Things To Do In London: Thursday 24 July 2014

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The Black Cultural Archives opens today in Brixton.

Listings

BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are at Brewers Hall and the other usual donors' centres. See site for terms and conditions.

ART: Rosenfeld Porcini gallery launches its new exhibition Sound and Vision, presented by emerging artists Bongsu Park and Keita Miyazaki. The exhibition features both material artworks and videos. Free, until 30 September

MORE ART: Instant Touch Exhibition takes place at Bootstrap Company in Dalston. The exhibition features tropical-themed artworks and pieces that are inspired by natural forests. Free, until 31 August

OPEN DAY: The Freud Museum in Finchley Road hosts its annual open day and offers free-of-charge entrance to the public. On the day there are house tours, special insight talks by curators as well as cream teas and creative activities in the garden. Free, just turn up, noon-5pm

THEATRE: The Legacy is on stage at Leicester Square theatre at two different times today. The play is about The Legacy Nightclub, a seedy club in the east end of London run by self-proclaimed jazz 'legend' Benny Washington, which in 1935 burns to the ground in suspicious circumstances. £17.50/£15, prebook, 3pm & 7.30pm

COMEDY CIRCUS: Two free previews of comedy promoter Invisible Dot’s Circus before it heads to Edinburgh, featuring Tony Law, Joseph Morpurgo, Ben Target, Ellie White and more, at the Union Chapel. Free, just turn up, 5pm and 7pm

FREE POUTINE: Poutine is a typical Canadian dish made with french fries, topped with a light brown gravy-like sauce and cheese curds. Today Birthdays in Dalston is giving poutine away for free — you just need to claim your free one online. Free, from 5.30pm

ART AUCTION: See some pieces by Vivienne Westwood, YBA Gavin Turk and Jamie Reid at the Brick Lane Art Auction is happening at Beach Blanket Babylon in Bethnal Green Road. Proceeds from the Art Auction will be donated to Ability Bow. Free, just turn up, from 6pm

BLACK CULTURE: Celebrate the opening of the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton tonight, with music, dance, spoken word and other good stuff in Windrush Square. Free, just turn up, 6-9pm

DANCE NIGHT: Move your hips and follow the rhythm of Jamaican tunes at the Farr's School of Dancing in Dalston. Tonight there's an evening dedicated to both ska and reggae music. Free, just turn up, from 8pm

MUSIC: Safe Barracks present their new EP at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen tonight, supported by Nudes and Batsch. £5+bf, prebook, 8pm  

MORE MUSIC: Shirley Tetteh Quartet performs tonight at the No. 178 in New Cross, for free. They play jazz, afrobeat, blues and pop. Free, just turn up, from 8pm

FILM SCREENING: Rich Mix in Shoreditch hosts the screening of Who Is Dayani Cristal?, a film inspired by a true story of a man who lost his identity after crossing the Mexican border and entering the US. The screening is followed by a Q&A with director Marc Silver. £7/£5, prebook, 8pm

BEAT THE HEAT: Survive the sweltering weather with one of our favourite ice creams, enjoy a breeze in a rooftop bar, take a dip in a lido, sip an icy cocktail or just soak up the sun in a beer garden.

Find more London events in our Free & Cheap events listings. Want to see your event in these last-minute listings? Email us at hello@londonist.com at least 48 hours before the event, and we will consider it for inclusion. Note, due to high volumes of email, we can’t always reply.


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Good Cause of the Day

Tonight you could enjoy a theatre play and donate for a good cause. Shakespeare in Love production, currently on stage at Noël Coward Theatre in Leicester Square will donate part of the money raised from the tickets to The Rose Theatre Trust and Chickenshed Theatre. £57.50-£15+bf, prebook, 7.30pm

From the Archive

Are you a fan of Japan? On this day last year we shared London's best Japanese bars: find the best places in town where to drink sake, shochu and umeshu.