Listings: July–Nov 2012

Summer Exhibition 2012
Royal Academy of Arts, 04 – 12 August 2012
The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition is the largest open contemporary art exhibition in the world, drawing together a wide range of new and recent work by established, unknown and emerging artists. The Summer Exhibition is a unique celebratory showcase for art of all styles and media, encompassing paintings, sculpture, photography, prints, architectural models, film, and artist’s books. Historically, the exhibition has also provided an opportunity for Royal Academicians, many of whom are internationally renowned, to show their work.

Henry Moore ‘Late Large Forms’
Gagosian Gallery, 01 June – 18 August 2012
Gagosian Gallery, in collaboration with The Henry Moore Foundation, present an exhibition of monumental sculptures by celebrated British sculptor Henry Moore. For the first time, some of these monumental works are to be presented within the gallery rather than outdoors, offering the chance for visitors to experience their forms in a radical new way. It was Moore’s intention that these large- scale forms be interacted with, viewed close-up, and even touched.

David Nash at Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, 09 June 2012 – 14 April 2013
David Nash, one of the UK’s most prolific sculptors, will produce and exhibit his work across the Gardens. The exhibition will open to members of the public, with sculptures, installations, drawings and film in place throughout the Gardens, glasshouses, and exhibition spaces. Nash will work at Kew on a ‘wood quarry’ – the first he will have done in ten years, creating new pieces for the exhibition using trees from the Gardens that have come to the end of their natural life.

BT Artbox Project
Throughout London, 18 June – 16 July 2012
Leading artists and designers from around the world have been invited to apply their individual talents to re-style that much-loved icon of British design, the traditional red telephone box. Each artist or designer will take delivery of a full-size, fibre-glass replica of the Sir Giles Gilbert Scott-designed original K6 telephone kiosk, which was introduced in 1936 to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of King George V. Participating artists include 2002 Turner prize winner Keith Tyson, Romero Britto and Royal Academician Professor of Sculpture David Mach, along with fashion designers Giles Deacon and Zandra Rhodes.

Dickens and the Artists
Watts Gallery, 19 June – 28 October 2012
Dickens and the Artists will explore the significant connection between Charles Dickens and visual art. Dickens was interested in both contemporary artists and the art of the old masters which he viewed and commented on in his tours of Europe.

Superhuman & Image Awards
Wellcome Collection, Euston, 20 June – 16 October 2012
Superhuman is an exhibition which examines the extraordinary lengths people go to in order to improve or enhance their performance. It will explore how human ability has been enhanced in the past; contemporary approaches to the subject and what those working at the forefront of human enhancement anticipate for the future. The Wellcome Image Awards 2012 are being held on the 20th June and will recognise the creators of the most informative, striking and technically excellent images acquired by the Wellcome Images picture library over the last 18 months, as chosen by a panel of judges. Free.

The Developing City Exhibition
The Walbrook Building, 21 June – 09 September 2012
The Developing City exhibition highlights the relationship between the architecture of the City of London and its success as one of the most important global trading centres. A headline, free entry, event of the London Festival of Architecture, this landmark public exhibition takes place at The Walbrook Building, designed by Foster + Partners and is organised by NLA – London’s Centre for the Built Environment in association with the City of London Corporation.

BP Portrait Award 2012
National Portrait Gallery, June 21 – 23 September 2012
The BP Portrait Award is the most prestigious portrait competition in the world, promoting the very best in contemporary portrait painting. With a first prize of £25,000, the exhibition has proved to be the launch pad for the careers of a number of successful portrait artists. Free.

Jamie’s Union Jacks
Covent Garden, July 2012
Jamie Oliver’s new restaurant is located in the market Building and will occupy 3,500 sq ft, over two floors in the North Hall of the Market Building. The ground-floor dining room will seat up to 108 guests around an open kitchen so that diners can watch the chefs at work whilst the lower level will be able to seat a further 50 diners.

Shakespeare: Staging the World
British Museum, July 2012
The British Museum’s exhibition, Shakespeare: Staging the World, will provide a unique insight into the emerging role of London as a world city around 1612 seen through the lens of Shakespeare’s plays. Maps, prints, drawings, paintings, tapestries, arms and armour, coins and much more will retell Shakespeare’s stories to London in 2012 – a time when the whole world will once again focus on this truly global city.

Designing 007- Fifty Years of Bond Style
The Barbican, 05 July – 05 September 2012
This summer the Barbican marks the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise, from 1962’s DR NO to this year’s SKYFALL, by creating an unique exhibition designed by Ab Rogers, curated by the Barbican and guest-curated by fashion historian Bronwyn Cosgrave and costume designer Lindy Hemming. With unprecedented access to EON’s archive, Designing 007 – Fifty Years of Bond Style is a multi-sensory experience where screen icons, costumes, production design, automobiles, gadgets, special effects, graphic design, exotic locations, weapons, stunts and props combine to immerse the audience in the creation and development of Bond style over its auspicious 50 year history.

Foto8
Foto8 Gallery, 07 July – 18 August 2012
Seeking work that communicates strong stories that help us to see the world differently the 150 most powerful images from photographers professional and amateur around the globe are then brought together for the highly anticipated, and free, summer show in London. Celebrated ‘Fake Take’ artist/photographer Alison Jackson is one of the judges for 2012 who will select a ‘Best in Show’ winner who receives £2000.

Metamorphosis: Titian 2012
National Gallery, 11 July – 23 September 2012
Titian 2012 brings together a group of specially commissioned works by contemporary artists, poets, choreographers and composers in response to three of Titian’s paintings – Diana and Actaeon, The Death of Actaeon and Diana and Callisto – all inspired by Ovid’s poem Metamorphoses. In celebration of this occasion, every member of the ballet’s company – over 100 dancers – will participate in the project. A special performance at the Royal Opera House on the 16th July will be simultaneously relayed to the public on a large screen in Trafalgar Square. In addition, the National Gallery has commissioned a group of well-known poets to explore Ovid’s text and Titian’s mythological paintings, and to respond with their own poems.

Bob Hope: A World of Laughter
Greenwich Heritage Centre, 13 July – 28 October 2012
The Heritage Centre will be the third institution to host the touring Bob Hope exhibition which has been produced by the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum with the support of the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation.

Tino Sehgal to create Turbine Hall commission for London 2012 Festival
Tate Modern, 17 July – 28 October 2012
Tino Sehgal has been commissioned to create a work for Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall as part of London 2012 Festival, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad. The artist’s new work is one of two projects which are part of the Cultural Olympiad, the other being the Tate Movie Project, supported by the Legacy Trust UK, BP and CBBC, the nationwide film animation project for children which will culminate in the production of a fully animated film. The Tino Sehgal 2012 commission is part of The Unilever Series.

Bob Marley – Messenger
Mezzanine Gallery, 24 July – 24 October 2012
Following a successful run at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, where it was on display for over three months, the exhibit will now be available to audiences from Britain and around Europe. Visitors will witness Bob Marley as a private, spiritual man, as a powerful performer who used his lyrics to give a voice to the disenfranchised and as a legend who has inspired legions of fans in the years since his death.

Designed to Win
Design Museum, 25 July- 18 November 2012
An exhibition which celebrates the ways in which design and sport are combined, pushing the limits of human endeavour to achieve records and victories of increasing significance and wonder. From the design of F1 cars to running shoes, racing bikes to carbon fibre javelins, the quest for enhanced performance and function is endless. By examining celebrated sporting moments and the sense of shared celebration and spectacle, the exhibition will look at not just how design can influence sport but also how sport has influenced design, art and culture.

Another London: International Photographers capture City life 1930- 1980
Tate Britain, 27 July – 16 September
Brings together some of the most celebrated names in international photography, from Henri Cartier-Bresson to Eve Arnold, with less familiar photographers to explore the distinctive ways in which they saw and represented this unique location. Tate Britain will show over 150 classic photographs that depict the city and its communities from the 1930s to 1980s by photographers for whom London was a foreign city. Another London shows the city as a dynamic metropolis, richly diverse and full of contrast.

I’m THE STORY SALON
London’s most intimate literary venue. A night of readings, conversation and wine. Featuring award-winning writers Alison McCleod, Will Cohu and Hazel Osmond, hosted by Cathy Galvin. Saturday August 25th 6-8pm The Society Club, 12 Ingestre Place, Soho, W1F OJF. £5 door. Contact: Carrie@thesocietyclub.com

The Olympic Journey: The Story of the Games
The Royal Opera house 28 July – 12 August 2012
BP, the Royal Opera House and The Olympic Museum in Lausanne have joined together to create a free exhibition telling the Olympic story through the endeavours of ancient and modern Olympians. It will include artefacts, animation, film and audio from The Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

Designers in Residence & This is Design
Design Museum, 29 August 2012 – 27 January 2013
The programme includes a series of events, offering the designers the opportunity to interact and engage with the public, whilst using this platform as a test-bed for ideas, designs and innovations. Using key items from the collection, the display will also be supplemented with high-profile loans and new acquisitions.

WWT Events
London Wetland Centre, June – September 2012
Summer events include meeting the otters, joining experts for a dragon fly, samselfly and stag beetle walk, discovering record breaking animals, studying bats, creating traditional crafts and joining wetland warden team for a day.

Festivals

London 2012 Festival
All 33 London boroughs, 21 June – 09 September 2012
The Festival, announced by London 2012, is a 12-week celebration of the world’s best music, theatre, dance, visual art, literature, film and fashion. In London, an unparalleled programme of free events is being planned by the Mayor’s Office in partnership with artists and performers, across all 33 boroughs, to create an unforgettable experience for anyone in the city during the Festival.

St Martin’s Courtyard, July – August 2012
Two festivals will be held over the summer. Global Food festival (14 July) is a feast of food, fun and frolics as all six international restaurants host tastings, demonstrations, cookery workshops and more in the courtyard. Silent Cinema is a mini international film festival with screenings taking place in August.

BBC Proms
Royal Albert Hall, 13 July – 08 September 2012
Widely regarded as the world’s largest music festival, the BBC Proms will be a major part of Festival 2012. It will feature new music, international orchestras and many of the world’s leading soloists and conductors and there will be a particular focus on young performers and a celebration of music associated with London this year. For more information visit www.bbc.co.uk/proms

Sail Royal Greenwich
Gravesend to Greenwich, 25 July 2012
The Arrival Parade takes place on Wednesday, 25 July 2012 when an entire flotilla of around 20 Tall Ships will sail in convoy into London to inaugurate the spectacular maritime event Sail Royal Greenwich 2012. The all-inclusive catering package includes a reception with appetizers, canapés, drinks package and dinner while enjoying the stunning views from the ship’s decks.

Camp in London & Eat festival
Camp London, 26 July – 13 August 2012
Camp In London is a camping festival running from 26 July 2012 – 13 August 2012, for the duration of the Olympics. It will provide value for money with affordable, well-located camping complimented by sporting tournaments and an entertainment zone that will house a large outdoor screen, bar, stage and two feature festivals. Eat Festival from 1st – 5th August will feature some of the finest and most diverse offerings from the United Kingdom. Quality produce from organic farmers, cheese, wine and cider makers, bakers and curers, will be amongst the offerings.

London Live Headliner
Hyde Park,12 August 2012
Blur have been announced as the headline act for the BT London Live Closing Ceremony Celebration Concert in Hyde Park, a unique concert celebrating the climax of the city’s celebrations for the London 2012 Olympic Games. C

Notting Hill Carnival
Notting Hill, 26 – 27 August 2012
The award winning and internationally renowned Annual London Carnival rooted in the Caribbean tradition is a series of linked events from July to August that culminate in the large event on the streets of Notting Hill on August Bank Holiday. F

Entertainment, theatre and film

Nomad
Various locations, June – September 2012
The pop- up cinema will return to some of its favourite open-air venues with not only the best kit but also the best atmosphere. No matter where The Nomad appears, it will embrace and enhance each venue, offering new ways of seeing an uplifting range of films, from silver screen classics to cult, noir and silent, to mainstream guilty pleasures.

Summer at the National Theatre
National Theatre, June – October 2012
The National theatre is presenting two very special performances. Timon of Athens: World Shakespeare Festival, directed by Nicholas Hytner, with Simon Russell Beale in the title role, will run from July – October 2012 and The Last of the Haussmans: a new play by Stephen Beresford, directed by Howard Davies will play at the Lyttelton Theatre from June to September.

Get Into London Theatre
21 June – 09 September 2012
The popular ticket promotion Get Into London Theatre is returning with booking now open for a wide choice of musicals, plays, dance and entertainment, with tickets priced from £10. With more than forty shows available there is something for everyone.

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, West Side Story
Royal Albert Hall, 22 – 24 June 2012
To celebrate fifty years since West Side Story’s release, the film returns to the big screen in high definition. Experience this classic romantic tragedy dramatically brought to life on stage by The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra conducted by Jayce Ogren.

River Tour Service
Westminster to Greenwich pier, 27 July – 09 September 2012
City Cruises has been working with the Olympic Delivery Authority to deliver a river cruise to the Equestrian events held at Greenwich Park. London 2012 spectators travelling with City Cruises downstream to Greenwich Pier can choose to embark at Westminster, London Eye (Waterloo) or Tower piers.

The Retreat – City Festival
The Brewery, 27 July – 12 August 2012
Ticket holders to these events can enjoy six exclusive areas – including a private outdoor park, fully transferable membership, an unlimited section of fine food and drinks, vintage cinema and large screens for Olympic viewing and late night DJ performances in the club.

Antony’s Meltdown
Southbank Centre, 01 – 12 August 2012
Audiences get the chance to encounter the musicians, performers and thinkers who have helped shape the life and art of Antony, lead singer with Mercury Award-winning Antony and the Johnsons. Antony’s Meltdown is part of Southbank Centre’s Festival of the World.

Theatre Kids Week
Various theatres, 01 – 31 August 2012
Kids Week is introducing young people to live theatre. During Kids Week a child 16 and under can go free to any participating show when accompanied by an adult paying full price. Shows include The Wizard of Oz, Shrek the Musical, Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain and The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Kids Week also offers a fantastic range of free activities, workshops and events.

Shopping

The Big British Bang in Store Entertainment
Selfridges, various weeks during the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Selfridges will bring together under one roof (and across its four stores) some of the walking and talking symbols of British culture. Pearly Kings and Queens, Morris dancers and other colourful characters will all be mixing with customers as they go about their shopping, sharing with them stories about their eccentric lives lived in their relevant part of British history.

ME London Hotel Opens
ME Hotel Aldwych, July 2012
High-end experience-based personality hotels, ME has announced the opening of their flagship hotel – ME London – situated in Aldwych, the heart of the city. ME is a new concept for hotels which has taken the belief that each hotel should respond to the cultural landscape of the city with which it engages. Design, international cuisine, the latest technology and cutting edge music all have an important role to play.

Safestay
Elephant & Castle, July 2012
Setting a new benchmark in safe, stylish and affordable accommodation in London, Safestay will open its first in a line of new contemporary hostels. With prices starting at £18 a night, the 74 room, 407-bed hostel will be based at John Smith House, close to Elephant & Castle underground station and many of Central London’s tourist attractions.

A Taste of Noma
Claridge’s, Mayfair, July 2012
René Redzepi, head chef of Noma in Copenhagen (twice voted best restaurant in the world), joins forces with the Mayfair hotel this summer. For 10 days, Redzepi will be creating a five course menu at Claridge’s which will reflect his signature flavours and dishes from Noma, using local, seasonal British ingredients.