Entertainment

Rapper, producer, director and visual artist M.I.A. has been announced as the curator of the Southbank Centre's 24th Meltdown Festival, which will take place from 9-18 June 2017. Launched 25 years ago, the festival is famed for bringing to life the world of its curator, counting Patti Smith, David Bowie, Yoko Ono, David Byrne, Ray Davies, Morrissey and Ornette Coleman amongst those that have held the position. M.I.A., said: "For me this Meltdown will be about putting on a musical week...

Travel company Expedia have partnered with eight of the UK’s most promising young photographers to capture a ‘better perspective’ of London’s most commonly photographed landmarks. The project aims to offer an alternative view of the sites most commonly filling our Instagram feeds, Snapchat stories and Twitter galleries. To see more from the project, click here. Lamarr Golding – Tower Bridge I’m an urban explorer and free-runner, so I see London as a playground. Most people just see skyscrapers and buildings,...

By Carl Allen, author of London Gig Venues London has a rich and varied history of live music venues from pubs to theatres, churches to warehouses. A new book –‘London Gig Venues’ by Carl Allen explores almost 600 of the capital’s venues from the lost and forgotten to the internationally famous. We asked Carl to share some of the most interesting venues and gigs that have happened in the capital. 1.Islington Assembly Hall A 1930s civic dancehall that sprang into...

Anybody approaching newsstands for tomorrow's press will be forgiven for thinking the Sun's masthead had been designed by a 5-year-old child. It has, as it happens, been created by acclaimed artist David Hockney, a man who is considered one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. The prominent 'Sun' wording is mirrored by a schoolboy sun sketch, a stroke of genius by Hockney's account, who said of the opportunity: “I was delighted to be asked. Once I thought...

Following a successful run in Madrid, The Art of the Brick: DC Super Heroes is set to make its London debut on 1st March 2017. The contemporary art exhibition will be shown in an exclusively built space on London’s South Bank, home to the capital’s cultural quarter. Together with Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment, the well-known and celebrated artist Nathan Sawaya has created the world’s largest collection of artwork inspired by DC's Justice League, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, alongside...

Introducing comedy star Sophie Willan, who brings her exceptional Edinburgh 2016 show, “On Record” to the UK with of 21 dates dotted all over the UK along with a very special stretch of 9 London dates at the Soho Theatre. We caught up with her for a quick chat... 1) What can people expect from your show? You can expect an anarchic and energetic show that explores my social services records from my childhood growing up in and out of...

Ten things to do in London this weekend: February 3rd,4th & 5th 2016 Don't ever say there's nothing to do this time of year; the first weekend in February is destined to be a jam-packed one. You’ve got a wallet stuffed full of fresh cash after that January lull and love is on the horizon, thanks to a plethora of Valentine’s cards coming your way. But how will you spend your free time? We've teamed up with REVL, London's amazing FREE...

The art traders report last year revealed that nearly half of online art buyers plan to purchase more art and collectibles online this year. With online art sales reaching $3.27 billion (£2.62 billion) in 2015, and nearly a quarter of millennials surveyed saying they bought art online for the first time, is the art world finally dropping the elitist act? The rise in online art collectors hasn’t come out of thin air, top art galleries that you wouldn’t walk into...