Free & Cheap London Events: 14-20 April 2014

Laura Reynolds
By Laura Reynolds Last edited 119 months ago
Free & Cheap London Events: 14-20 April 2014

Interesting and unusual things to do for a fiver or less this week.

Phil Bergerson launches American Artifacts at WORK Gallery. Details below.

All Week

Check the week ahead with our guides to market & shopping events and art exhibitions around town. Plenty of free ones, too. And if you're struggling for ways to keep the kids entertained in the Easter holidays, try out some of these ideas.

POP UP ART: At possibly our favourite pop-up shop to date, commuters will be able to buy limited edition prints from Print Shop, which will be Art on the Underground’s temporary home in Piccadilly Circus underground station. 8-19 April

LAST CHANCE: Time is running out to see Van Gogh's Sunflowers side by side at The National Gallery. Free, just turn up, until 27 April

Monday 14 April

FEMALE GRAPHIC NOVELS: Laydeez Do Comics is a women-led graphic novel forum. The guest speakers are comic artist James McKay, illustrator Joanna Wilkinson and artist Annie Fielder. Takes place at Foyles Charing Cross Road. Free, prebook, 6pm

FREE FILM: Alibi Film Club screens 1970 classic Alien as part of Classic Sci-Fi month at The Alibi in Dalston. Free, just turn up, 7pm

CINEMA CLUB: If it’s a relaxing evening you’re after, head along to the Monday Cocktail Cinema Club at Belle & Co in Euston. Each week it shows a film, classic or contemporary, in which alcohol plays a part. This week’s film is Titanic, and pizzas and cocktails will be on sale. Hold the ice in our drink. Free, just turn up, 7pm

LOCAL PERFORMERS: Up-and-coming singers, rappers, dancers, comedians and spoken word artists will all be performing their material at Rich Mix. Free, tweet @Allsortz1 to book, 7pm

FREE COMEDY: Comedy Knights' free weekly comedy evening at The Foundry in Camden has award winning comedian Julian Deane headlining tonight. Free, just turn up, 8pm

AGATHA CHRISTIE: Hillary Macaskill, author of Dickens At Home and du Maurier At Home has written her latest book about Agatha Christie. An event takes place at Stoke Newington Bookshop to celebrate the launch. £3, prebook, 8pm

Tuesday 15 April

DIRECTOR TALK: Director Adam Penford talks about the new production of Alan Ayckbourn's play A Small Family Business at the National Theatre. £4/£3, prebook, 6pm

BILL BRYSON: The popular author talks to Professor Jim Al-Khalili of The Royal Society about why science is important. Despite having been given several honorary accolades, Bryson claims he was rubbish at science at school. We think it'll be popular, so get there early. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm

FILM QUIZ: You're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat film quiz comes to Hackney Attic to put even the most polished of film buffs to the test. £4, prebook, 6.30pm

ART BOOK LAUNCH: WORK gallery near King's Cross host the launch of Phil Bergeson's book, American Artifacts, with portraits of the Canadian photographer's trips across America. Bergeson will be in conversation with Marco Bohr. Free, prebook, 6.30pm

ARCHITECTURE TALK: Hear architect Thomas Heatherwick (he of Olympic cauldron fame) interviewed by Razia Iqbal from the BBC. At the Royal Institute of British Architects. £5, prebook, 7pm

AUTHOR TALK: Author Mick Herron will be reading from his award winning novel Dead Lions, and discussing his Slough House crime thriller series at Waterstones Piccadilly. Free, prebook, 7pm

IRISH STORYTELLING: Waterstones Piccadilly hosts an evening of live Irish storytelling with June Peters and Xanthe Gresham and introduced by Christina Oakley Harrington to celebrate the publication of Cuchulainn and the Crow Queen. Free, pre booking essential by email, 7pm

CRAP FILM CLUB: Head to The Book Club in Shoreditch for a screening of BIRDEMIC, an, er, interesting homage to Hitchcock's The Birds. £3.50 prebooked/£4.50 on the door, 7pm

POETRY UNPLUGGED: The Poetry Cafe hosts Poetry Unplugged, a weekly open mic night. Anyone is welcome to sign up. £5/£4, just turn up, 7.30pm

POLITICAL COMEDY: Lolitics is an evening of lefty political comedy with a radical edge at the Black Heart in Camden. It differs from other comedy nights with its 'enforced niceness' policy - the audience won't get picked on by the acts, and the acts won't get heckled by the audience. Sweet deal, huh? £3, just turn up

Wednesday 16 April

NEW EXHIBITION: To celebrate 500 years of Trinity House, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich launches a new exhibition, Guiding Lights, today. The exhibition displays objects and stories from throughout the organisation’s history as well as looking to the future as Trinity House. Free, just turn up, until February 2015

RADIO HISTORY: Dave VJ and Lindsay Wesker will be at Housmans to discuss their book Masters of the Airwaves: The Rise and Rise of Underground Radio which looks at the history of radio becoming mainstream. £3, just turn up, 7pm

WAR LITERATURE: Lara Feigel discusses her new book, The Love-Charm of Bombs, with Selina Hastings at Keats House. The book is put together from the work of five World War Two writers, and looks at why World War Two was a time of romantic excitement and literary achievement. £5, prebook, 7pm

FORENSIC INSECTS: Pub-sci's latest offering takes a foray into the world At the Old King's Head near London Bridge. Forensic entomologist  Dr Amoret Whitaker talks about her work. Free (donations welcome), just turn up, 7pm

FOUR MINUTE MOVIES: Poetry Cafe hosts a new open mic/filming session for poets, storytellers and comedians, allowing four-minute, storytelling slots to be filmed. £4, just turn up, 7.30pm

EXTERMINATE: Islington Archaeology & History Society hosts a talk about the history of Doctor Who by Andrew Cartmel, former script editor of Doctor Who. Andrew Gardner, whose father worked on the programme, talks about the missing BBC archives. £1/free to members, just turn up, 8pm

Thursday 17 April

FAMILY FUN: Head to Kingswood House in South Dulwich for The Kingswood Draw, a family event with four 'art labs' and lots of creative activities. There's even an edible art lab. Free, just turn up, 2pm-8pm

FREE WALK: Cool Tan Arts has organised a free walk in Denmark Hill. The theme is Architecture — From Country Estates to Council Estates and the walk looks at how land use in Denmark Hill has changed over the past two centuries. Meet at Grove Vale Library. Free, just turn up, 12pm

OPEN MIC: Write It Mic It at Hackney Attic gives actors and writers a chance to try out new material. Monologues, duologues, poetry and prose, all welcome. £5, prebook, 7.30pm

LIVE MUSIC: Several upcoming acoustic, indie and alternative music acts perform at Cafe 1001 on Brick Lane. £5, just turn up, 7.30pm

NEW COMEDY: Princess Victoria in Shepherd's Bush launches it's new comedy night, West London Comedy Club. Tonight features Joel Dummett, from TV show Skins. £5, just turn up, 7.30pm

Friday 18 April

ART: The Whitechapel Gallery dedicates an exhibition to the visionary French filmmaker, photographer and artist Chris Marker. You will see films and photographs of a post-apocalyptic Paris. Free, until 22 June

EGG TRAIL: Fenton House in Hampstead hosts the Cadbury Easter Egg Trail. Follow the trail around the garden to find a surprise at the end. Included in admission price, just turn up, until 21 April

CRAFTS AT HAMLEY’S: Head to Hamley’s on Regent Street for an Easter bonnet decorating workshop. A funny activity for Free, just turn up, 1pm

RICHMIX: The main space of multi-purpose Richmix in Shoreditch is the venue for the Mimika Mak Murtic Ensemble, a London-based contemporary Concept Jazz ensemble, which plays cinematic theme based music. Free, just turn up, 8pm

LIVE MUSIC: Cellist/vocalist Laura Moody and  jazz/classical/rock collective DOLLYman play at Hackney Attic. £5/£4, prebook, 8pm

Saturday 19 April

Today is Record Store Day, which celebrates the independent music sector. Find out about all the events scheduled for the day.

RECORD STORE DAY: Berwick Street, a destination for record collectors since the 1980s, celebrates Record Store Day and the area’s wealth of independent record and music shops. Live music will cheer shoppers as they rummage around for those rare and limited edition records. Free, just turn up, all day

RECORD FAIR: In occasion of the Record Store Day, the Powerlunches Arts Cafe in Dalston has organised a DIY Punk Record Fair for second hand records, distros and small labels. Free, just turn up, all day

WALKS: City of Westminster Guides presents a series of free introductory walks in some of London's most popular and central areas. You can choose between The Essence of St James's, The Essence of Covent Garden and The Essence of Mayfair. Meeting point is specified in every single event, walks last 45 mins. Free, prebook, different time for each walk

MARKET: DesignersMakers monthly market gives new designers a chance to increase their profile. Products include jewellery, accessories, greeting cards and artwork. This month it takes place on 19 April at Spitalfields Market. Free, just turn up, 11am-5pm

CIDER FESTIVAL: Crate Brewery in Hackney Wick has organised a cider feast, featuring 15 proper cider from the West Country, a dedicated menu of smokey BBQ food, DJs and bands playing blues, country and folk. Free, just turn up, from 1pm

COMEDY: In order to celebrate the upcoming London SketchFest happening in May, some of the participating comedians will be performing at the BoxPark in Shoreditch. Free, just turn up, 1pm-4pm  

Sunday 20 April

FAIRGROUND: New cultural event Fairgound, in Haggerston, has free entry before 7pm, £7 afterwards. Every weekend, until 15 June

KEW HUNT: On top of the Willy Wonka themed activities, Kew hosts an Easter Egg hunt. Collect tokens from around the garden and swap them for eggs. Free with entry to gardens, prebook, 9.30am

MUSIC: Richmix hosts a mix of musicians and performers to play some acoustic soul music on their main space hall. Free, just turn up, 7pm

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.

Last Updated 13 April 2014