Free - Things To Do In November 2026, by Charlotte Becque.
I rarely have much to do with this feature until the very end, when I get to go through it once Charlotte Becque has done all the legwork. As I read, my heart lifts, not only at Charlotte’s thorough investigations but at the sheer breadth of what’s on offer. This is for the Luddites, for those who’d still like to feel we’re living in the world of a decade ago. Christmas markets, exhibitions, suppers, new shops and book releases (The Collector’s House is top of my Christmas list): we have it all, and then some. We’ve tried to get this list out as early as possible, so I hope it helps fill your dance card.
Now - 1st November
Anne Redpath: Landscapes on Paper, Now - 6th December, National Galleries of Scotland, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
Anne Redpath: Landscapes explores the Scottish artist’s distinctive use of gouache and paper through a selection of paintings depicting the Scottish Borders and the Isle of Skye. Focusing on the decade following her return to Scotland in 1934, the display celebrates Redpath’s renewed artistic practice and her expressive use of rich colour, texture and landscape.
© Royal Scottish Academy. All rights reserved. Bridgeman Images 2023. © Royal Scottish Academy. All rights reserved. Bridgeman Images 2023.
Freddie Mercury: Splendid Things celebrates the legendary Queen frontman in the year of his 80th birthday, exploring his distinctive sense of style and theatrical flair. Featuring eight iconic looks spanning his extraordinary career, the free museum trail showcases memorable outfits from his celebrated performances and music videos, offering a glimpse into the fashion and creativity that defined his legacy.
Light and Magic: The Birth of Art Photography at Tate Modern explores the global history of artistic photography and the pioneering photographers who transformed the medium. Bringing together more than 200 rare prints by over 80 artists from around the world, the exhibition reveals how innovative darkroom techniques and creative experimentation helped establish photography as an art form.
A major new exhibition celebrates the extraordinary life and literary legacy of Agatha Christie, exploring how her travels, experiences and adventures inspired some of the world’s most famous mysteries. Featuring rare manuscripts, personal letters, photographs and belongings, alongside immersive recreations of an Orient Express carriage, country house and archaeological dig, the exhibition offers a fascinating insight into the life of the Queen of Crime.
Week Commencing 2nd November
A RANDOM WALK, 2nd - 14th November, The Gallery At Green & Stone, 251 - 253 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6HY
A Random Walk brings together three years of landscape paintings inspired by travels through Iona, Greece and beyond. Combining sketches made outdoors with photography and personal recollections, the exhibition explores the changing qualities of light, colour and atmosphere, capturing the artist’s experience of the natural world through observation and memory.
Caryl Churchill’s acclaimed play Cloud 9 returns in a bold new production directed by Dominic Cooke. Moving between colonial Africa in the Victorian era and 1970s London, the darkly comic satire explores gender, identity, sexuality and power, challenging social conventions and the enduring legacies of empire.
Women Textile Designers brings together authors Victoria Bradley and Elizabeth Currie with Harriet Wallace-Jones and Emma Sewell, founders of design studio Wallace Sewell, for a discussion exploring women’s contributions to textile design throughout the 20th century and beyond. Drawing on their careers and creative experiences, the conversation examines the evolution of textile design, the challenges faced by women in the industry and the relationship between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary innovation.
The Babylon Collection Launch introduces a selection of one of a kind rugs, personally sourced and handpicked by designer Luke Irwin. Bringing together distinctive designs and exceptional craftsmanship, the collection offers an opportunity to discover unique pieces available to purchase.
Gavin Houghton Exhibition, 3rd - 19th November, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, 89-91 Pimlico Rd, London, SW1W 8PH
Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler presents an exhibition of new paintings by artist and designer Gavin Houghton, celebrating his distinctive use of colour, pattern and still life compositions. Featuring vibrant interiors and richly layered arrangements inspired by classic John Fowler fabrics, including Strawberry Leaf, Honeysuckle and Lilacs, the exhibition brings together Houghton’s love of decorative arts, textiles and traditional painting.
Gavin Houghton Gavin Houghton
Tamsin Greig stars in a new stage adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s beloved novel Cranford, set in a close-knit Victorian town where tradition and gossip shape everyday life. Adapted by Lin Coghlan and Shaun McKenna and directed by Josh Roche, the production follows a community of formidable women navigating friendship, love and the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Mad Bloomsbury at Charleston explores how experiences and changing perceptions of mental illness shaped the lives and work of the Bloomsbury Group and their wider creative circles. Bringing together artworks, personal objects and previously unseen pieces from Charleston’s collection, including rare works by Helen Coombe, the exhibition examines the intersections of mental health, disability, identity and creativity in 20th-century Britain.
Charleston Farmhouse 1981 by artist and photographer Kim Marsland offers a rare glimpse inside the former home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, captured at a time when its future remained uncertain. Featuring hauntingly beautiful photographs taken before the farmhouse underwent restoration, the book reveals intimate interiors, personal belongings and artworks left undisturbed after Grant’s death, preserving a remarkable moment in Bloomsbury history and offering a fascinating companion to Tate Britain’s Vanessa Bell & Duncan Grant: Inside Bloomsbury exhibition.
Medieval Lino Printing Workshop at The Walled Garden in Mells offers a two day creative course led by local printmaker Ella Clogstoun. Inspired by medieval floral motifs, Gothic carvings and the garden’s natural surroundings, participants will learn traditional lino carving and printing techniques to create their own decorative designs in the greenhouse.
Wimbledon Art Fair, 5th - 8th November, Wimbledon Art Studios, 10 Riverside Yard, London, SW17 0BB
Wimbledon Art Fair returns to Wimbledon Art Studios, opening the doors to more than 180 working studios for a celebration of contemporary art, design and craftsmanship. This free-entry event offers visitors the opportunity to meet artists and makers, explore thousands of original artworks and purchase affordable pieces directly from their creators, without gallery commissions.
A Form, a View, a Hue. Thirty Years of Handmade Design celebrates OCHRE’s 30th anniversary with a retrospective exhibition showcasing the British design studio’s distinctive approach to furniture, lighting and decorative arts. Bringing together new collections and iconic pieces, including the celebrated Arctic Pear chandelier, the exhibition explores three decades of innovative design, elegant forms and exceptional craftsmanship, highlighting collaborations with specialist artisans and makers around the world.
OCHRE: Sea Cloud Chandelier OCHRE portrait - Solenne, Joanna and Harriet OCHRE: Arctic Pear Chandelier
Leo Costelloe More And Better, 5th November - 19th December, Neven Gallery, 353 Cambridge Heath Rd, London, E2 9RA
More and Better presents a new body of wall-based and sculptural works by Leo Costelloe, exploring the relationship between consumer culture, luxury and desire. Through an examination of shopping and material possessions, the exhibition questions the fantasies and aspirations associated with consumerism and the realities behind their promises.
The Winston Taylor Photo Portrait Prize celebrates the best in contemporary portrait photography, bringing together work by emerging talents, amateur photographers and established professionals. From carefully composed portraits to intimate moments of everyday life, the exhibition showcases a diverse collection of images exploring identity, human connection and the stories behind the photographs.
Togetherness celebrates ISHKAR’s 10th anniversary with an exhibition of ten unique hand-knotted rugs designed by leading international artists and designers, including Louis Barthélemy, Lulu Lytle, StudioIlse and Zaha Hadid Architects. Exploring themes of connection, culture and collaboration, each rug is handcrafted by women weavers in northern Afghanistan, with a portion of sales supporting EMERGENCY hospitals and their vital humanitarian work.
ISHKAR ISHKAR ISHKAR
Proof, Fire and Table: A Dinner for Park Royal brings together art, design and food for a two-night fundraising dinner. Presented by Manufactory and Grymsdyke Farm, the event features a five-course menu by chef Ajay Larr of RASA Dining, with proceeds supporting the creation of a permanent communal bread oven and future community programme in Park Royal.
The Nue Black Aesthetic celebrates a new generation of contemporary Black designers shaping the worlds of fashion, furniture, architecture, sculpture and product design. Guest curated by author and journalist Charlene Prempeh, the exhibition brings together over 100 objects by designers including Samuel Ross, Simone Brewster, Saul Nash and Bianca Saunders, exploring the diverse influences of heritage, identity and culture while challenging traditional perceptions of Black design.
Braided rocking chair, 2025, by Taiba Akhuetie. Courtesy of Taiba Akhuetie Born in Flames, 2021, by Phoebe-Collings James. Courtesy of Mudbelly Ceramics TWIST AW21, LOOK 9, 2021, by Saul Nash. Courtesy of Saul Nash
Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires explores 1,600 years of art, design and cultural history in one of the world’s most influential cities. This major UK-first exhibition traces Istanbul’s extraordinary artistic heritage across the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, revealing how centuries of cultural exchange, craftsmanship and creativity shaped the city’s distinctive identity.
Battersea Park Fireworks 2026 returns for a spectacular weekend of fireworks, live music and entertainment. Saturday features performances from Rudimental DJ and Latin band Conjunto Sabroso, followed by a Disco Ceilidh, while Sunday brings Arcadia’s electrifying Lords of Lightning, a Taylor Swift tribute by Fearlessly Taylor and a Pop Anthems Afterparty with DJ Josh Lovatt.
Battersea Park Fireworks Battersea Park Fireworks
Christmas At Chatsworth, 7th November - 3rd January 2027, Chatsworth House, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1PP
Christmas at Chatsworth 2026 brings The 12 Days of Christmas to life through spectacular decorations, imaginative installations and specially commissioned artworks throughout the historic house and gardens. Featuring intricate paper sculptures, festive displays and animated projections, the experience continues outdoors with an illuminated light and sound trail through the gardens, culminating in a spectacular light show across the house’s South Façade, alongside festive activities and crafts for families in the farmyard.
Monica Poole: Nature’s Dark Beauty at Gainsborough’s House celebrates the work of one of Britain’s leading wood engravers in her first major UK exhibition in over 30 years. Bringing together more than 20 intricate engravings inspired by the English countryside, the exhibition explores Poole’s distinctive approach to nature, combining traditional craftsmanship with dark, surreal and atmospheric imagery.
The Ancient Pulse of Germ and Birth at Gainsborough’s House presents a new series of paintings by Georg Wilson inspired by the Suffolk countryside, English folklore and the changing seasons. Drawing on the natural world, the exhibition explores imagined landscapes filled with native plants, insects and wildlife, reflecting on biodiversity, the loss of species and the beauty of Britain’s overlooked flora and fauna.
Week Commencing 9th November
Cloak & Dagger Couture is a V&A online talk exploring the fascinating connections between high fashion and espionage during the two World Wars. Bringing together fashion writer Justine Picardie and V&A Senior Curator Oriole Cullen, the discussion uncovers the secret histories of celebrated designers including Coco Chanel, Hardy Amies and Christian Dior, revealing how the glamorous world of couture provided an unexpected cover for wartime intelligence activities.
AngloThai celebrates its second birthday with an exclusive two-night dining experience featuring acclaimed Thai chef David Thompson, who joins chef John Chantarasak in the kitchen. The special event offers guests a rare opportunity to experience Thompson’s distinctive Thai cuisine in London, with an intimate dinner limited to 45 guests each evening and bespoke wine pairings available.
The Garden Museum celebrates the festive season with five immersive floral installations by designers Flùr, Billy Loves Flowers, Yinari, Botanical Tales and Joanne Truby. Transforming the museum into a winter wonderland, each installation showcases British grown seasonal flowers and foliage, celebrating sustainable floristry while offering inspiration for festive decorations.
Winter Flowers Week 2026, Garden Museum Winter Flowers Week 2026, Garden Museum
A Christmas Carol returns to The Old Vic in Matthew Warchus’ much-loved production of Charles Dickens’ festive classic, adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne and starring Giles Terera as Ebenezer Scrooge. Filled with music, merriment and Christmas spirit, this immersive production brings the timeless tale of redemption, generosity and second chances to life in a joyful theatrical experience.
A Christmas Carol, The Old Vic Image: Hugo Glendinning
Beyond the Streets returns to Saatchi Gallery with a major exhibition exploring six decades of street culture and its influence on contemporary art, fashion, photography, music and activism. Bringing together over 100 international artists, including KAWS, Shepard Fairey, Damien Hirst and Jenny Holzer, the exhibition features graffiti, sculpture, rare archives, large-scale installations and immersive experiences, celebrating the creativity and rebellious spirit of street culture.
BEYOND THE STREETS, Saatchi Gallery BEYOND THE STREETS, Saatchi Gallery
Manyhand Sale brings together a carefully curated selection of independent makers and designers, celebrating slow design, traditional craftsmanship and thoughtfully made objects. Offering a relaxed shopping experience, visitors can discover unique handmade pieces, meet the makers and enjoy refreshments in the café while supporting independent creativity and sustainable design.
Vanessa Bell & Duncan Grant: Inside Bloomsbury at Tate Britain celebrates the extraordinary creative partnership of two of the Bloomsbury Group’s most influential artists. Bringing together more than 300 works spanning painting, furniture, ceramics and textiles, the exhibition explores their shared artistic vision, individual achievements and lasting influence on British art, alongside a rare recreation of their studio at Charleston.
Alchemies at Victoria Miro brings together three emerging abstract painters, May Cockcroft, Nour Malas and Sarah Martin-Nuss, whose work explores the relationship between colour, material and transformation. Drawing on landscapes, memory, identity and the natural world, the exhibition showcases their distinctive approaches to abstraction through richly layered surfaces, expressive textures and experimental techniques.
Adornment: A Handmade & Vintage Jewellery Sale comes to The George in Rye for a one-day event, bringing together independent makers and vintage specialists in the hotel’s elegant Ballroom. Curated by Gina Portman and Katie Clarke, the sale offers a selection of handcrafted, vintage and repurposed jewellery, with a complimentary glass of prosecco on arrival.
Saturday Sketch Club: Drawing Venice is an online workshop hosted by the Royal Academy of Arts, inviting participants to capture the beauty and atmosphere of Venice through drawing. Led by artist Jeanette Barnes, the session explores the city’s iconic canals, reflections and historic architecture, offering an opportunity for beginners and experienced artists alike to develop their sketching skills.
ALLDAY MINI MART is a two day pop up in Islington celebrating everyday kitchenware with a playful twist, inspired by traditional British off licences and neighbourhood grocers. Created by kitchen knife brand Allday Goods, the event launches a limited-edition collection of colourful butter knives in collaboration with brands including Ottolenghi, Kerrygold, Maldon Salt and Bold Bean Co, featuring handles made from recycled plastic waste and Sheffield-made stainless steel blades.
ALLDAY MINI MART ALLDAY MINI MART ALLDAY MINI MART
Week Commencing 16th November
A Room Of Their Own: Spaces And Objects Of 20th Century Creatives, 16th - 28th November, The Gallery at Green & Stone, 251 - 253 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6HY
A Room of Their Own: Spaces and Objects of 20th Century Creatives presents a series of paintings by Caroline Ayles exploring the private interiors and personal belongings of some of the 20th century’s most influential cultural figures. From Virginia Woolf’s writing desk and Vanessa Bell’s bedside table to Salvador Dalí’s kitchen and Lee Miller’s family home, the exhibition offers an intimate glimpse into the everyday lives, habits and spaces behind their creative legacies.
Alexandra Tolstoy's Christmas Fair, 17th November, The Sloane Club, 52 Lower Sloane Street, London, SW1W 8BP
Alexandra Tolstoy’s Christmas Fair returns to The Sloane Club this November, bringing together a carefully curated selection of independent makers, vintage treasures and beautifully crafted gifts. From embroidered clothing and Fair Isle knitwear to antique lampshades, ceramics, festive decorations and handmade stationery, the fair celebrates traditional craftsmanship, individuality and one of a kind finds.
The Collectors’ House by photographer Emily Andersen offers an intimate portrait of her late parents’ Sussex home, filled with antiques, artworks and treasured objects collected by Gretchen and Vivian Andersen, the renowned dealers behind London’s Lacquer Chest. Bringing together evocative photographs of richly furnished interiors, everyday moments and personal belongings alongside Andersen’s recollections, the book explores the art of collecting, family memories and the ways in which a home reflects the lives, tastes and personalities of its inhabitants.
The Collectors’ House By Photographer Emily Andersen The Collectors’ House By Photographer Emily Andersen
Curator&Maker's - ‘Golden Gifts for All: Laurie Lee's Cotswold Christmas, 18th - 25th November, Green & Stone's Framing Gallery, 122 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6HU
Golden Gifts for All: Laurie Lee’s Cotswold Christmas is a festive pop-up by Curator&Maker, bringing together handmade treasures from 19 British artists and craftspeople. Inspired by Laurie Lee’s Cider with Rosie and the charm of Christmas in the Cotswolds, the showcase at Green & Stone’s Framing Gallery in Chelsea features exclusive ceramics, hand-blown glassware, sculptures, festive decorations, clothing and unique gifts, celebrating traditional craftsmanship and independent makers.
Peace Doves By Peter Walker, 20th November - 7th February, Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College, London, SE10 9NN
Peace Doves by artist Peter Walker transforms the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College into a striking installation celebrating hope, love and unity. Featuring hundreds of individually crafted doves carrying handwritten messages of peace from members of the public, the exhibition forms part of the celebrations marking 300 years of the historic Painted Hall.
Designer and Maker Fair 2026 returns to Charleston for a two-day winter shopping event, bringing together more than 30 local artists, designers and makers in the Hay Barn. Visitors can browse sustainably made gifts, ceramics, textiles, clothing and homewares, alongside festive wreath-making workshops and seasonal treats in Charleston’s café.
Van Eyck: The Portraits at the National Gallery brings together all nine known painted portraits by the celebrated Flemish artist for the first and only time. Featuring remarkable depictions of merchants, craftsmen and the artist’s family, the exhibition explores van Eyck’s extraordinary attention to detail and his pioneering approach to realism, which transformed portrait painting in the 15th century.
Barbara Hepworth and Greece explores the profound influence of the Greek landscape, culture and architecture on the celebrated British sculptor’s artistic practice. Bringing together major sculptures, paintings, drawings, prints and personal diary extracts, the exhibition reveals how Hepworth’s journey through Greece in 1954 inspired her use of form, colour and light, shaping some of her most significant works.
A major exhibition celebrates Alfred Wallis, the Cornish fisherman who began painting at the age of 70 and became an influential figure in Modern British art. Bringing together his distinctive paintings of harbours, boats and coastal landscapes alongside works by artists including Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Christopher Wood, the exhibition explores his unconventional techniques and lasting influence on British modernism.
The Belgravia Winter Market 2026 returns to Elizabeth Street for a festive celebration, bringing together independent British brands, artisan makers and local food and drink producers. Visitors can browse traditional Christmas chalets filled with gifts and seasonal treats, enjoy mulled wine and festive food, and explore the neighbourhood’s boutiques, alongside a Christmas tree light switch-on in Eccleston Yards.
Week Commencing 23rd November
William Morris & His Gardens at the V&A explores the important role gardens played in shaping the celebrated designer’s artistic vision, decorative patterns and environmental thinking. Led by cultural botanist and writer Gavin Francis Stoneystreet, the talk traces Morris’s relationship with four influential gardens, including Red House and Kelmscott Manor, revealing how their landscapes inspired his creativity and lifelong appreciation of the natural world.
The Art Saleroom 2026, 24th November - 6th December, Royal Academy Of Art, Ronald and Rita McAulay Gallery, 6 Burlington Gardens, London W1S 3ET
The Art Saleroom 2026 returns to the Royal Academy of Arts, offering an opportunity to discover and purchase unique artworks and limited editions by Royal Academicians, RA Schools graduates and invited artists. Held in the Ronald and Rita McAulay Gallery at Burlington Gardens, the event brings together a carefully curated selection of works, including pieces rarely available to buy, celebrating contemporary artistic talent and creativity.
Oscar Restaurant & Bar at Charlotte Street Hotel celebrates Thanksgiving with a special Friendsgiving menu inspired by traditional American comfort food. Featuring seasonal cocktails, cornbread with maple bourbon butter, Southern fried shrimp, BBQ pork ribs and roast Bronze turkey with all the trimmings, the sharing menu offers a festive dining experience in the heart of Fitzrovia.
House of Voltaire brings its celebration of British artist Beryl Cook’s centenary from Bicester Village to Frieze No. 9 Cork Street in Mayfair this November. In collaboration with Bicester Village, the festive pop-up features unique artworks, limited editions and specially commissioned homewares, clothing and accessories by over 100 artists and designers, with proceeds supporting Studio Voltaire’s artistic and community programmes.
The annual Christmas Ceramics Sale returns to Peckham, bringing together work by more than 80 ceramic artists and designers. Visitors can explore the working studios, meet the makers and browse a selection of handmade ceramics, from decorative sculptures and tableware to unique homewares and festive gifts, while supporting independent artists and local craftsmanship.
The Kiln Rooms - Christmas Sale The Kiln Rooms - Christmas Sale The Kiln Rooms - Christmas Sale
Studio Pottery London Christmas Market celebrates the creativity and craftsmanship of its studio community, bringing together a selection of handmade ceramics and unique festive gifts. Visitors can discover beautifully crafted pieces, from delicate slip-cast teapots to decorative objects and homewares, while supporting independent ceramic artists and makers.
Sander Coers at Maxstoke Castle HeritageXplore x The Dot Project, 28th - 30th November, Maxstoke Castle, Maxstoke, Birmingham, B46 2RD
Sander Coers at Maxstoke Castle forms part of The Dot Project and HeritageXplore’s artist-in-residence programme, exploring the relationship between memory, identity and history. Drawing inspiration from the medieval castle’s architecture and rich heritage, Coers will develop new works combining photography, textiles, ceramics and digital experimentation, reflecting on how the past is preserved, remembered and reimagined.
Sander Coers Maxstoke Castle Sander Coers
Christopher Dresser The Pursuit of Beauty, 28th November - 7th March, Hub, Navigation Wharf, Carre Street, Sleaford, NG32 7TW
Christopher Dresser: The Pursuit of Beauty at the Hub in Sleaford celebrates one of Britain’s most influential designers, widely regarded as a pioneer of industrial design. Bringing together ceramics, metalwork, glass, furniture and textiles, the exhibition explores Dresser’s innovative approach to craftsmanship and manufacturing, alongside works by contemporary artists including Magdalene Odundo and Alice Channer, revealing his lasting influence on modern design.
New Film Releases
I Play Rocky (6th November), Prima Facie (13th November) & Focker-in-Law (25th November)
I Play Rocky Prima Facie Focker-In-Law
Antique Fairs & Markets
Auctions
