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NO TROUSERS ON THE TUBE DAY
12th January 2020
Kicking off our top picks for the month is a cheeky (forgive the pun) choice. No Trousers On The Tube Day, is the British version of 'No Pants On The Subway Ride', which originally launched on the other side of the pond, but has now spread as a fun event to over 60 countries! Its not in aid of anything in particular, just a bit of fun to ward off the January blues. The name was changed in this country from the US version so there would be no misunderstanding; pants, ie undergarments must definitely be worn, and the organisers, The Stiff Upper Lip Society, state that they aim to amuse not offend, so there are strict guidelines as to what is deemed appropriate which participants are asked to follow. The event kicks off in Chinatown at 2.30pm, where everyone meets, teams will then split up and jump aboard trains travelling around titilating and amusing fellow travellers and commuters all over the London Underground, before returning to Trafalgar Square for a knees up after party. This is a free event, everyone is welcome to participate or just enjoy the view!
Various locations around London
WINTER LIGHTS FESTIVAL
16th January 2020 - 25th January 2020
The award winning Winter Lights Festival returns to Canary Wharf for its 6th year this January. With over 25 spectacular light installations, the Wharf is transformed with glowing angel wings, luminous trees, rainbow benches and psychedelic prisms all of which provide an ideal antidote to January's dark nights. The spectacle will showcase light art and interactive installations by some of the most innovative artists across the globe working in light art today. The exhibition features both pieces which can be admired from afar, as well as those which allow people to get up close and interact with them. There will also be Winter Light Bites street food hubs where visitors can pick up delicious snacks or a hot drink to warm you up in the cold January night, and of course all the wonderful restaurants and bars along Canary Wharf which will be waiting to welcome you, should you wish to view the sites from indoors. This is a free event.
1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AB
www.canarywharf.com
DECORATIVE ART AND TEXTILES FAIR
21st January 2020 - 26th January 2020
The Decorative Arts and Textiles Fair has been exhibiting three times a year in London since the 1980's, and this January it returns to Battersea Park once again. The fair is an event which attracts not only professional collectors and interior design specialists but also any discerning individuals with a love and appreciation for the finer things in life. This fair is the ideal location to source anything from English and European antiques and original 20th Century designs, to works of art from all periods to the present day. From opulent show-stoppers to useful furniture, around 140 exhibitors will offer a broad range of both fine quality and affordable pieces for inspired collectors. Admission £10. There is ticket availability but it is advised to book in advance on line in order to avoid disappointment.
Battersea Park, London SW11 4NJ
www.decorativefair.com
LIGHTOPIA AT CHISWICK HOUSE
22nd January 2020 - 1st March 2020
January is one of the darkest and dreariest months of the year, so the various light festivals and exhibitions that pop up to brighten up our city are most welcome. Lightopia returns once again to Chiswick House and Gardens this month, and much like the Winter light festival at Canary Wharf, it is truly magical to behold. This Winter light trail transports visitors to a different world filled with extraordinary light designs and interactive pieces. Some of the light installations will be as high as three storey buildings and are a fete of creative and structural engineering. Highlights at Chiswick House include the Tree of Light centrepiece located in the gardens - a 10m tall sculpture, surrounded by 20 drums which people can interact with to alter the tree's colours illuminating the night sky. There is also a lantern trail, water show, 3D projections and food and drink available to buy at stalls located in the Park and House. Tickets from £13. There is currently ticket availability, but it is advised to book in advance online in order to avoid disappointment.
Chiswick House and Gardens, Chiswick, London W4 2RP
www.lightopiafestival.com
PICASSO AND PAPER
25th January 2020 - 13th April 2020
A fascinating new exhibition featuring more than 300 works on paper by Pablo Picasso launches at the Royal Academy this month. Picasso and Paper will look at the artist's uses of paper over his 80 year career, including drawings, watercolours, sculpture and collage. Highlights of the exhibition include a four- and-a-half metre high collage entitled Women at Their Toilette, which will be exhibited in the UK for the first time in 50 years, a collection of Cubist collages such as 'Violin', and documentary film footage from Le Mystere Picasso of 1955, showing the artist at work. The exhibition will take viewers on a chronological journey through the different stages of Picasso's career with notable pieces exhibited alongside preparatory drawings and other paper works that correspond to the same theme. His endeavours as a printmaker will also be on display, exploring the different materials and techniques he used, as well as Picasso's own printing press from the years before his death. There is currently ticket availability but it is strongly advised to book in advance on line to avoid disappointment, as this is much anticipated exhibition which will be very popular.
Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London
www.royalacademy.org.uk
CHINESE NEW YEAR
25th January 2020
Chinese New Year falls on the 25th January this year, with official celebrations in London the following day, Sunday 26th, which have become highly anticipated and sizeable.Taking place throughout Chinatown and Trafalgar Square, it is now the biggest Chinese New Year celebration to take place outside of Asia. The events begin at 10am with a parade of floats on Charing Cross Road, followed by dancing, craft stalls, food and drink and martial arts demonstrations in Chinatown, Trafalgar Square and Shaftsbury Avenue between 12pm - 6pm. (Keep an eye out for the famous Lion dancers and Dragon dancers which are believed to bring good luck!) There will also be traditional dance shows, contemporary hip hop acts and many other Chinese performers. Kids can enjoy calligraphy workshops, dressing up and special performances aimed specifically for your little darlings in the family zone at Leicester Square. The day culminates in a spectacular pyrotechnic display, which promises to envy that of the London Eye New Year fireworks on the embankment. Truly a fun filled family day for one and all to enjoy. This is a free event, but please check public transport for delays and closures on the day.
Various locations around London
www.chinatown.co.uk
VAULT FESTIVAL
28th January 2020 - 22nd March 2020
Vault Festival is one of the largest curated Arts festivals in the world. Hosting hundreds of events every year, and reaching across theatre, cabaret, comedy, late night entertainment, immersive experiences, family shows, pop up events and more, this is London's biggest, boldest, and wildest Arts and Entertainments Festival of the year. With 8 weeks of creativity, innovation and fun ahead, there really is something here for everyone. Performances take place in 18 spaces across Waterloo and South Bank with the general hub remaining at the infamous Vaults on Leake Street, (street art Mecca, most well known for original works by Banksy). Over the years, Vault Festival, has showcased some of the very best shows from both established and emerging artists and at the same time has become a hotbed for brand new audience experiences that shatter the status quo, and also providing a platform for underrepresented voice and stories to be heard. There is ticket availability but it is advised to book in advance online in order to avoid disappointment.
Various venues around Waterloo, London SE1
www.vaultfestival.com
ONE TO WATCH -
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: LUZIA
12th January 2020 - 1st March 2020
Cirque Du Soleil return to London's iconic Royal Albert Hall in 2020 bringing their dazzling luminous spectacle Luzia to Europe for the first time. Luzia takes the spectator to an imaginary Mexico, as if in a waking dream, where light (Luz in Spanish) quenches the spirit, and rain (Illuvia) soothes the soul. With a surrealist series of grand visual surprises and the breathtaking acrobatic performances which Cirque Du Soleil has become renowned worldwide for, Luzia brings to the stage multiple places, faces and sounds of Mexico with influences taken from both tradition and modernity. There is limited ticket availability as this is a highly sought after event, so it is strongly advised to book in advance online. There are also daily returns at the door.
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP
www.royalalberthall.com
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