- 2 days ago
- 19 min read
We did it, we got to March. The clocks are going to change, the bulbs are going to bloom, and I am not entirely sure what else will happen but for the moment let us focus our minds on spring. Even better, once we have made it through March we are rewarded with a glorious four day weekend in the form of Easter. But before we get there, let us bask in the occasional day of good weather and that forgotten scent of new blooms.
Now - Week Commencing 2nd March
The annual orchid festival marks its 30th year with a China-inspired display in the Princess of Wales glasshouse. Large-scale floral installations, lanterns and sculptural planting celebrate the country’s biodiversity and cultural heritage, bringing colour to the winter season. The exhibition also highlights Kew’s scientific work and the importance of global plant conservation.
Now in its sixth decade, Wildlife Photographer of the Year gathers the world’s finest nature photographers and showcases the top 100 images from a competition of more than 60,000 entries, revealing the beauty, drama and fragility of the natural world. Through compelling captions and films highlighting urgent conservation stories, the exhibition leaves visitors moved, inspired and eager to see nature differently.
Rose Wylie In Conversation, 2nd March, Burlington House, Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House,
Rose Wylie discusses her exuberant paintings and distinctive approach to image making in a special talk in the Main Galleries with curator and Hayward Gallery Director Ralph Rugoff. Reflecting on a career that began later in life, she considers the works brought together in the most comprehensive exhibition of her art to date. The event offers insight into her influences, studio practice and enduring place within contemporary British painting.
Toogood opens its final London archive and sample sale with rare pieces from over a decade of collections, including early garments, one-off experiments and studio ephemera by Faye Toogood and Erica Toogood. With discounts of up to 80% across clothing and homeware, it offers a last chance to own a distinctive design at a remarkable value.
Most Wanted: Anonymous Fantasies Presented By Gillian Anderson & Friends, 4th March, Fane Productions, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP
Most Wanted Anonymous Fantasies is an evening at the Royal Albert Hall led by Gillian Anderson and guest performers, sharing anonymous stories exploring desire and female empowerment. Inspired by her book Want, the event blends humour and reflection while giving voice to women from around the world. All profits support War Child’s work with children affected by conflict.
A themed life drawing session at Leighton House takes inspiration from Greek mythology, particularly the story of Narcissus and ideas of reflection, beauty and self-observation. Participants sketch a nude model while responding to the house’s rich interiors and reflective surfaces. Open to all abilities, the evening includes materials, a tutor-led class and time to explore the historic setting.
Affordable Art Fair - Battersea, 4th - 8th March, Evolution London, Queenstown Road, Chelsea Bridge, London, SW11 4NJ
The Affordable Art Fair Battersea Spring edition returns to Battersea Park in March with thousands of original contemporary artworks starting from £100. A curated selection of galleries from the UK and around the world offers pieces to suit every budget and space. Visitors can explore and collect art in a relaxed setting designed for both new and experienced buyers.
Vanbrugh: The Drama of Architecture at Sir John Soane’s Museum marks 300 years since the death of Sir John Vanbrugh, exploring the imagination behind buildings such as Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. Featuring previously unseen drawings and new film material, the exhibition examines his dramatic use of form, light and scale and his lasting influence on later architects. It introduces the wider career of an English Baroque architect, playwright and adventurer.
Know & Grow: Spring into Gardening, 5th March, Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Rd, London, SW3 4HS
Know & Grow Spring into Gardening takes place in London’s oldest botanical garden and offers a practical, hands-on session preparing outdoor spaces for the season ahead, from soil preparation to plant care. Open to all experience levels, the relaxed workshop delivers expert guidance and confidence to help any garden flourish through spring and summer.
Author Sharon Wright marks International Women’s Day with a talk on the celebrated Brontë portraits in the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. She traces their story from Patrick Branwell Brontë’s 1834 painting in Haworth to their rediscovery years later and their sensational display in 1914, while considering the enduring fascination they hold today. The talk also examines the mysteries surrounding the works and their remarkable journey into the nation’s heritage.
Adam Frost presents a personal live show reflecting on the plants, people and music that have shaped his life and career in gardening. Blending humour with honest insight, he explores creativity, wellbeing and reconnecting with nature after recent life changes. The event offers an intimate look at the experiences behind the BBC Gardeners’ World presenter’s work and outlook.
Kate Lowe Presents ‘Wild Solace’ At Made in the Pewsey Vale, 6th - 14th March, Made in the Pewsey Vale, The Studio, 25 High Street, Pewsey, SN9 5AF
Wild Solace at Made in the Pewsey Vale showcases vibrant landscape paintings by Kate Lowe, pairing plein air sketches with expressive studio works inspired by the Pewsey Vale and surrounding downs. Full of colour, movement and atmosphere, the exhibition offers an uplifting encounter with place and process, inviting visitors to share the artist’s sense of joy and connection to the land.
Set during a long, languid summer in 1905, Russia’s privileged classes escape to the countryside for pleasure while unrest gathers beyond their view. Varvara senses their carefree idyll cannot last, even as the celebrations continue around her. Directed by Robert Hastie, this revival of Maxim Gorky’s portrait of class and denial appears in a new adaptation by Nina Raine and Moses Raine.
Relative Ties traces a century of artistic inheritance through the work of Mabel Nicholson, Nancy Nicholson, EQ Nicholson and Louisa Creed, bringing together paintings, textiles, design materials and tools from three generations of women. The exhibition explores how creativity passes through family relationships, from Mabel’s portraits of her children to Nancy and EQ’s influential design work and Louisa’s handmade textiles. A new commission by Katie Schwab responds to these shared histories, and the display is curated by Harriet Loffler with Laura Moseley.
To mark International Women’s Day, a guided house tour at Kettle’s Yard focuses on works by women artists and makers within the collection created by Jim and Helen Ede. The tour explores the story of the house, its relationships with artists and the significance of these figures within the display.
As part of a new Saturday morning series at the Garden Museum, author Rachel Giles presents an illustrated talk on the place of the garden in twentieth-century art. Drawing on works across painting, photography and printmaking, the lecture explores the garden as both inspiration and metaphor amid social and cultural change. The session takes place in the Clore Learning Studio with refreshments and discussion.
A special handling session at Sudley House explores Liverpool’s maritime past through the story of shipowner and philanthropist George Holt. The presentation considers the Lamport and Holt Line and the famous White Star Line, revealing their role in trade, travel and the city’s global influence. Using original objects and documents, the event brings to life the people and companies behind Liverpool’s shipping heritage.
Save the date for Ceramics by the Sea at Turner Contemporary, as Margate Ceramics Market returns this spring with more than 40 makers taking part. With a different lineup each day, the event runs from 11 am to 4 pm and offers free entry.
Wales Bonner presents its London Archive Sale, taking place across two days in March at Young Space on Southgate Road. The sale opens on Saturday, 7th March from 10 am to 6 pm, and on Sunday, 8th March from 10 am to 4 pm. The sale offers footwear, adidas Originals by Wales Bonner, Stüssy by Wales Bonner, mainline collections, and rare archival pieces.
York Ceramics Fair 2026 returns to York Racecourse, offering an accessible venue with on-site parking and a carefully curated selection of emerging and established makers. Alongside the exhibition, a programme of talks and demonstrations enhances the visitor experience. Organised by the Craft Potters Association, the fair provides an unpretentious platform where audiences can buy directly from makers and support contemporary ceramics.
Week Commencing 9th March
What can be learnt from the achievements of the world’s leading female designers and antique dealers, and what lies behind their enduring success and most valuable legacy? A distinguished panel featuring interior designers Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay and Anahita Rigby, alongside our very own Charlie Porter at Tat London and Jennifer Manners, will explore these questions in conversation with Giles Kime of Country Life. Part of Design Week at the Design Centre, this inspiring session offers insight into creativity, connoisseurship and lasting influence.
London Design Week 2026 brings together over 600 brands across more than 135 showrooms and 30 visiting house guests, offering a wide range of new season launches. Visitors experience a programme of over 100 events filled with inspiration, knowledge and creative exchange, all in one place. Temporary interior design pop-ups appear only for the duration of the show, adding even more to explore.
The London Book Fair brings the global publishing community together through more than 100 sessions spanning three days, including the Writers’ Summit and the Academic and Professional Publishing Conference. Industry professionals gather to build relationships, exchange insight and trade rights, with seminars covering topics from getting published to pitching to agents and negotiating contracts. Alongside awards and specialist theatres, dedicated meeting spaces support deals and collaboration during a key buying period for the sector.
In a world driven by the visual, interiors can too often prioritise aesthetics, and while this brings great delight, beauty without thought, purpose, or humour can feel somewhat hollow. Guest speakers Joanna Plant and Adam Bray join moderator Emily Tobin, editor of The World of Interiors, to explore how substance can be integrated with style. This considered discussion will examine how interior design can be both visually compelling and richly meaningful.
Spend a spring morning at Petersham Nurseries learning the art of flower arranging, beginning with a gentle walk through blossom-filled gardens and discovering how nature inspires elegant indoor displays. Guided by expert florists, guests create their own tulip and branch arrangement to take home with a vase, leaving relaxed, refreshed and newly creative.
David Hockney’s first exhibition at the Serpentine presents new paintings alongside the ninety metre frieze A Year in Normandie, shown in London for the first time. Inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, the work observes the changing seasons around the artist’s former studio and reflects his enduring interest in looking closely at everyday beauty. Developed in collaboration with Hockney, the display also engages with the landscape of Kensington Gardens.
Visitors are invited to celebrate the opening of the selling exhibition Artists for Kettle’s Yard with an after-hours viewing. Guests can explore the display, purchase works from the sales list and enjoy drinks at the pay bar.
The RHS Orchid Show returns to RHS Garden Wisley in spring 2026, bringing together specialist growers from across the UK with displays, judging and awards for outstanding plants. Visitors can meet experts, attend talks and demonstrations, and buy orchids, accessories and related artwork. The event also features material from the RHS Herbarium, Library and digital collections alongside a visit to the Orchid House.
A Paradise Regained: Neo-Romanticism in Britain, 3rd - 15th March, John Swarbrooke Fine Art, 11 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 6BU
A Paradise Regained at John Swarbrooke Fine Art surveys British Neo Romanticism through more than forty works by artists including Graham Sutherland, John Piper, John Craxton, Prunella Clough and John Minton, tracing the movement from the 1930s to the 1950s. By placing celebrated war artists beside a younger queer generation, the exhibition reveals a poetic vision of Britain shaped by identity, landscape and imagination, rewarding anyone curious about art and cultural history.
In this Women in Jazz conversation, Emma Warren speaks with Celeste about her musical journey from Not Your Muse to Woman of Faces, reflecting on resilience, self-discovery and songwriting. The discussion considers jazz’s influence on contemporary genres, the women shaping its future, and the inspirations behind Celeste’s distinctive voice. Curated by Women in Jazz, the event also highlights the organisation’s work supporting female artists in the scene.
A new production of Shakespeare’s Henry V follows a reckless young prince who suddenly becomes King of England and sets his sights on the French throne. As war looms and the cost of power grows, he must unite his country and prove himself worthy of the crown. Directed by Tamara Harvey, the production stars Alfred Enoch in the title role.
Plant Hunters Fairs returns this spring to Thoresby Park in the heart of Nottinghamshire, bringing together 33 specialist nurseries and garden stalls, including 12 RHS medallists, in a stunning historic setting shaped by Repton and Nesfield. With its grand parkland and lively courtyard of cafés, shops and workshops, it promises a rewarding day out for gardeners and anyone ready to welcome the new season.
Monty Don presents A Journey Through British Gardens, exploring what gardens reveal about national character and tradition. Through stories and imagery, he travels from Scotland to Cornwall, reflecting on creativity, history and the bond between people and landscape. The live show celebrates the places and ideas behind his book and television series British Gardens.
Week Commencing 16th March
Impressions Of India ~ A London Pop Up By Chloe Jonason And Rose Osborn, 16th - 22nd March, 2 Blenheim Crescent, London, W11 1NN
Impressions of India is a London pop-up by Chloe Jonason and Rose Osborn, presenting art and homeware inspired by their travels, filled with colour, craft and rich storytelling. Original artworks and handmade pieces come together in a vibrant celebration of texture and culture, offering visitors a chance to discover something distinctive and take a piece of the journey home.
Our Freedom: Then and Now explores how people across the UK understand freedom today compared with 1945, through photographs and stories from 60 community projects. Captured by 22 photographers, the exhibition features participants of all ages, from schoolchildren to veterans and artists. After its London premiere, it tours nationwide and is also available to view online.
Designer Kit Kemp discusses her book Design Stories in a conversation chaired by Busola Evans, exploring her approach to interiors shaped by craftsmanship, colour and storytelling. She reflects on inspiration, collaboration with artisans, and the balance between art and everyday life. The event offers insight into the ideas behind some of the most distinctive contemporary British interior design.
Following an acclaimed sold-out run at the National Theatre, Rosamund Pike brings Suzie Miller’s legal drama Inter Alia to the West End under the direction of Justin Martin. She plays Jessica Parks, a London Crown Court judge striving to reform an imperfect system while balancing the competing demands of career, motherhood and friendship. When a shocking event disrupts her carefully ordered life, the stability she has built is placed under severe strain.
The Early Spring Show returns to RHS Garden Hyde Hall in 2026, bringing a selection of specialist nurseries and growers to the Hilltop Lodge and Clore Learning Centre. Visitors can browse and buy a wide range of unusual and seasonal spring flowering bulbs, seeds and plants.
Richard Ballinger, 'Broken Light', An Exhibition of 30 New Paintings, 21st March - 11th April, Jenna Burlingham Gallery, Rope House, 10-12 George Street, Kingsclere, Hampshire, RG20 5NQ
‘Broken Light’ presents 30 new paintings by Richard Ballinger at Jenna Burlingham Gallery, marking his first solo exhibition there since his sold-out 2023 show and revealing fresh work from his Cornish studio. With anticipation already high, visitors are encouraged to experience the collection in person before it inevitably disappears into private collections.
House of Stories: Tales From The Chatsworth Library, 21st March - 4th October, Chatsworth House, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1PP
House of Stories: Tales from the Chatsworth Library presents rare books and manuscripts collected by the Devonshire family across five centuries, revealing the importance of reading within the house. First and early editions by writers including Chaucer, Austen and Dickens appear alongside letters, artworks and archival material. Supported by talks and events, the exhibition celebrates literary history as part of the UK’s National Year of Reading.
The Arley Hall Plant Fair offers admission to the renowned gardens at less than half the usual price, inviting visitors to explore 270 years of family-created landscapes from elegant formal borders to colourful woodland walks in full spring bloom. With rare plants to browse and striking features from the lime avenue to the Rootery and Vinery, it makes a memorable day out for gardeners and anyone seeking beauty and inspiration outdoors.
Week Commencing 23rd March - 31st March
Shame Studios invites you to join them at their Vintage Rug Sale. Come and explore our collection of kilims and hand-knotted pieces. Join them for carpets, chat, canapés and drinks at their private view on 26th March 2026 between 6 - 9 pm. The sale will continue until the 2nd of April (excluding the weekend). Please DM them via Instagram to RSVP. They hope to see you all there!
Waterways and Chalk Streams brings together drawings and lithographs by Beatrice Forshall and Rosie MacCurrach, exploring the beauty and vulnerability of river ecosystems and the life they sustain. Through thoughtful and atmospheric works, the exhibition encourages visitors to pause, reflect and reconnect with nature while considering the responsibility to protect it.
An exhibition at Kensington Palace in 2026 explores the life of suffragette and Punjabi princess Sophia Duleep Singh alongside five influential women in her family. Through their stories of power, identity and resistance, visitors gain an intimate view of lives shaped by empire and royal legacy. Created to mark the 150th anniversary of her birth, the display also includes contemporary British South Asian responses to its themes.
Contemporary artist Tracey Emin joins David Dawson, Lucian Freud’s assistant and friend, in a conversation on Freud’s lasting influence on contemporary art, chaired by curator Sarah Howgate. The event forms part of the public programme for the exhibition Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting, the UK’s first museum show dedicated to his works on paper, exploring his lifelong study of the human face and figure. It takes place at the National Portrait Gallery and will also be available to watch online via livestream.
Picture Making presents new and recent paintings by Cecily Brown, created in response to Kensington Gardens and shown alongside key works dating back to 2001, as well as monotypes and drawings. The exhibition explores recurring themes of nature, memory and storytelling within her energetic, colour rich compositions. It marks her first major solo painting show in a UK institution since 2005 and a homecoming for the British artist.
Schiaparelli Fashion Becomes Art at the V&A is the first UK exhibition dedicated to Elsa Schiaparelli, spanning from the 1920s to the present day. It explores the house’s groundbreaking beginnings and its evolution under creative director Daniel Roseberry. The display celebrates the designer’s lasting influence on fashion and art.
New Film Releases
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (6th March), The Bride! (6th March) & How To Make A Killing (13th March)
Antique Fairs & Markets
Auctions
Wimbledon Auctions, The March Auction Of Fine Art And Antiques To Include Local Estate Contents 2nd - 3rd March
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