The Christmas trails in London for art lovers

There’s much to look forward to in December: Mince pies, carols and Christmas parties included. But look closer at the city’s Christmas lights and markets this year and you’ll notice something different as many more are increasingly calling on artists and luxury brands to give the season an artistic flair. In the hopes of presenting a more curated spin on this year’s festive activities, we’ve compiled all the installations, light displays and markets worth seeking out this year, helping to elevate your Christmas to-do list one artistic collaboration at a time.

Fitzrovia Quarter

Claire Luxton, 'Love Is in the Air'.

#FLODown: Find yourself on Great Portland Street often? Make sure to look out for artist Claire Luxton’s giant illuminated red heart, which will hang over Fitzrovia Quarter from 12 November until the New Year. Titled Love Is in the Air Reprise, the installation was developed with arts agency MTArt and brings Luxton’s portrait Love Is in the Air to life on a physical scale, intended to represent love in all its forms. ‘There is something really joyful about taking an artwork that began as a portrait and turning it into something people can physically experience’, noted Luxton. ‘I hope it creates one of those little moments of magic where people look up, smile, and feel connected.’ For the lucky few who can make it down to the launch event on 12 November, expect free hot chocolate from XO Chocolate and the usual street festivities, with participation from The Mandrake and The Newman hotels.

Date: 12 November 2026 - January 2027. Location: Fitzrovia Quarter, W1W. Price: free. More information here.

Kew Gardens

Christmas at Kew, Stuart-Davidson © RBG Kew.

#FLODown: Looking for a little bit more greenery this Christmas? Look no further than Christmas at Kew, which offers a three-kilometre walking route around the grounds of Kew Gardens and features 30 installations, among them world premieres from Squidsoup, Studio Vertigo, French collective TILT and ITHACA studio. These include a sound and light piece, Infinite Choir, at the Treetop Walkway, and an animated willow tree inspired by Kew’s historic tree collection. For those wanting to leave the kids at home, not-to-miss dates include 3 and 9 December, which will be functioning as adult-only evenings. Alongside new artist commissions, returning favourites include the majestic Christmas Cathedral, inviting guests to wander beneath its glowing arches, and the atmospheric Fire Garden, where dancing flames will create a mesmerising contrast to the winter night.

Date: 13 November 2026 - 3 January 2027. Location: Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew at Victoria Gate entrance, TW9 3JR. Price: from £29.50. Concessions available. More information here.

Sloane Street

Sotheby's Meeting Place Tree.

#FLODown: If you’re looking for an elevated shopping experience this Christmas, make sure to head down to London Sloane Street in November, where a parade of 30 Christmas tree sculptures by 30 different artists and creatives (including Roksanda Ilinčić, Alison Jackson and Charlotte Tilbury) will line the street to create London’s largest artist-led Christmas tree trail. Works range from a giraffe bearing mistletoe and a tree of illuminated butterflies to Christmas imagined through the eyes of a Basset Hound. Charlotte Colbert’s tree, ‘We Met a Thousand Dreams Ago’, is polished stainless steel hung with lights, while Roksanda’s takes its cue from Brutalist architecture. For anyone interested in the stories and inspirations behind each tree, curator-led tours will take place on 14 and 29 November, offering a chance to learn more about the project, known as ‘The Firefly Festive Forest’. Organised by Quintessentially Foundation Trustee Ruth Ganesh, the Festive Forest not only brings a sense of artistry to Christmas but has also been conceived to raise funds for the foundation’s project, which supports charities working with disadvantaged children and young people across London. To make this possible, a live online auction of the trees will take place on 1 December, with all proceeds going directly to the Quintessentially Foundation mission. The street will come alive on Saturday 14 November, from 1pm to 7pm, as those exploring the street's boutiques, galleries and restaurants will also be able to enjoy choirs, street performers and seasonal entertainment throughout the day.

Date: 12 November - 1 December. Location: Sloane Street, SW1X. Price: free. More information here.

Southbank Centre

Squire & Partners x Southbank Centre, Winter Windows, 2025.

#FLODown: The Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary celebrations build to a festive peak this December as The Winter Market pop-ups return along the Queen’s Walk run until 3 January, while the Winter Light public art trail (24 Nov 2026 – 10 Jan 2027)brings an abundance of light and colour through select artist commissions that will feature installations by David Batchelor, Jakob Kvist, Nathaniel Rackowe, Squire & Partners, Fred Tschida and more. If you want to escape the cold, Thick & Tight’s Camp as Christmas will provide festive drag at the Purcell Room throughout December. Adding to the camp Christmas chaos is a nativity cast that includes the Virgin Mary, Reform UK and Judy Garland; yes, you read that right. Also taking place across the month is the world premiere of Cirque Alice, offering a magnificent acrobatic adventure for all ages set to contemporary classical arrangements. 

Date: 24 November 2026 - January 2027. Location: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Price: dependent on activity. More information here.

Kings Cross

Coal Drop Yard Christmas market. © John Sturrock.

#FLODown: If you’re more craft-focused this Christmas, Kings Cross may be the destination for you. A whopping 110 artists, makers and designers are expected to set up camp in Granary Square this December for the Crafty Fox Christmas Markets, with a different line-up of creatives announced for each day. The Illustrators’ Fair will also take place at the start of the month, bringing together more than 130 illustrators and independent publishers. Select boutiques across Coal Drops Yard will also add a festive twist to their gifting options, with Paul Smith planning Japanese fabric wrapping using its signature fabrics and Cass Art developing a series of additional festive workshops. Separately, a series of new public artworks commissioned as part of Love Camden and Christmas Remixed will be unveiled across the area's signature art benches in November, transforming the site into an open-air gallery for residents, workers and visitors to enjoy.

Date: 26 November 2026 - 3 January 2027. Location: Granary Square, King's Cross, London N1C 4AA Price: free. More information here.

By Christina Donoghue