks, MY WORD is the ultimate creative night out. Stay Connected Follow us on Instagram for updates, sneak peeks, and performer highlights: @hidden.literature & @ovyuki . Information Source: Grow, Hackney | eventbrite

Our circles are designed to create a friendship of likeminded souls who can be there to help and support in the difficult times and champion your success in the good times. On this journey we will help you to Develop your Psychic and Mediumship abilities by assisting you in Trusting your intuition, Building yourself confidence, Understanding yourself, Helping you to find your purpose, Learning to accept yourself and those around you, Letting go of relationships or situations that no longer serve you. Studying Mediumship/ Psychic Development you will grow and understand how spiritual development opens up a whole realm of realities that you may never have considered. Classes cover Psychic and Mediumship Readings | Energy Work | Auras | Crystals | Chakras | Spirit Guides | Angels | Pendulums | Tea Leafe Readings | Scrying and more. The classes run as follows: 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm-9.30pm £20 for both classes Please note no refunds can be given if you cannot attend one of the classes you have booked into. Information Source: Purple Pyramid Spiritualist and Holistic Therapies | eventbrite

The Coding Intervention Build your first real project with guidance, clarity, and potential AI functionality. You’ve done the tutorials. You’ve watched the YouTube explainers. But you’ve never actually built something start to finish until now. This hands-on session is your chance to create a real web project using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with the option to enhance by incoporating AI. We’ll guide you line by line, with real-time support, no pressure, and no waffle.Just real code, real clarity, and real progress. Bring your laptop. Leave with confidence. Information Source: Quadri Onigbanjo | eventbrite