- 4 days ago
- 18 min read
Things To Do In September 2026
While I've been on holiday, Charlotte Becque has created one hell of a list to help us look forward to the start of September. If you need sample sales, restaurants or an Open House, well we have it - and far more. So three cheers for the la Rentrée and we hope to see you galavanting about town.
Now - 5th September
Rhythm brings together paintings by Victoria Morton and Michael Armitage exploring movement, music and dance through colour and expressive painterly gestures. The works draw inspiration from pioneering electronic music and East African dance, examining how rhythm can convey both personal and cultural expression.
Sayuri Ichida: Playing the Piano Upstairs explores memory, grief and sisterhood through atmospheric photographs set against the snow covered landscapes of rural Japan. Using handcrafted printing techniques on Japanese washi paper, Ichida reflects on her evolving relationship with her sister following the loss of their mother.
Night & Day presents more than 40 new paintings by Ella Kilgour, exploring the changing rhythms of light and time. From sun drenched still lifes and candlelit interiors to intimate figure studies, the solo exhibition offers a glimpse into the artist’s distinctive world.
Tracey Scott Wilson’s The Story is a gripping newsroom thriller following four journalists investigating the murder of a white teacher in a black neighbourhood. Directed by Clint Dyer, the production stars Letitia Wright, Ashley Thomas, Lorraine Toussaint and Wilf Scolding in a powerful exploration of truth, ambition and the stories we choose to tell.
Paolozzi Studio, Now - 4th January 2027, National Galleries Scotland, 73 & 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR
Eduardo Paolozzi’s Studio offers a fascinating insight into the life and creative process of one of Britain’s most influential post-war sculptors. Meticulously recreated with sculptures, books, models, toys and personal objects, the studio reveals the eclectic inspirations behind Paolozzi’s work.
A Living Collection at The Hepworth Wakefield brings together newly acquired works alongside highlights from the gallery’s collection. Discover pieces by Emii Alrai, Jennifer Lee and Emma Prempeh alongside celebrated artists including Barbara Hepworth, L. S. Lowry and Henry Moore.
The Shepherd Mayfair opens in historic Shepherd Market this September, bringing a new boutique hotel to one of Mayfair’s most characterful corners. Set on the site of Mayfair’s oldest house, the 82 room hotel combines thoughtful design, neighbourhood hospitality and understated British luxury.
The Shepherd Mayfair The Shepherd Mayfair The Shepherd Mayfair
RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show, 1st - 6th September, RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Surrey, GU23 6QB
RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show returns for a late summer celebration filled with vibrant floral displays, specialist nurseries and expert gardening advice. Discover thousands of dahlias, shop for plants, bulbs and garden accessories, and gather plenty of inspiration for the season ahead.
RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show
London Textile Month with Selvedge Magazine comes to the Museum of the Home this September with a programme of talks, workshops and demonstrations. Explore the role of textiles in domestic life and cultural identity, from historic traditions to contemporary craft.
Exhibition Tour - Handpicked offers a guided look at Handpicked: Painting Flowers from 1900 to Today with Assistant Curator Naomi Polonsky. Enjoy behind the scenes insights into the exhibition and its exploration of flowers in painting at Kettle’s Yard.
Enid Marx: Brick Dust & Flowers celebrates the remarkable life and work of one of twentieth-century Britain’s most influential artists and designers. Created by illustrator and printmaker Emma Cunningham, the book explores Marx’s distinctive world through twelve objects, from bold textile designs and prints to the folk and popular art she championed.
Join exhibition curator Fran Baker for a special guided tour of House of Stories: Tales from the Chatsworth Library. Discover rare books, manuscripts and letters from one of Britain’s most important private book collections, with treasured literary works on display at Chatsworth for the first time.
The iconic road movie Thelma & Louise is reimagined as a brand new musical, starring Rachel Tucker and Amy Lennox. Featuring music and lyrics by Grammy nominated Neko Case, the production follows two best friends on a spontaneous getaway that becomes a thrilling, life changing adventure.
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook bring The Rest Is History to the Southbank Centre, telling the extraordinary story of one of the Victorian era’s most daring rescue missions. Expect royal fury, rival emperors and a perilous expedition across oceans, mountains and rivers.
Hai hosts its upcoming archive sale in Shoreditch, offering the chance to shop pieces from past seasons alongside one off samples. Discover ready to wear, bags, shoes and accessories from the London based brand.
Chatsworth Country Fair returns to the spectacular parkland surrounding Chatsworth House for three days of family-friendly entertainment. Expect thrilling Grand Ring displays, cookery masterclasses, food and shopping, alongside a vintage funfair and plenty of have a go activities.
The Family Katz at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery presents new paintings by Liorah Tchiprout centred on a fictional Jewish family and their social circle in Gunnersbury Park. Combining portraits painted from life with her distinctive handcrafted dolls, Tchiprout draws on her own family history, London’s Jewish community and literature to explore family, identity and belonging.
At The Woodyard Fair launches in Pulborough, West Sussex, bringing The Country Brocante’s beautifully curated shopping experience to its new home. Discover 25 stands of decorative antiques, country house finds, artisan pieces, plants, flowers and timeworn homeware, with tea and cake served under a vintage tent.
At The Woodyard Fair By The Country Brocante At The Woodyard Fair By The Country Brocante
Fire in the Mill brings a family friendly celebration of folk music and culture to a historic Victorian sawmill in Bristol. Across four stages, enjoy live music from Johnny & Lillie Flynn, Cosmo Sheldrake and more, alongside ceilidh, workshops, traditional games, dancing, puppetry and local food and drink.
Fire In The Mill Fire In The Mill
Week Commencing 7th September
The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Wildlife Artist of the Year returns to London’s Mall Galleries, showcasing remarkable wildlife art from around the world. From sculpture and intricate drawings to colourful paintings, the exhibition celebrates the natural world while raising vital funds for wildlife conservation across Africa and Asia.
Talli Queen opens in Shepherd’s Bush this September, a new neighbourhood pub from chef Avinash Shashidhara combining the spirit of a London local with India’s drinking and dining traditions. Expect charcoal grilled and tandoor cooked dishes, Indian spirits and house made bar snacks, alongside an Indian inspired Sunday roast.
Talli Queen Talli Queen
Curator Tour of Paint! Pattern! Print! offers an exclusive after hours look at the Fashion and Textile Museum exhibition with textile designer Sarah Campbell and curator Teresa Collenette. Part of Selvedge London Textile Month, discover the colourful work and creative legacy of pioneering designers Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell.
The Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival returns this September, transforming the historic house and gardens with spectacular floral installations. More than 30 designers will showcase creations using British-grown flowers and sustainable techniques across the four-day festival.
The Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum marks the first time in nearly 1,000 years that the remarkable embroidery has returned to England. The 70-metre-long tapestry tells the story of the Norman Conquest and the events surrounding the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Camille Walala at sketch transforms the Mayfair destination’s entrance with a bold, large scale installation of geometric shapes and vibrant colour for London Design Festival. The abstract cityscape is complemented by vintage Groovy chairs by Pierre Paulin, with paint supplied by Bristol Paints.
Twilight Tour at Sir John Soane’s Museum offers an atmospheric after hours journey through the architect’s remarkable home, interiors and collection. Led by an expert guide, discover the stories behind its treasured objects and spectacular rooms as night falls.
The Molly Goddard Sample Sale offers the chance to shop ready to wear from across the seasons, including archival pieces and one of a kind samples. Sunday will also feature Molly Goddard Bridal in UK sizes 6 - 20, alongside the ready to wear collection.
London Design Festival returns for its 24th edition, celebrating London’s position as one of the world’s leading design capitals. Bringing together designers, makers, creatives and cultural institutions, the festival showcases the very best of design and creativity across the city.
London Design Festival London Design Festival
Open House Festival celebrates London’s architecture, special spaces and neighbourhoods with open days, tours and events across all 33 boroughs. Discover buildings and places across the capital, with opportunities to explore spaces often closed to the public.
Open House Festival Open House Festival Open House Festival Open House Festival
Part of the London Design Festival, Masur Edition by Isokon at Béton Brut reimagines four iconic Marcel Breuer designs in rare masur birch veneer, marking their 90th anniversary. Handmade in East London, the collection brings a richly decorative new character to Breuer’s enduring Modernist furniture.
Week Commencing 14th September
Focus/26 on Design brings together leading names in interiors and design, showcasing the latest autumn launches and new ideas. Discover exclusive collections, meet the designer sessions, conversations with industry leaders and more than 30 additional brands across the Design Avenue.
Focus/26 On Design Focus/26 On Design
DEER at Fortnum & Mason brings together Silo, OTZI and Billy Tannery for an evening exploring the versatility of deer through food, craft and conversation. Discover how wild venison and deer leather can support a more sustainable, circular approach to conservation in the British countryside.
As part of the Chelsea Arts Festival, 5x15 Special: Susie Cave in Conversation with Bella Freud brings the two acclaimed designers together for an intimate London event. The conversation explores creativity, style, motherhood and the role art can play in navigating loss.
KID opens in Soho this September, a new restaurant from chef Sertaç Dirik and restaurateur David Carter. Inspired by Dirik’s Turkish heritage and the flavours of Central Anatolia, the menu pairs traditional techniques with seasonal British produce, with breads, sharing dishes and meats cooked over fire at its heart.
The Chelsea Arts Festival returns for its second edition, bringing four days of arts and culture to venues and streets across Chelsea. The programme spans music, theatre, dance, film, literature, podcasting and visual arts, with ticketed events alongside free outdoor performances and markets.
Chelsea Arts Festival, 16th - 20th September, Chelsea, London, Multiple Locations Chelsea Arts Festival, 16th - 20th September, Chelsea, London, Multiple Locations
Frieze Sculpture 2026 returns to The Regent’s Park, bringing together international artists exploring hybridity through sculpture, materials, culture and identity. Featuring works by Angel Otero, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Ivana Bašić, Tarini Sethi and more, the free outdoor exhibition invites visitors to experience contemporary sculpture within the park’s landscape.
Letters to the Future comes to the Southbank Centre for a weekend of talks, conversations and interactive debates exploring the defining issues of today. Speakers include Olly Alexander, Amelia Dimoldenberg, Ash Sarkar and more.
Letters To The Future, Soutbank Centre Letters To The Future, Soutbank Centre
Lucie Rie / Hans Coper: Life at the Wheel at Offer Waterman brings together more than 200 works by two of the most influential figures in modern ceramics. The first major exhibition in almost three decades to present their work side by side, it traces their shared history and the distinctive styles that helped transform ceramics in Britain and beyond.
Exhibition Tour - Handpicked offers a guided look at Handpicked: Painting Flowers from 1900 to Today with Assistant Curator Naomi Polonsky. Enjoy behind the scenes insights into the exhibition and its exploration of flowers in painting at Kettle’s Yard.
Bestselling author, columnist and The Rest is Entertainment co-host Marina Hyde takes What a Time to Be Alive! on tour across the UK this September. Expect an irreverent evening of sharp observations on the biggest stories from politics, celebrity and popular culture, followed by an audience Q&A.
Week Commencing 21st September
The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon at the V&A explores the history of one of Britain’s most recognisable fashion designs. This free display traces the trench coat from its origins in practical and military outerwear to its status as a global fashion icon.
The Burberry Trench: Crafting An Icon, V&A South Kensington The Burberry Trench: Crafting An Icon, V&A South Kensington The Burberry Trench: Crafting An Icon, V&A South Kensington
James Graham’s new play The Standard of Living comes to the West End for a limited run, starring Rory Kinnear as economist and Bloomsbury Group member John Maynard Keynes, alongside Natalia Osipova. Directed by Nicholas Hytner, the production blends music, dance, desire and debate to explore Keynes’s extraordinary life and his pursuit of one enduring question: what makes a good life?
Discover the story of La Mortella, the extraordinary Italian garden created by composer William Walton and his wife Susana, in a special talk at the Garden Museum. Director Alessandra Vinciguerra explores its history, horticulture and enduring vision, accompanied by a performance of Walton’s Five Bagatelles by guitarist George Tarlton.
Amar Kanwar at Serpentine North brings together new and existing films by the New Delhi based artist and filmmaker in a major site specific exhibition. Through immersive film installations, Kanwar explores themes of displacement, power, justice and memory, including the premiere of his new work The Charcoal Man.
Layer Marney’s Garden Tours offers a private guided walk through the gardens of Layer Marney Tower with Head Gardener Claire. Discover her gardening techniques, plans and ideas, with the ticket also including access to the historic Tower.
London Design Social comes to Chelsea Old Town Hall, bringing together interior designers and the creatives behind some of the industry’s most exciting boutique brands. Shop textiles, wallpapers and homeware while enjoying conversations with leading designers and interiors experts, including Alessandra Branca, Hatta Byng and Adam Bray.
London Design Social London Design Social
British Art Fair returns to Saatchi Gallery, bringing together leading dealers specialising in Modern and Contemporary British art. Discover paintings, sculpture, photography, prints and ceramics by celebrated artists including Barbara Hepworth, David Hockney, Tracey Emin, L.S. Lowry and Bridget Riley.
British Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery British Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery
Stephen Graham and Orly Klein celebrate the publication of Letters to Our Sons with a special one night only event exploring modern fatherhood and the conversations between fathers and sons. Hosted by Amol Rajan, the evening features special guests Danny Dyer and Ashley Walters, alongside an audience Q&A.
A Bloomsbury Group Art Walk with Willow Kemp explores Charlotte Street Hotel’s collection of works by artists including Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and Roger Fry. Led by Firmdale Hotels’ Art Ambassador and Design Director Willow Kemp, the afternoon continues through selected Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury galleries before finishing with a Bloomsbury Group-inspired afternoon tea.
The Drawing Room at Charlotte Street Hotel Willow Kemp
This Is Still Not a Pipe: The Afterlife of Magritte at Gagosian explores René Magritte’s enduring influence on contemporary art. Bringing together significant works from across his career with pieces by artists inspired by his legacy, the exhibition features his iconic apples, pipes, bowler hats and cloud filled skies.
Grace Snell: Costuming Sense and Sensibility offers a behind the scenes look at creating the costumes for the new big screen adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel. In this livestreamed talk, the award winning costume designer explores her creative process and how costume brings character, emotion and social status to life on screen.
Malvern Autumn Show celebrates the season with gardening, food and the best of country living at the Three Counties Showground. Explore the RHS Flower Show, specialist nurseries, harvest displays and artisan markets, alongside expert talks from leading gardeners including Monty Don, Adam Frost and Manoj Malde.
Malvern Autumn Show Malvern Autumn Show
Merchant & Mills Yard Sale offers the chance to rummage through fabric remnants, discontinued designs, clothing samples and other finds at the brand’s Rye warehouse. Browse for one off bargains and sewing treasures, with both cash and card accepted.
Tony Award winning Jonathan Groff makes his RSC debut as Rosalind in As You Like It, Shakespeare’s much loved romantic comedy. Directed by Daniel Evans with an all male cast at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the production explores love, disguise and mistaken identity in the Forest of Arden.
Open House And Gardens, 27th September, Westonbirt School, Westonbirt, Tetbury, GL8 8QG
Open House and Gardens at Westonbirt House offers the chance to explore the Grade I listed former home of the Holford family with a guided tour of its historic interiors. Afterwards, wander through the beautiful gardens and discover the extensive restoration work undertaken across the estate.
Open House And Gardens, Westonbirt House Open House And Gardens, Westonbirt House
Week Commencing 28th September
The Autumn Decorative Fair returns to Battersea Park, bringing together more than 130 specialist dealers during London’s autumn design season. Discover an eclectic collection of antiques, 20th century design, art, sculpture and decorative pieces spanning the 1700s to the 1970s.
New Film Releases
The Incomer (4th September), Practical Magic 2 (18th September) & Sense And Sensibility (25th September)
The Incomer Practical Magic 2 Sense And Sensibility
Antique Fairs & Markets
Auctions
