Happy New Year! January in London presents an exciting carousel of activities and events designed to start the new year feeling fresh and energised.

For those looking for an escape from the crowds and an opportunity to experience London’s vibrant cultural scene, here are a selection of highlights to enjoy throughout January.  

Thought-provoking experiences  

Exhibition & event series: The Lost Girl 

The Lost Girl is an immersive film-based installation by Kate McMillan centred around the fictional character of a cave-dwelling girl on the coast of England. Using DH Lawrence's book of the same name as a starting point, the film narrates the experiences of a young woman seemingly alone in a dystopian future, with only the debris washed up from the ocean to form meaning and language. 

Details:

• Bush House Arcade 
• 13 January - 28 February 2020, 12.00-17:00
• Free entry 
• Visit the website for more information.

Film screening: EARTH + Q&A

The screening will invite audiences to confront the Anthropocene – the period in which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment – and critically engage with collective human action on the surface of the earth, expanding and interrogating the themes raised in the RA’s Eco-Visionaries exhibition. The screening will be followed by a Q&A. 

Details:

• Royal Academy of Arts     
• 17 January 2020, 18.30-20.00   
• Standard ticket £15.00, student with ID card £9.00
• Visit the website for more information.

Need a mindful moment?  

Event: Run with Purpose

Run with Purpose is a running community started by men for men, to tackle male mental health issues. Join Run with Purpose and researchers from King’s College London for a 3km run suitable for runners of all abilities who identify as male. The route will take you along the Thames and over some of the bridges near Science Gallery London. Over well-earned refreshments afterwards, there will be a conversation about male mental health, social stigmas and exercise. This event is part of ON EDGE: Living in an Age of Anxiety, a free exhibition and events programme at Science Gallery London exploring the causes of and responses to anxiety in contemporary society through art, design, psychology and neuroscience. 

Details:

• Science Gallery London
• 11 January 2020, 10.00-11.30 
• Free, booking essential
• Visit the website for more information.

Exhibition: 24/7

Many of us feel we’re working more intensively, juggling too many things, blurring our public and private lives, pushing the limits of our natural rhythms of sleep and waking. 24/7 takes visitors on a multi-sensory journey from the cold light of the moon to the fading warmth of sunset through five themed zones and contains over 50 multi-disciplinary works that will provoke and entertain. 

Details:

• Somerset House 
• 31 October 2019 – 23 February 2020 
• Standard ticket £14.00, student with ID card £11.00
• Visit the website for more information.

Workshop: Playing with Music   

Participate in a workshop at the Wellcome Collection, exploring how music can encourage us to be creative and to play together. Artist Nina Essendrop will guide you through different methods of experiencing music through movement, live-action role play (LARP) and listening. 

Details:

• Wellcome Collection
• 12 January 2020, 10.30—12.30 
• Free, booking essential  
• Visit the website for more information.

Arty activities  

Exhibition: Stages of Making   

Inspired by the history of the Horniman and its collections, Stages of Making is produced by a collective of local community members working with artist Katie Schwab. Visitors can contribute to a developing live archive in the exhibition by taking part in creative workshops and trying a range of techniques inspired by some of the Horniman's collections. 

Details:

• Horniman Museum & Gardens
• Open daily 10.00-17.30, except 24 - 26 December
• Free entry
• Visit the website for more information.

 

Don’t forget to use #KingsCulturalCommunity on Twitter and Instagram to share your experiences