Interesting and unusual things to do for a fiver or less this week.
Monday 17 March
ART: The Reveal is an exhibition featuring artworks made by artists with Down Syndrome at the Menier Gallery in Southwark Street, just for a week. Free, until 22 March
MORE ART: Trascending Boundaries explores West African art, showcasing the work of master artists from the region. The event takes place at the Mall Galleries. Free, until 22 March
EVEN MORE ART: See artworks by students from Chelsea College of Arts, at the Arch Collective Gallery in Bermondsey. You'd better hurry up: the show lasts only two days. Free, until 19 March
MUSIC: Head to the Café at Foyles in Charing Cross and listen to Afruiko playing piano, percussion, guitar and tones from West Africa. Free, just turn up, 6pm
PSYCHIC: The College of Psychic Studies open its archives at the Horse Hospital in Russell Square. An opportunity to see supposed spirit photographs, examples of automatic writing and psychic paintings. Free, just turn up, 7pm
Tuesday 18 March
ART: Artism explores the ways used by artists with autism to express everyday actions and feelings, at the Free Space Gallery in Kentish Town. Free, until 13 May
VIKINGS: The Vikings Are Coming is a lecture that tries to uncover the secrets behind the long-blond-haired people from Scandinavia focusing on their conquests, trades and adventures. Venue TBA. £5, prebook, 6.30pm
QUIZ: The Grant Museum hosts the fun event (Not in a) Pub Quiz, with six rounds of popular natural history questions. Call your brainiest friends and create a team up to five people. Free, prebook, 6.30pm
HARD ROCK: The Global Battle of the Bands takes place at The Hard Rock Cafe, where the nine best and most voted emerging bands in London will play live during the evening. Rock mixes with good cause, as money raised will go to charity. £3, just turn up, 7pm
OPEN MIC: Niall O’Sullivan hosts open mic night Poetry Unplugged at the Poetry Cafe. £5/£4, just turn up, 7.30pm
CINEMA NIGHT: Short Sighted Cinema presents an evening of short cinema about drugs at the Ritzy in Brixton. There will be a Q&A session with the filmmakers after the screenings. £3/£4, prebook, 7.30pm
HAVE A LAUGH: The Working Men Club in Bethnal Green hosts Shh! I'm Laughing!, an evening of comedy. £3/£4+bf, prebook, 8pm
Wednesday 19 March
EXPLORE: The Guildhall Library hosts a free talk about the literature of travel and exploration. Free, prebook, 6pm
EU ELECTION: Birkbeck University presents a panel debate about upcoming European elections, to help you understand what's at stake and get to know the candidates. Free, prebook, 6.15pm
LOCAL HISTORY: The Bishopsgate Institute launches the CD Bishopsgate Voices, which chronicles the daily lives and experiences of local people since the 1940s. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm
BIRD WATCHING: A talk at The LookOut in Hyde Park reveals the joys of birdwatching on the banks of the Thames at Rainham Marshes. Learn more about the best spots for twitching in the wider London area. £2, just turn up, 7pm
STORYTELLING: Natural Born Storytellers takes place at Camden Head, a perfect opportunity for those who believe they were born to share their stories with the world. The theme is Five Minutes of Fame. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm
MUSIC: The Trans-Siberian March Band is a London-based Balkan Brass Band. Listen to their eclectic mix of clarinets, brass, percussion and vocals at Rich Mix in Bethnal Green. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm
MORE MUSIC: A mix of different music genres at The Monarch pub in Chalk Farm. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm
SPEAK SPANISH: Get started with an new language with the Holborn-based Lingua Diversa Group, which holds an introductory lessons to Spanish. Places are limited to 10 people. £5, prebook by email, 7.35pm
COMEDY: The Miller Pub near London Bridge hosts Hootenanny: a fun evening of sketch, character and stand-up comedy. Free, just turn up, 8pm
Thursday 20 March
FILM FESTIVAL: Camberwell Free Film Festival returns for its second edition and promises a rich programme of classic, contemporary and cult film in unusual and quirky venues around Camberwell. Check website for full program. Free, until 30 March
START UP: Kensington and Chelsea College hosts a whole day session for aspiring entrepreneurs, led by School for Startups. You just need to register online and get ready to be taught. Free, prebook, 9.30am - 5pm
WIENER LIBRARY: Four Thousand Lives is the title of a book and its connected exhibition, launched today at the Wiener Library. Both of them focus on the Holocaust and its victims. Free, prebook, 6.30pm
DIY ACTOR: Drink, Shop, Do in King's Cross invites you to play with clay and create a cast of their favourite actor, Bill Murray. File that one under random. Free, just turn up, from 7pm
GUIDED WALK: Interested in discovering hidden bits of Canary Wharf? Free, prebook, 7.50pm *please note that this event is now sold out*
Friday 21 March
FASHION HUNT: Hunt and buy famous and widely-know fashion designers' pieces at the Sample Hunters' Designer Sample Sale, taking place at the Music Room in Mayfair. £1, just turn up, from 12.30pm
WALK: GoToMidtown Walks run walks around Holborn weekly (if you can stomach the use of 'Midtown'), this week's one is called Give Me Shelter and it's about almshouses and model dwellings built in the 19th century for the poor. Free, just turn up, 1pm
SHAKESPEARE: Actors Adrian Scarborough and Stanley Townsend talk about their roles in the current production of King Lear at the National Theatre. They explore the characters of the fool and Kent. £5/£4, prebook, 3pm
KING'S COLLEGE: Translocations is an evening of film screenings at the King's College, focused on the human body and taking place at the Anatomy Lecture Theatre. Free, prebook, 5.30pm
COMMEMORATION: King's College presents a commemorating event dedicated to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, inside the College Chapel. This event is connected to its photographic exhibition Rwanda In Photographs: Death Then, Life Now. Free, prebook, 6pm
TRAGEDY: A night of 'tragic variety' at Stand Up Tragedy in the Hackney-based Picturehouse. Concludes with a group sing-a-long. £5, prebook, 7.30pm
LITERARY LAUNCH: Literary mag The Alarmist launches its fourth issue with top live comedy, spoken word and DJs. At Star of Kings, York Way. £5, just turn up, 8pm
Saturday 22 March
ECO-FASHION: Camden Friends Of The Earth is holding a pop-up eco-friendly fashion weekend at Red Hand Gallery in Tufnell Park, including vintage fair, clothes swapping, and up-cycling workshops. Free, just turn up, until tomorrow
BIG DIG: Whether you're a veteran gardener or new to it, the Big Dig encourages people to get down to their local gardens and learn new skills. Find your nearest location here. Free, just turn up, various times
LIVE ART: As part of Scream's pop-up Carnaby Street gallery, Shuby creates an interactive wall piece live in the gallery. Free, just turn up
AFRICAN MARKET: Open The Gate's African market on 22 March brings together African designers and artists inspired by African culture, all in the very London setting of Old Spitalfields Market. Art and crafts, ethical fashion and natural beauty products. Free, 11am-5pm
FAMILY FUN: Families are invited to join the wildlife-themed activity club at Oakwood Park, suitable from children from 5 to 12 years old. A day of learning, exploring, playing and creating. Free, prebook, 12pm
SWAP IT: Pick up some clothes you don't use any more, put them together, call your friends and then swap them with other people. This is the basic idea of the Swishing taking place at St Paul's Church in Enfield. Free, just turn up, from 12pm
FREE CONCERT: Alex Mendham & His Orchestra, an 11-piece period dance band group, perform a free concert at Union Chapel in Islington. Free, just turn up, 12pm
CHARITY CONCERT: Kings Place hosts a free string trio concert, featuring three young and talented musicians, which aims to raise awareness of Kilimanjaro Blind Trust's work improving literacy in East Africa. Free (donations welcome), prebook, 7.30pm
Sunday 23 March
CHILD CARE: London Early Years Foundation has organised a series of free family events in its nurseries to celebrate Science Week, running 14-23 March, and today is the last day of the initiative. The events are themed around growing and include both gardening and food activities. Check the whole schedule on their website. Free, ends today
NATURE: Ponder pond life at the Centre for Wildlife Gardening in East Dulwich, at this all-day family event about the wildlife of the ponds. Free, just turn up, 10.30am-4.30pm
VINTAGE SHOPPING: Head to Pop Up Vintage at St Stephen’s Rosslyn Hill in Hampstead for the complete vintage experience. As well as vintage traders, there will be entertainment courtesy of vintage singers, tea rooms, and even a vintage beauty parlour. £5/£2/£1, 11am-4pm
Check out our map of free things to do in London for more frugal fun. Or pop over to BrokeInLondon.com who also have plenty of great ideas.
