Free things to do in London this week

Pioneering American artist Theaster Gates returns to London for the first time since his Serpentine Pavilion in 2022 with a show taking over the whole of White Cube Bermondsey. Following a recent show at Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum, this exhibition of architectural interventions, large-scale installations, film works and archival presentations will honour the legacy of Malcolm X, as well as referencing the archive of the late Japanese journalist Ei Nagata and his partner, Haruhi Ishitani, who dedicated their lives to preserving the activist’s legacy after witnessing his assassination. Gates’s community-focused approach and his very modern take on abstraction and ceramics – filled with tar, clay, music and history – makes him an artist worth getting excited about, no matter what he’s working on

Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House is one of London’s most iconic performance venues, pulling in crowds of more than 600,000 each year. But while tickets for its world-leading programme of operas and ballets tend to cost a pretty penny – top-price tickets for its biggest shows can set you back upwards of £250 – that’s not the case for its Live at Lunch performances. Taking place on select Friday lunchtimes throughout the year in the Opera House’s magnificent glass conservatory, the free performances feature a surprise line-up of performers from the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera, alongside a range of guest artists. There’s no need to book; simply turn up nice and promptly on the scheduled date and pick up an entry token on arrival. At around 45 minutes long, you can squeeze one in during your lunch hour if you work nearby, which sounds way more interesting than mindlessly scrolling through Facebook while you wolf down a meal deal at your desk. The Time Out office is just around the corner, so you might even spot an editor or two in the wild. See you there!

For the latest in Goldsmiths CCA’s commissioning series ‘Episodes’, South Korean artist Eunjo Lee showcases her dystopian-filled digital work. Following a narrative centred around figures in the middle ground between human and matter, who sacrifice their bodies to become pure light, the pieces in this exhibition explore themes including the liminal space of acts of creation and the never-ending cycles of life and death.

The Big Egg Hunt returns to the streets of London this Easter, with over 100 decorated large-scale eggs to be found in neighbourhoods across the city. Collect the eggs by ticking them off in the free app to win prizes. If there’s one egg in particular that really takes your fancy, you can bid to take it home for good in a silent auction, with all money raised going to support Elephant Family’s conservation work in South Asia.

Sure, you could go hunting for delicious Easter eggs in the picturesque gardens of London, or you could take on a more urban challenge and take your search to a densely populated shopping area. Kick off your journey at the SoLo Craft Fair before venturing around Brixton Village with your club sheet in hand, solving riddles and busting challenges that will guide you through some of London’s best independent shops. Once you’re done, head back to SoLo Craft Fair and claim your prize – an Easter decoration for the kiddies or a tote bag for the grown ups.