Free things to do in London this week.
Looking for more free things to do in London? Here are 102 of em! We've also compiled this epic map of free stuff in London, and have a helpful guide on where to see art in London for free, and where you can catch cheap and free comedy.
View this free charity exhibition
The Spitalfields Crypt Trust holds its annual exhibition of artworks by artists with lived experience of homelessness and addiction. The works are created by students taking part in SCT's art sessions, which use creativity to aid them in their addiction recovery journey. This year's exhibition also marks 60 years of the charity. It's held at Cob Gallery, Liverpool Street.
Until 4 December (closed weekends).
Check out artworks by Doig, Kusama and Banksy
More free art! Dark Skies is the new exhibition at Hoxton's Hang-Up Gallery, featuring the luminous swimmers of Katherine Bradford and the dreamy snowscapes by Peter Doig — alongside a torrent of work by other contemporary greats including Billy Childish, David Shrigley, Banksy, Yayoi Kusama and Harland Miller.
24 November-22 January.
Follow the Aldgate Lantern Trail
Ahead of the main Aldgate in Winter Festival (4-5 December), a free lantern trail opens in the area on Monday, giving you a cheeky preview of some of the large-scale lanterns which'll be used in the annual lantern parade.
Speaking of free trails, a reminder that the Snoopy sculptures are now in situ in the area around Fleet Street, forming a free, canine-centric art trail throughout the festive season (until 16 January).
Claim your free portion of pasta
On Tuesday lunchtime, Soho Italian restaurant 64 Old Compton Street is giving away 100 free portions of Pigs in Blankets Ragu pasta to mark the start of the festive season. The dish consists of potato gnocchi in a slow-cooked tomato and red wine beef shin ragu, topped with whole pigs in blankets, and parmesan.
The important bit: It's available on a first-come, first-served basis to take away between 12pm-1.30pm, until the 100 portions run out. Crucially, you must be following @64oldcomptonstreet on Instagram to claim your freebie.
25 November.
Dig down into the importance of soil
As part of its Living With The Planet series, head to the British Academy on Tuesday night to find out why soil matters. A panel of experts, including fungal biologist Merlin Sheldrake, reveal the role that soil plays in our ecosystem, and the threat it faces from pollution and overuse.
25 November.
See work by British Romani artists
London Museum Docklands opens new, free display By Appointment Only: Romani Art, Culture & Heritage on Tuesday. View the work of British Romani artists who share their identity and experiences through visual activism, including Corrina Eastwood (co-curator of the display), Delaine Le Bas and Dan Turner. The exhibition takes its name from the 'Travellers by Appointment Only' signs which used to be seen in pubs and restaurants.
25 November-31 January.
Try your hand at typography
Artist Theo Hersey runs a free typography and collaborative print-making workshop at Southbank Centre on Wednesday evening. Draw and carve your own letterpress blocks, before using your blocks and those of others to create beautiful, text-based prints, learning the basics of typography, letters, presses, inks and tools as you go.
26 November.
Watch a rare version of a 1920s sci-fi film
Deptford Lounge screens 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis on Thursday evening, accompanied by a live musical score performed by Audio Obscura. Not just that, it's a rare cut of the film: many versions still in circulation use footage intended for distribution in the USA, whereas this version was created from now long-lost European negatives.
The silent film depicts a dystopian city where the wealthy elite live in luxury towers while workers toil in underground factories, resulting in a revolutionary plot involving a mysterious woman named Maria and a sinister robot double.
27 November.
See the future of China
Thursday's Gresham College lecture has Steve Tsang, Professor of China Studies and Director of the China Institute at SOAS, looking at where China is heading. Find out what the goals and ideology set by China’s leader Xi Jinping are likely to mean for the country's future, and hear Tsang explain systematically Xi's domestic and global ambitions.
Watch in person at Barnard's Inn Hall (Holborn), or online.
27 November.
Hear from ceramicist Xanthe Somers
Get your knitting needles out
Know your way around a pair of knitting needles? Join in with the Big Cathedral Knit at Southwark Cathedral on Saturday, and help to assemble knitted and crocheted blankets for people experiencing homelessness around London. Beginners and experienced makers all welcome.
29 November.
Other cheap things to do in London this week
Events and things that'll cost you a fiver or less.
❓ Celebrate 90 years of Penguin publishing and the Penguin Archive Collection with a quiz at Waterstones Piccadilly. Enjoy festive drinks and snacks as you answer questions for the chance to win a full Penguin Archive box set worth £540. £5, 25 November.
🌟 You may have noticed that London's Christmas lights are aglow, with angels, stars and other luminescent forms lighting up the West End. Sure, you could spend an evening (or several) wandering around them all, but us? We prefer hopping on a TfL bus. Here's the lowdown on which bus to catch, and where to board, to see as many lights as possible in one trip. Bus fare, until early January.
