- Tat London
- Sep 30
- 22 min read
Updated: Oct 13
Things To Do In October, 2025
Blessed — yes, that’s the word. To be in the UK during the marvellous month of October feels like a small act of God. As a child of October, I’ve always had a soft spot for it, whether from the fizz of excitement at the prospect of birthday gifts or simply the delight of all things autumnal. This is the month we truly embrace sweater weather and all the delights the UK has to offer: sample sales, restaurants, auctions, and of course the art scene in all its abstract, classical, oil-painted glory.
Week Commencing 29th September
Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler have joined forces with Brownrigg to present a curated selection of antiques and vintage pieces at SC&JF's Pimlico Road showroom. The collaboration celebrates a shared philosophy that styles and periods can be mixed with flair, bringing antiques into dialogue with contemporary design to create the timeless SC&JF look.
The Autumn Decorative Fair in Battersea Park has been a landmark in the art and design calendar since 1985, bringing together antiques, twentieth-century design and fine art under one roof. Celebrated internationally, it remains a must-visit for collectors, connoisseurs and interior enthusiasts seeking unique pieces and inspiration during London’s autumn art and design season.
Offer Waterman presents Mornings at the Lido, a new exhibition by Tarka Kings, opening her third solo show with the gallery. Through exquisite graphite and coloured pencil drawings, Kings captures the quiet ritual of outdoor swimming at the Serpentine, blending intimate studies of the human figure with luminous depictions of water and landscape. The works, created from life and photography, reflect her deep personal connection to London’s waterways and her mastery of colour, light and form.
Spazio Leone Presents Riccardo Dalisi, 26th September - 26th October, Spazio Leone, 17 Amhurst Terrace, London, E82B5
Twice awarded the prestigious Compasso d’Oro, Riccardo Dalisi was a visionary force in Italian design, known for his playful, boundary-pushing approach. Spazio Leone now honours his legacy with its most ambitious exhibition to date, curated by founder Gennaro Leone and designer Oscar Piccolo, showcasing Dalisi’s unique fusion of art, craft, and imagination.
Wiggy Kit marks its 10th anniversary with a pop-up shop showcasing the full AW25 collection. Launching this week, the store brings together winter essentials from luxurious coats and knitwear to chic co-ords, shirting and jeans — everything you need for a flawless autumn-winter capsule wardrobe.
Marie Antoinette Style – A complex fashion icon, Marie Antoinette’s allure endures through her youth, elegance and infamy. This exploration traces over 250 years of her influence across design, fashion, film and art, cementing her status as one of history’s most stylish – and ill-fated – queens.
Price: £23 - £25
Performing Trees is a new exhibition from the Whitworth’s collection, bringing together over 50 works to explore the evolving role of trees in art. Spanning the late 16th century to today, it presents paintings, sculpture, textiles and wallpapers that reveal trees not as background motifs but as active performers – symbols of life, memory, shelter and spirituality, as well as witnesses to history and change. At a moment of ecological urgency, the exhibition highlights trees as enduring presences in both human imagination and art history.
American Photographs at the V&A takes its title from Walker Evans’ seminal 1938 publication to explore how photography has both reflected and shaped the United States. Drawing from one of the largest collections of American photography outside North America, the display traces the country’s rich photographic traditions and the pivotal role of image-making in its cultural identity.
Opening on 1st of October, Rosi is a new Modern British restaurant from acclaimed chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen. Showcasing seasonal produce with wit, warmth and a touch of theatre, the menu reimagines British classics through Lisa’s inventive style — from showstopping signature pies to playful desserts like flamed sponge and build-your-own sundaes.
If Only If - New & First Ever Store, Opening 1st October, 59, Elizabeth Street, Belgravia, London, SW1W 9PA
British nightwear and lifestyle brand If Only If opens its first flagship store at 59 Elizabeth Street, Belgravia, in early October. Founded by Issy Faulkner and now led by her daughter Emily Campbell, the brand has expanded rapidly, moving beyond nightwear into daywear styling. Designed with interior designer Lonika Chande, the new boutique offers an intimate space to experience the full collections for the first time.
Sir Don McCullin CBE joins Tim Marlow to reflect on his extraordinary 70-year career in photography. From stark post-war Britain to searing images of conflict and humanitarian crises, and later the landscapes of Somerset and still lifes inspired by the Old Masters, McCullin discusses the breadth of his practice and his lifelong commitment to capturing the world through his lens.
The Lacquer Company, known for its handmade furniture and accessories crafted in Vietnam’s Son Mai tradition, hosts a Warehouse Sale at Chelsea Old Town Hall. With discounts from 50% on designs by Rita Konig, Veere Grenney, Miles Redd and Peter Mikic, the sale features trays, tables, lamps, mirrors and more, with accessories available to take home on the day and delivery options for larger pieces.
‘Howard Hodgkin: In a Public Garden’, 1st October – 8th March, Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, Ealing Green, London, W5 5EQ
This October, Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery presents Howard Hodgkin: In a Public Garden, the largest institutional exhibition of the artist’s prints to date. Curated by Richard Calvocoressi, the show brings together over 40 works spanning five decades, alongside paintings and archive material, immersing visitors in Hodgkin’s vivid world of colour, memory and abstraction within the historic and contemporary spaces of Pitzhanger.
Price: £14
Sir David Suchet CBE invites audiences on an extraordinary journey in a new live show inspired by his Channel 4 series In the Footsteps of Agatha Christie. Blending unseen archive, exclusive footage and personal insight, he retraces Christie’s 1920s voyage across the globe, uncovering the people and places that shaped the Queen of Crime’s life and writing.
Price: From £29.99 - £59.99
BIG LOVE BABY by Danny Fox, 2nd October - 15th November, Hannah Barry Gallery, 4 Holly Grove, Peckham, London, SE15 5DF
Danny Fox presents BIG LOVE BABY, his solo exhibition at Hannah Barry Gallery in Peckham, where bold colour and raw gesture collide. The show sees his signature painterly energy reimagined at scale, exploring intimacy, exuberance and emotional intensity in a new and visceral body of work.
Tate Britain presents the most extensive UK retrospective of trailblazing surrealist photographer Lee Miller, celebrating her as one of the 20th century’s most vital artistic voices. Featuring around 250 works, the exhibition spans her transformation from model to photographer, her role in the avant-garde, fashion and war photography, and her evocative studies from Egypt, revealing a fearless and poetic vision.
Price: £20
A Grand Chorus explores the life-affirming power of music through the lens of Handel’s iconic Hallelujah Chorus. Bringing together scores, instruments, artworks, recordings and testimonies, the exhibition traces the chorus’s origins and enduring impact while reflecting on music’s profound effect on individuals and communities. It also features the UK premiere of Mikhail Karikis’s We Are Together Because… (2025), a powerful contemporary anthem for a new generation.
Price: £14.50
Annie Lennox: Retrospective (Event recording) – Ticket holders can watch a recording of Annie Lennox in conversation with Deborah Frances-White at the V&A. Celebrating the release of her first illustrated memoir, the iconic singer-songwriter and activist reflects on her life, career and creative journey, sharing stories and insights behind her enduring influence in music, style and global feminism.
Price: £6
The Henley Literary Festival returns with more than 120 conversations, performances and workshops across the riverside town. Supported by Fane Group, the line-up includes Joanna Lumley, Graham Norton, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Mary Beard, Simon Armitage, Hugh Bonneville, Elif Shafak, Irvine Welsh, Raymond Blanc, Mary Berry and David Suchet, alongside children’s events with Cressida Cowell, Michael Morpurgo and many more.
Price: Dependent On Event
Made in Ancient Egypt is the first exhibition to explore the lives of the craftspeople behind some of the civilisation’s most iconic objects. From jewellery and sculpture to ceramics and coffins, it reveals the techniques, tools and stories of the makers, with many objects never before seen in the UK. Showcasing cutting-edge research, the exhibition brings to light how ancient Egyptians lived, worked and worshipped, and how their creative processes still resonate today.
Price: From £14.50
This display highlights Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell (1883–1937), one of the Scottish Colourists and the only member to serve in the First World War. It features his rare wartime illustrations, created in 1915, which capture army, navy and civilian life with wit and economy of style. Exhibited and later published as Jack and Tommy, these works reveal Cadell’s distinctive use of bold line and colour while offering a poignant glimpse of his wartime experience.
This display explores how artists have responded to the poetry of Robert Burns (1759–1796), whose works remain central to Scottish culture and identity. From The Cotter’s Saturday Night to Tam O’Shanter, Burns’s vivid imagery and depictions of everyday life inspired generations of illustrators, cementing his legacy as both a national icon and a global voice.
Week Commencing 6th October
Author and journalist India Knight hosts an intimate evening at Charlotte Street Hotel to celebrate her new book HOME. Drawing on her acclaimed Substack newsletter, she offers a witty and insightful take on what makes a house truly feel like home, followed by an engaging discussion, Q&A and book signing.
Legacy Week 2025 at the V&A celebrates the power of gifts in Wills with free events including a Guided Bequests Tour, a spotlight on Nicholas Hilliard’s Portrait of an Unknown Girl, and the V&A Academy talk Creativity and Legacy: The David Bowie Centre.
Art historian Katy Hessel presents a lecture series on Biblical and mythological women in Western art, from the Virgin Mary and Eve to witches, Medusa, and Aphrodite. Drawing on John Berger’s Ways of Seeing, she examines how these figures have been shaped by male artists’ interpretations and how they might be reimagined through the lens of women artists. The talks, part of research for her forthcoming book, each spotlight one female subject and are not to be recorded.
Price: £18
INCLUSION by Mal Fostock, 7th - 11th October, West Gallery, Mall Galleries, The Mall, London, SW1Y 5AS
Curated by Mal Fostock, this exhibition offers an intimate insight into the artist’s creative journey and his belief in the universal acceptance of all people. Spanning painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and photography, the works reflect his exploration of the human form, spirit and the interconnectedness of life, shaped by encounters with leading artists throughout his career.
Peckham Playground returns to Copeland Park this October with an outstanding line-up of comedians. Featuring household names and rising stars, the festival promises five days of sharp wit, inventive performances and the best of British stand-up.
Price: £22
Developed during his residency at Elveden Hall, Jack Penny’s Old Country responds to the estate’s charged history of empire, reinvention and tradition. His paintings, alive with tension, humour and mischief, explore tribal instincts and the absurdities of social performance, reimagining British mythology to question belonging, ritual and the rewriting of national memory.
Sir John Soane’s Museum presents an exhibition on Ancient Egypt’s enduring influence on British design over 250 years, featuring works by Adam, Piranesi and Owen Jones, alongside Wedgwood ceramics, Liberty fabrics and more. Highlights include Sara Sallam’s response to Seti I’s sarcophagus and ANŪT Cairo’s Echoes of Origin tapestries, reflecting on the object’s journey from the Valley of the Kings to the Museum.
Knit + Stitch returns to Alexandra Palace, London, .. Formerly The Knitting & Stitching Show, this much-loved craft fair brings together makers, brands and specialist suppliers under one roof, offering workshops, inspiration and a chance to stock up on everything from wool to beads in a vibrant celebration of creativity.
Price: £25.50
Nordic Noir brings together over 150 works by 100 artists from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, tracing themes of melancholy, politics, myth and nature in Nordic art. Opening with prints by Edvard Munch, the exhibition spans post-war anxieties to contemporary concerns such as feminism, Sámi rights and climate change, including a recent work by Olafur Eliasson made with glacial meltwater.
The Chamber Music 2025–26 Subscription Ticket at Kettle’s Yard offers access to all fifteen concerts in the series, running from October 2025 to May 2026. Subscribers can save up to £135 and are guaranteed entry even to sold-out performances, with tickets collected at the first concert attended.
Price: £240
The Spotlight Market returns to London at MKII in Clapton, uniting leading and emerging antiques dealers for two days of discovery. Showcasing a curated mix of art, objects, furniture and sculpture across eras and styles, the fair offers design-conscious buyers a chance to find one-of-a-kind treasures and timeless pieces.
Price: £12
Gilbert & George join Kinvara Balfour for a conversation on their five-decade career as boundary-pushing “living sculpture.” From their East London base and the opening of The Gilbert & George Centre to international acclaim, they reflect on art, society and inspiration in a talk streamed live on Zoom.
Price: £6
CANOPY, the Grade-II listed 18th-century mansion at 14 Cavendish Square hosts a special collaborative exhibition ahead of Frieze Week. Bringing together over fifty contemporary works from Canopy Collections with modern pieces from Stern Pissarro Gallery and Haërb Nuti, the show also features Nordic design from Modernity Stockholm and bespoke furniture by Sedilia.
John Swarbrooke Fine Art presents the first solo exhibition in over forty years of British artist Denton Welch, a neo-Romantic contemporary of John Minton and Keith Vaughan, whose work is held in the Tate and the British Museum. After a disabling accident in 1935, Welch continued to paint and wrote acclaimed novels such as Maiden Voyage and Youth is Pleasure. The exhibition highlights his enduring significance in mid-twentieth-century British art.
The Unbelievers, a new play by Nick Payne, premieres at the Royal Court, directed by Marianne Elliott. Starring Nicola Walker, it tells the story of a mother’s unbreakable hope after her son disappears, exploring motherhood, faith and the resilience needed to piece life back together.
HARVEST: Contemporary Craft Fair launches at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre, showcasing work by 80 leading makers from across Scotland. Set across the venue’s fourth floor, the fair offers a curated mix of furniture, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, basketry and more, alongside workshops and events. Celebrating sustainability, storytelling and process, HARVEST reimagines the craft fair as a vibrant meeting point of exhibition and retail.
The Textile Society’s London Antique and Vintage Textile Fair offers a curated selection of global textiles, fashion, and accessories from the 18th century to the 1970s. A must for designers, collectors and enthusiasts, the fair supports textile education and conservation through its proceeds.
Price: £5-£15
The design world gathers at Decorex 2025 at Olympia, London, for a global showcase of interiors innovation. The event offers professionals across the industry a unique chance to explore emerging trends, meet creative talents and discover techniques shaping the future of design.
Price: £40 + VAT
Week Commencing 13th October
Kip Williams brings a bold new version of Jean Genet’s The Maids to the Donmar Warehouse, starring Yerin Ha, Phia Saban and Lydia Wilson. When their mistress is away, two maids descend into ritualistic role-play of her murder, and the line between fantasy and reality begins to crumble.
Price: From £15
Founded in 2007 by Parisian dealer Patrick Perrin, PAD London is the UK’s only fair dedicated to historical and contemporary design. Returning each October to Berkeley Square, the fair brings together leading international galleries, offering collectors, curators and design enthusiasts an unparalleled showcase of connoisseurship, eclecticism and curatorial flair.
Price: £30
In October 2025, London hosts Frieze London and Frieze Masters, transforming Regent’s Park into a hub of international art. Frieze London presents the most exciting contemporary work from leading and emerging galleries, while Frieze Masters offers a historical perspective, showcasing art from antiquity to the late twentieth century. Together they anchor Frieze Week, with events and exhibitions unfolding across the city in museums, galleries and cultural spaces.
The Affordable Art Fair returns to Battersea, showcasing work from 114 contemporary galleries worldwide. Highlights include a new installation by Beth Shapeero, the Recent Graduates Exhibition, curated displays for Black History Month, as well as Art After Dark Lates, Family Mornings, embroidery workshops and more.
Price: £14
Ham Yard Restaurant & Bar returns to Frieze Masters in Regent’s Park, offering an autumn-inspired à la carte menu, daily specials and indulgent desserts. Visitors can enjoy relaxed coffee breaks in the lounge, discover the debut of the art-inspired Liquid Art cocktail collection, and savour snacks and dishes in interiors styled by Kit Kemp, echoing the vibrancy of the West End restaurant.
The Max Radford Gallery presents Torn Together during Frieze and PAD, marking a shift from its London-centric programme to a broader European scope while continuing to support emerging British practices. The exhibition brings together new works by Nicolas Zanoni, Flora Lechner, Pauline Leprince, Victor Miklos Andersen, LS GOMMA, and Kingsley Ifill, uniting long-admired collaborators under one roof in London.
Wimbledon BookFest returns with a rich programme of author talks, signings, workshops and family events across venues in Wimbledon. As London’s leading literary festival, it showcases award-winning writers, rising voices and a dynamic events calendar, while also running a schools programme that reaches over 70 schools each year.
Price: Dependent on Event
Robert Young presents Object Stories, an exhibition of new photographic works by Tif Hunter that pair contemporary photography with vintage and antique pieces from the Robert Young Collection. In this unique collaboration, Hunter’s contemplative still lifes reimagine humble objects with poetic depth, capturing their history, form and quiet presence through his masterful use of light and detail.
The Wanderers, 17th October - 29th November, Marylebone Theatre, Rudolf Steiner House, 35 Park Road, London, NW1 6XT
Award-winning director Igor Golyak brings Anna Ziegler’s acclaimed play to the stage, blending wit, poetry and theatrical flair in a story of love, temptation and unravelled lives. Starring Alexander Forsyth, Anna Popplewell, Katerina Tannenbaum, Eddie Toll and Paksie Vernon, this powerful production explores modern relationships with intensity and elegance from one of today’s most celebrated playwrights.
Price: £17.25
Tau o Mai | Journeys with Mai invites visitors to experience the Polynesian concept of VĀ – the sacred bond between people, objects and place – through a dynamic display celebrating Mai, the first Polynesian to visit Britain. In dialogue with Joshua Reynolds’ famed portrait, SaVĀge Kʻlub transforms the gallery with historic treasures and contemporary works, exploring connection, belonging and legacy.
William Morris Gallery presents Women in Print: 150 Years of Liberty Textiles, a major exhibition marking Liberty Fabrics’ 150th anniversary. Showcasing over 100 works, it celebrates the pivotal role of women designers past and present — from Althea McNish to Lucienne Day — and explores their evolving influence and status in the world of textiles.
Garden Museum Harvest Festival, 19th October, 11 am - 4 pm, Garden Museum, 5 Lambeth Palace Rd, London, SE1 7LB
The Garden Museum Harvest Festival returns with a day of stalls, talks and workshops celebrating the role of food and growing in our lives. Curated with felloe around the theme of Common Ground, the festival features cooking demos, hands-on workshops, free talks, films and performances — from sourdough crackers and hand-pulled noodles to foraging walks, seed swaps and music from the London Vegetable Orchestra. A vibrant celebration of how food connects us to nature, culture and community.
Price: £4 - £5
Beloved broadcaster and writer Monty Don returns to the stage with an evening celebrating the inspiration and well-being that gardens bring. Sharing stories from his career, his favourite gardens and the creation of Longmeadow, he offers insight into the practices, seasons and passions that have shaped his life in gardening.
Price: From £39.99
Week Commencing 20th October
Martin Brudnizki: My Life in Colours – Celebrated for his bold maximalist aesthetic, Brudnizki is renowned for transforming high-profile venues into timeless, iconic interiors. In conversation with journalist Fiona McCarthy, and illustrated with images from his new book, he reflects on the language of colour, the influences shaping his richly layered designs, and how he weaves emotion, heritage and contemporary luxury into every space.
Price: £15 - £18
The first-ever stage adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games premieres in 2025 at the new Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre. Adapted by Conor McPherson and directed by Matthew Dunster, this epic production brings Katniss Everdeen’s fight for survival and hope to life with breathtaking stunts, illusions and theatrical spectacle.
Price: From £30
The London Literature Festival returns to Southbank Centre, uniting readers of all ages in a celebration of the written and spoken word. The capital’s longest-running festival of its kind, it brings together world-renowned authors and exciting new voices for an inspiring autumn programme.
Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben come together for an exclusive evening celebrating their new thriller Gone Before Goodbye. In conversation, they reveal the secrets behind their blockbuster collaboration and the craft of creating a page-turner that grips readers from the first line to the last.
Price: From £43
Turner: Always Contemporary, 25th October - 22nd February 2026, Walker Art Gallery, William Brown St, Liverpool, L3 8EL
Marking 250 years since the birth of J. M. W. Turner, Turner: Always Contemporary explores both the artist’s work and his lasting influence on future generations. Featuring oil paintings, works on paper and prints from National Museums Liverpool, together with significant loans and modern and contemporary pieces by artists including Claude Monet, Ethel Walker and Bridget Riley, the exhibition examines themes of travel, landscape and experimentation, while reflecting on Turner’s continued relevance to issues such as climate change, migration and tourism.
Price: £16
Week Commencing 27th October
This hands-on workshop at Charleston invites participants to create their own wooden box in the distinctive Charleston style, guided by decorative artist Melissa White. Alongside experimenting with pattern, colour and texture, the day includes a private tour of the historic Bloomsbury home and studio, with refreshments and a locally sourced lunch provided.
Price: £150
Dreweatts is pleased to present Syrie Maugham: A Family Collection, an auction showcasing the remarkable legacy of the trailblazing interior designer and her descendants. Celebrated for redefining 20th-century interiors with her signature blend of elegance and restraint, Syrie Maugham (1879–1955) remains an enduring influence across design, fashion, and culture. This landmark sale, the largest of its kind, offers collectors a rare chance to acquire pieces intimately linked to her iconic vision and creative legacy.
The LAPADA Berkeley Square Fair returns, bringing over eighty leading exhibitors to one of London’s most prestigious settings. Now a foremost international showcase for art, antiques and design, the fair offers everything from jewellery and silver to tapestries and fine art, with every piece rigorously vetted to ensure authenticity.
Price: From £29
The Stratford Literary Festival, founded in 2008, stages biannual editions of debate, humour, workshops and celebrity author events in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Autumn 2025 edition will feature big names such as Graham Norton, Sir Philip Pullman, John Cleese, Lyse Doucet, Nicola Sturgeon and many more across panels, readings and conversations.
Price: From £8.55
Nisbet Road, a debut solo exhibition, reimagines a South Asian tailor’s shop as a tribute to the communities who built Bradford’s textile industry and shaped British Asian culture. Drawing on family history, archival pieces and original installations, it celebrates resilience, creativity and the enduring legacy of migration, home and identity.
New Film Releases
Urchin (3rd October), Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (24th October) & Anniversary (29th October)
Antique Markets & Fairs
n4makersmarket, Slow Fashion + Knitwear Fair - 25th & 26th October
Auctions
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