Free things to do in London this weekend

Europe’s largest brick building is no stranger to sparkling spectacles. The Grade II-listed Art Deco masterpiece has appeared in Hitchcock films and is on the cover of one of the most iconic albums of the last generation: Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals’. Now it’s playing backdrop again, and glowing up the gloomy London winter evenings in the process, as a series of shining light installations designed by international artists pepper the building for its annual Light Festival. Look out for an interactive musical light sculpture inspired by the pollination process in plants, an ‘Aurora’ designed exclusively for the station’s Art Deco Turbine Hall, and another interactive installation in the shape of a horse on a spring which lights up when ridden. 

We've all heard about gay sailors, but what about queer pirates or trans seahorses? Taking place across the National Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark and Queen’s House, Out at Sea is Greenwich’s annual celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month, a free week-long events series packed with historical storytelling sessions, lively performances and crafty workshops for the whole family. Head down to the three museums to enjoy Drag Queen storytime sessions with the Queer History Club’s H.R.H Aphrodite and pirate drag queen Maneeta and performances from LGBTQ+ asylum seeker choir Rainbows Across Borders. Or get stuck in yourself at a singing workshop facilitated by the Trans Voices Young Company, drag aerobics classes with Dolly Trolley, and a plethora of arts and crafts sessions where you can try your hand at making everything from merfolk collages to fisherman’s knot friendship bracelets. Check out the full programme here. 

This much-delayed exhibition of new work by dissident art superstar Ai Weiwei promises ‘a provocative exploration of contemporary issues through the lens of historical and artistic references’, and lots of Lego and swearing. One work is called ‘F.U.C.K.’ and another is called ‘Go Fuck Yourself’, so you can be pretty sure that Ai isn’t here to fuck around. 

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

One of a variety of free, themed tours that take place regularly throughout the year, these hour-long tours explore some of the treasures of the Tate Modern’s collection through the lens of gender identity and sexuality. Let by a team of volunteers, each of which have their own special interests, so you never know exactly which of the 70,000-odd artworks on display might be included on the tour, which could encompass artworks by artists as diverse as Claude Cahun, Gilbert & George, Laura Aguilar, Nan Goldin, Zanele Muholi, Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly

The team behind Dialled In are bringing a new day of workshops, panels and conversations to London in a bid to empower South Asian creatives and offer new opportunities to hone their skills and make new connections. Dialled Industry will take over Walthamstow’s Big Creative Academy and will be free for all, although donations of £5-£10 are encouraged. Expect sessions on DJing, production and photography alongside talks on how to break into the industry, gain funding and more.

Find out what the UK's most promising fine art graduates have been up to in this annual showcase of up-and-coming talent from across the UK, which is now in its 75th year. Featuring 33 exhibitors selected by renowned artists Liz Johnson Artur, Permindar Kaur and Amalia Pica, the exhibition launched in Plymouth in autumn 2024, before arriving at the Institute of Contemporary Art in January 2025.

Get to know the surprising queer histories behind some of the art and artefacts in the British Museum’s vast collection on this free tour of the iconic institution. Led by a knowledgeable volunteer, the 70-minute tour takes in a huge variety of objects ranging from the ancient world to the present day, illuminating the fascinating stories behind some of the musum’s most famous artefacts and lesser-known gems, including the Townley Diskobolos, the Gilgamesh Tablet and the Warren Cup. Can’t make it to one of these dates? There’s also a self-guided version of the tour with free audio commentary you can access through your preferred streaming platform.