London

The evenings are getting lighter, the sun&#8217;s (occasionally) shining and we&#8217;re in the mood for some exciting cultural events this spring. Handily there are lots of brilliant things happening across the city, so diaries out and get booking. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exhibitions">EXHIBITIONS </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-1-1024x576.jpeg" alt="David Hockney " class="wp-image-19248" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-1.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">David Hockney @ Serpentine </figcaption></figure>



The biggest buzz this spring is for <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/tracey-emin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tracey Emin: A Second Life</a> (27 Feb – 31 Aug; tickets £20) at Tate Modern &#8211; which includes an enormous portfolio of her 40-decade career, from intimate sketches to THAT bed. Trot over to the National Gallery to marvel at <a href="Portrait of a Horse" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse</a> (12 March &#8211; 31 May), which includes the artists&#8217; world-famous Scrub painting of a rearing racehorse, painted in 1762. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="768" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-4-1024x768.jpeg" alt="Holy pop! " class="wp-image-19263" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-4-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-4-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-4-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-4.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">HOLY POP! </figcaption></figure>



The <a href="https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/sony-world-photography-awards-exhibition-2026" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition</a> launches at Somerset House in April (17 April &#8211; 4 May) meaning you can take a peek at 300 of the most stunning and captivating snaps of the last year. Also at Somerset House is <a href="https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/holy-pop" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HOLY POP!</a> (21 May &#8211; 9 Aug), a fascinating exhibition celebrating modern shrines, looking at the objects with which we honour heroes, celebrities and cult icons, from Princess Diana to Andy Warhol. 



Pull on your Vans trainers and go see <a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/skate-50/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Skate 50</a> (30 April &#8211; 21 June) at Southbank Centre, which celebrates 50 years of London’s skateboarders performing ollies beneath the QEII Hall on the Southbank. Even teens might find the film, photos and music contributions from the likes of Beatrice Dillon and Dan Magee an interesting afternoon out. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="717" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-5-1024x717.jpeg" alt="Beatrice Gonzalez " class="wp-image-19266" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-5-1024x717.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-5-300x210.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-5-768x538.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-5.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Beatrice Gonzalez </figcaption></figure>



We applaud The Barbican for going big on solo female artists this spring, including the first UK retrospective of Colombian artist <a href="https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2026/event/beatriz-gonzalez" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beatrice Gonzalez </a>(runs until 10 May). Over at the Hayward Gallery you can catch the beautiful web-like installations of Chiharu Shiota’s <a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/chiharu-shiota-threads-of-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Threads of Life </a>(until 30 May), while at Serpentine North everyone’s getting excited about <a href="https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/whats-on/david-hockney-a-year-in-normandie-and-some-other-thoughts-about-painting-exhibition-serpentine-galleries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">David Hockney’s</a> debut show there (12 March &#8211; 23 Aug), which includes his 90-metre frieze A Year in Normandie. At Serpentine South, meanwhile, you can browse <a href="https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/whats-on/cecily-brown-picture-making/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cecily Brown: Picture Making</a> (27 March &#8211; 6 Sept) &#8211; the first UK show from the Brit-born, NYC-based artist since 2005.&nbsp;



And finally, don&#8217;t miss <a href="https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/schiaparelli" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art</a> (28 March – 8 Nov)&nbsp;at the V&amp;A, the UK’s first exhibit dedicated to Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, with more than 200 beautiful objects to browse, from jewellery to paintings, photographs, clothes and sketches.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-theatre">THEATRE </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-1024x683.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Burke " class="wp-image-19133" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Unknown.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Big news. <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/46257-war-horse" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">War Horse</a> (16 May &#8211; 30 July), the epic story of a young boy&#8217;s journey to reclaim his horse, Joey, from the trenches or war-torn France, is galloping back to the National Theatre where it first opened two decades ago before touring world-wide. 



Ain&#8217;t nobody better than Alexandra&nbsp;Burke (The X Factor, Sister Act, The Bodyguard, Curfew) to play the lead in I<a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/35372-im-every-woman-the-chaka-khan-musical" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">’m Every Woman</a>, the world premiere of new Chaka Khan musical about the legendary&#8217;s singers life which opens at The Peacock Theatre (5-28 March) this week. Another pop star takes over the West End this spring when Rebecca Lucy Taylor (aka singer Self Esteem) makes her West End debut as Maggie in <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/45248-teeth-n-smiles" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Teeth &#8216;n&#8217; Smiles</a> at the Duke of York&#8217;s Theatre (13 Mar &#8211; 6 June). 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="679" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.03.30-1024x679.png" alt="Sadie Sink in Romeo &amp; Juliet" class="wp-image-17904" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.03.30-1024x679.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.03.30-300x199.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.03.30-768x509.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.03.30.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



And Sadie Sink (aka Max) will also be making her UK stage debut in <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/18792-romeo-&amp;-juliet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Romeo &amp; Juliet</a> at the Harold Pinter Theatre (16 Mar-6 June)&nbsp;starring opposite Noah Jupe (The Night Manager, A Quiet Place, Hamnet). 



Prefer something less swoony and more &#8216;don&#8217;t mess with me&#8217;? Hot foot it to see <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/45564-inter-alia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Inter Alia</a>, which opens at the Wyndhams Theatre (19 March &#8211; 20 June) and stars BAFTA nominee Rosamund Pike (of&nbsp;Saltburn&nbsp;and&nbsp;Gone Girl&nbsp;fame) playing powerhouse High Court Judge juggling courtroom battles and family chaos (we relate, minus the high court judge bit). 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="612" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.36.14-1024x612.png" alt="One Flew Over the cuckoos nest " class="wp-image-17906" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.36.14-1024x612.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.36.14-300x179.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.36.14-768x459.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-08.36.14.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">One Flew Over the Cuckoo&#8217;s Nest </figcaption></figure>



If it&#8217;s dark satire you&#8217;re after, book tickets for <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/45812-one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest</a> at The Old Vic (1 April – 23 May), starring Aaron Pierre and Giles Terera as two inmates in a psychiatric ward &#8211; it&#8217;s the the first big production of the play on a London stage for more than 20 years. 



Catch historical drama <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/45845-1536" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1536</a>, which examines the dynamics of female friendship, at the Ambassadors Theatre (2 May – 1 Aug), or for something more hard-hitting, try <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/45213-broken-glass" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Broken Glass</a>, the Olivier Award-winning&nbsp;Arthur Miller&nbsp;play set in 1930s Brooklyn which delves into the consequences of turning a blind eye to the rise of fascism in Europe at the Young Vic (until 18 April). 



Love, lies and social warfare &#8211; <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/45580-les-liaisons-dangereuses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Les Liaisons Dangereuses</a> is coming to the Lyttleton Theatre (21 March &#8211; 6 June) and it&#8217;s starring Lesley Manville&nbsp;(Phantom Thread) AND&nbsp;Aidan Turner&nbsp;(Rivals) who will be wearing an unbuttoned white shirt if the ads are anything to go by&#8230;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-festivals">FESTIVALS </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/263A2092-1200x800-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="Country to Country Festival " class="wp-image-19262" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/263A2092-1200x800-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/263A2092-1200x800-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/263A2092-1200x800-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/263A2092-1200x800-1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Country to Country Festival </figcaption></figure>



Bookies, it’s the <a href="https://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/north-london-book-festival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North London Book Festival </a>in April (23-26) which takes place at Alexandra Palace and will appeal to bookworms of all ages, with author talks from the likes of Tessa Hadley, Rachel Parris and Michael Rosen. 



Yeehaw! <a href="https://c2c-countrytocountry.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Country to Country Festival </a>(13-15 March) see the 02 taken over for three days by rising Nashville stars and country legends like Keith Urban and Zach Top. Prefer something smoother? <a href="https://www.bricklanejazzfestival.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brick Lane Jazz Festival </a>(23-26 April) is always a winner, this year headline acts including Kwame Yeboah and south London producer Footshooter.&nbsp;



The temperatures will be rising along with the beat when <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lalineafestival/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">La Linnea latin Music Festival</a> tangos into town (20 April &#8211; 6 May) at various venues around the city, and if it’s classical you’re after, check out <a href="https://barnesmusicfestival.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Barnes Music Festival </a>(7-22 March) which this year includes Barnes Young Musician of the Year Final (8 March), Music &amp; Food (10 March) at the Waterman’s Arms and Music in the Dark (13 March) where lights are turned off for heightened hearing.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="768" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/20240512_125626-1024x768.jpg" alt="Th Covent Garden Puppet Festival " class="wp-image-19261" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/20240512_125626-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/20240512_125626-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/20240512_125626-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/20240512_125626.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Covent Garden Puppet Festival </figcaption></figure>



<a href="https://dulwichfestival.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dulwich Festival’s</a> (8-17 May) celebration of arts and culture’s always worth a visit, particularly the artists’ open house weekend, where you get to nosey around studios all over the area plus talks, shows and the Dulwich Fair on Goose Green.&nbsp;Finally, drag the kids along to the free annual <a href="https://mayfayre.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival</a> (10 May) which is now in its 10th year and attracts puppeteers from around the country and includes shows, workshops and processions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-openings-nbsp">OPENINGS&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="635" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-04-at-15.00.01-1024x635.png" alt="V&amp;A East " class="wp-image-19260" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-04-at-15.00.01-1024x635.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-04-at-15.00.01-300x186.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-04-at-15.00.01-768x476.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-04-at-15.00.01.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



If you loved <a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/art-culture/v-and-a-east-storehouse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">V&amp;A East Storehouse</a>, you&#8217;re going to be want to be front of the queue when <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vam_east/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">V&amp;A East</a> opens this spring (18 April) at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It&#8217;ll be the largest V&amp;A outpost, with two permanent free galleries focusing on multiculturalism, plus temporary exhibitions which kick off with <a href="https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/the-music-is-black-a-british-story?srsltid=AfmBOoqfY2nNV25pmb0fE6uso61DW1lPuJ-xjwr2JLz_D7h_8TFdm0dJ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Music is Black: A British History</a>.



We’ll also be popping into the <a href="https://qbcentre.org.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration</a>, which opens in May in a former factory in Clerkenwell and will be the world’s largest space dedicated to illustration. As well as three galleries, there’ll be free public gardens, a library, cafe and shop &#8211; sounds like a good day out to Muddy.

Spring culture guide to London: Art, theatre, museums and more

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