What’s on in London this week: 9 - 15 March 2026
Discover our pick of events in London this week: 9 - 15 March 2026.
Jan Jelinek, Hector Plimmer, Ben Bertrand +++ Live
Goodness presents a forward-thinking, left-leaning jazz-electronic evening, featuring the innovative sounds of Jan Jelinek, Hector Plimmer, Ben Bertrand and more. Jan Jelinek transforms sound by reimagining popular music into abstract, textural electronics, crafting collages from fragments sourced from samplers, tape recorders, and media players. Hector Plimmer, a South London producer, drummer and DJ, bridges genres from beats and jazz to house and techno, creating intricate rhythms with a finely tuned low-end and engaging melodies. Belgian bass clarinetist Ben Bertrand combines traditional, ancestral, and electronic influences into hypnotic live sets.
Date: 14 March 2026, 7pm. Location: ICA London, The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH. Price: £26.50 (including DICE fees + £1.50 venue levy). Book now
Image courtesy of ICA London
Dog at a Disco Presents: Comedy at Morocco Bound
Enjoy an evening of laughs at Comedy at Morocco Bound on Tuesday 10 March 2026, hosted by Dog at a Disco. This intimate London venue promises big comedy in a small space, featuring an exciting line-up of talented performers including Kemah Bob as MC, alongside Will Owen, Katie Norris, and Sam Campbell. Perfect for a night of humour and entertainment in an excellent setting.
Date: 10 March 2026, 7pm. Location: Morocco Bound, Morocco St, London SE1 3HB. Price: £16.51. Book now
Women in Jazz: In Conversation with Celeste
Celeste reflects on her musical journey from her debut Not Your Muse to her second album Woman of Faces, sharing insights on resilience, self-discovery, and turning life into song. In conversation with music journalist Emma Warren, she explores her iconic sound, jazz influences, and the women shaping contemporary music. Curated by Women in Jazz, the event celebrates female talent through mentorship, performances, and collaborations.
Date: 14 March 2026. Location: Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX. Price: from £12 + £3.50 booking fee. Book now
Celeste. Image credit Siam Coy
Philharmonia Debates: Composing Across Cultures
At the Southbank Centre, their classical music conversation continues. This week, the conversation will touch on how Western classical composers draw inspiration from musical traditions around the world, the difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation, and whether using folk influences broadens audiences or changes the original meaning of the music. It also relates to works by Antonín Dvořák and Manuel de Falla performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Date: 12 March 2026. Location: Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX. Price: Free, ticket required. Book now
Book Launch: PIVOT by Imani Mason Jordan
HELA Press presents the launch of PIVOT, an experimental, book-length poem by Imani Mason Jordan centred on the act of turning and set in relation to the Haitian Revolution. Using spare language and abstract forms, PIVOT addresses themes of revolt, rupture, and radical change in the aftermath of transatlantic slavery and European colonialism. The evening will include a reading by Mason Jordan, whose performance practice brings together improvisation, minimalist techniques, and Black study, treating language as a musical instrument and the voice as both method and material, followed by a book signing and informal gathering with the author.
Date: 14 March 2026, 6:30pm (doors), 7pm performance. Location: ICA London, The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH. Price: from £8.50. Concessions available. Book now
Image courtesy of the Barbican Centre
TwoSet Violin: Sacrilegious Games
Australian violin duo TwoSet Violin, comprising Brett Yang and Eddy Chen, bring their signature blend of virtuoso classical performance and humour to the stage in Sacrilegious Games. Known for their viral videos and engaging online presence, with over 9.5 million followers worldwide, they entertain audiences with fan-favourite original pieces alongside iconic works by Mozart, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, and others.
Date: 14 – 15 March 2026. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: from £39. + £4 Booking fee. Book now
The Slow Death of Democracy
The London Review of Books will host a discussion examining the current state and future of democracy in the face of rising global crises and conflicts. The conversation builds on a piece originally published by David Runciman in the LRB at the end of 2016, titled Is this how democracy ends? In that essay, Runciman warned that the election of Donald Trump exposed fundamental vulnerabilities in democratic systems, where “fake disruption followed by institutional paralysis” could gradually erode the machinery of government. The discussion will open with the ongoing regional war in the Middle East, exploring its democratic and anti-democratic dimensions, with insights from BBC chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet, who recently reported from Iran. The panel also features historian Christopher Clark and author and former UN adviser Thant Myint-U. Together, they will reflect on whether democracy can survive in the 21st century or is gradually sliding towards decline.
Date: 11 March 2026. Time: 7 – 8.45 pm. Location: The Light Auditorium, Friends House, NW1 2BJ. Price: from £16.25. Book now
St Patrick’s Festival returns on Sunday 15 March 2026 at Trafalgar Square.
St Patrick’s Festival 2026
The Mayor of London’s St Patrick’s Festival returns on Sunday 15 March 2026 in Trafalgar Square for a full day celebrating Irish culture through music, performance, and community events. The Main Stage, hosted by Rachel Galvo, will present a range of traditional and contemporary acts including the Irish Culture Centre Choir, Moonlight: The Philip Lynott Enigma, David Keenan, and headline performer Robert Arkins of The Commitments. The St Patrick’s Parade begins at noon, led by Grand Marshal Emma Dabiri, and will travel from Hyde Park through Piccadilly, Regent Street, Cockspur Street, and Trafalgar Square to Whitehall, featuring Irish County Associations, community groups, marching bands, dancers, and carnival performers. Across the festival, visitors can also take part in Irish Creative Collective sessions, watch short films, see exhibitions, try Irish language lessons, and enjoy children’s arts and crafts alongside a range of food and craft stalls, celebrating Ireland’s presence in London.
Date: 15 March 2026, Noon - 6 pm. Location: Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London WC2N 5DN. Price: Free. london.gov.uk
Mother’s Day in London
Mother’s Day beauty escape in Covent Garden
Celebrate Mother’s Day with a luxurious beauty experience in Covent Garden, featuring some of the city’s most prestigious beauty and fragrance houses. At Charlotte Tilbury’s world-first Skin Spa, indulge in expert facials such as the Lift, Firm and Snatch or The Glass-Gleam Skin Facial for a glow-boosting treat. CHANEL offers the L’Heure Iconique Beauty Service & Camellia Crafting experience, combining a one-hour personalised makeup session with a camellia-inspired craft for a thoughtful, creative gift. Elemis provides a forty-five-minute Skin Rejuvenation, while Neal’s Yard Remedies offers a sixty-minute Wild Rose Natural Glow facial, ensuring a pampering moment for every mum. Explore Covent Garden’s luxurious boutiques, including BYREDO, Creed, Dolce & Gabbana, Diptyque, Miller Harris, Jo Malone London, NARS, Tom Ford, and the newly opened UK-first MATIÈRE PREMIÈRE store, for a curated journey through beauty and fragrance.
Date: 12, 17, and 21 March 2026. Location: Covent Garden, London WC2E 8RF. Price: From £35 (redeemable against product for CHANEL experience). Click here to discover more about Mother’s Day in Covent Garden.
CHANEL offers the L’Heure Iconique Beauty Service & Camellia Crafting experience in Covent Garden
Celebrate Mother’s Day with Rosie Wylie at the Royal Academy of Arts
Treat your mum to a visit to Rosie Wylie OBE RA’s solo exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, her largest UK survey to date. At 91, Wylie continues to inspire with her vibrant, character-driven figurative paintings that draw on art history, literature, celebrity culture, and contemporary life. The exhibition showcases both iconic works and previously unseen creations, capturing moments from the Blitz to football matches with energy, humour, and insight. Wylie’s story, returning to painting after a 25-year break to raise her family, makes her work a wonderful celebration of resilience, creativity, and the joys of life lived fully.
Click here to read our review of Rose Wylie: The Picture Comes First at the Royal Academy of Arts.
Date: 28 February – 19 April 2026. Location: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. Price: £21–£23 (concessions available). Book now
Hampton Court Palace. Image credit MTotoe/ FLO London
Free entry to Hampton Court Gardens
Hampton Court Palace offers free, non-ticketed entry to its renowned gardens on select “Garden Open Days” throughout the year, typically in March, May, September, October, November, and December. This month it will be happening this weekend, giving the perfect opportunity to explore 60 acres of formal gardens and 750 acres of historic parkland. Wander past the manicured hedges of the Privy Garden, discover treasures like the Tijou screen, find tranquility in the Wilderness, or enjoy the botanical delights of the Rose Garden and National Plant Collections. Little ones can run wild in the Magic Garden, or take on the challenge of the world’s oldest puzzle Maze. With filming locations for shows such as Bridgerton and ever-changing seasonal views, there’s always something new to see. A stroll through these beautiful gardens is a wonderful way to spend Mother’s Day.
Date: 14 - 15 March 2025. Location: Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU. hrp.org.uk
Image courtesy of Harry’s
From Nonna’s Kitchen: Harry’s Mother’s Day Menus
This Mother’s Day, Harry’s is celebrating Italian family traditions with “From Nonna’s Kitchen”, a series of special set menus inspired by comforting, home-style cooking. The menus highlight classic Italian flavours, from hand-rolled pasta and rich tomato sauces to beautifully simple ingredients that reflect the spirit of traditional Sunday gatherings. A Mother’s Day breakfast menu (£27.50) features pastries, celebratory spritzes and elevated favourites such as Eggs Royale and truffle eggs, while the three-course lunch and dinner menu (£40) showcases signature dishes including spaghetti seafood, truffled chicken and Harry’s “Two Sheet Lasagna”. There will also be classic Italian desserts such as tiramisu and the Amalfi lemon cheesecake-inspired creation, adding a sweet touch to the celebrations.
Date: Breakfast available 15 March (9am–11am); Lunch and dinner available 14–15 March. Location: Harry’s (selected London locations). harrysdolcevita.com
DAMU at The Mandrake
DAMU at The Mandrake
This week, DAMU at The Mandrake is offering a special “Woman in Your Life” package, designed as a restorative Mother’s Day experience for two. The experience includes time in the warmth of the Origin Pool before moving into the calming Mud Caves for a shared ritual designed to soothe, reset and reconnect. It concludes in the Tranquillity Space with Champagne and delicate nibbles, encouraging a moment to linger in calm. The experience can also be extended with a wellness-led lunch, nourishing dinner or an overnight stay at The Mandrake. Since opening in March 2025, DAMU has drawn on ancient Mesopotamian healing philosophies alongside modern technology to create a wellbeing space focused on restoration, balance and rebirth.
Date: 9–15 March 2026. Location: DAMU at The Mandrake, 20–21 Newman Street, London, W1T 1PG. Price: From £350. Book now
New openings
Napoli on the Road opens in Soho
Chiswick favourite Napoli on the Road Soho has opened on Wardour Street, bringing Michele Pascarella’s celebrated contemporary pizza to the heart of Soho. Moving away from the traditional trattoria style, the new space has been designed with Barcelona-based studio Isern Serra, with a sleek, modern interiors. Known for its exceptional dough and a balance of traditional, modern, and seasonal toppings, the menu includes standout pizzas such as the “Best Pizza in the World 2025”, topped with slow-cooked beef ragù and Parmigiano Reggiano fondue, alongside desserts like ricotta and chocolate sponge with candied orange and almond paste, making it a must-visit for anyone serious about great pizza in London.
Location: 140 Wardour Street, London W1F 8ZT. Website: napoliontheroad.com. Instagram: @napoli_ontheroad
Image courtesy of Napoli on the Road
Cinema
Lost Reels: Mi Vida Loca on 35mm + Q&A
Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life), directed by Allison Anders, is a dynamic, female-led drama that follows young Latina women navigating friendship, rivalry, and responsibility within Los Angeles street gangs in the early 1990s. Shot on location in Echo Park, the film captures the rhythms, conflicts, and close-knit community of the neighbourhood with striking authenticity, including professional and non-professional actors across three interconnected chapters. Celebrated for its rich detail and unflinching realism, the screening at ICA London will be followed by a live Q&A with Allison Anders, providing a rare chance to engage with the filmmaker and her remarkable vision.
Date: 13 March 2026. Location: ICA London, The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH. Price: from £14. Concessions available. Book now
Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life). Image courtesy of ICA London
Arts & Culture
Opening this week
David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting
Serpentine North will open a new exhibition showcasing David Hockney’s recent work, including his monumental digital frieze A Year in Normandie and a new site-specific garden mural depicting a treehouse scene from the frieze. The exhibition will also present five new still lifes and five portraits of Hockney’s family and carers, connected by frontal compositions and a recurring gingham tablecloth motif.
Date: 12 March – 23 August 2026. Location: Serpentine North, Kensington Gardens, Bayswater Rd, London W2 3XA. Price: Free. serpentinegalleries.org
David Hockney, Abstraction Resting on a Red and White Checkered Tablecloth, 2025, Acrylic on canvas © DavidHockney. Photo Credit: Prudence Cuming
Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse
The National Gallery will open an exhibition celebrating George Stubbs’s pioneering equine portraits, centred on Scrub, a striking painting of a rearing racehorse without a rider. The show will explore his groundbreaking anatomical studies and the extraordinary accuracy and vitality that define his horse paintings, with references to Whistlejacket, highlighting how Stubbs transformed British equine art.
Date: 12 March – 31 May 2026. Location: National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN. Price: Free. nationalgallery.org.uk
George Stubbs, 'Scrub, a bay horse belonging to the Marquess of Rockingham', about 1762. Private Collection © Private Collection. Photo The National Gallery, London
Last chance to see
Richard Avedon: Facing West
This week is the last chance to see Facing West, an exhibition of rare prints from Richard Avedon’s iconic In the American West series, at Gagosian. Curated by Avedon’s granddaughter, Caroline Avedon, the show features 21 portraits, including works not displayed since 1985, capturing the lives of working-class Americans with intimacy, depth, and respect.
Date: 15 January – 14 March 2026. Location: Gagosian, 20 Grosvenor Hill, London W1K 3QD. Price: Free. gagosian.com
Richard Avedon James Story, coal miner, Somerset, Colorado, December 18, 1979 © The Richard Avedon Foundation
#FLOFavourites: Pick of the Week
Free event of the week
Wellcome Collection Lates
‘Look up my Nose', part of 1880 THAT, an exhibition by Christine Sun Kim and Thomas Mader at Wellcome Collection. Image credit Steven Pocock
The Wellcome Collection is hosting Wellcome Collection Lates this Thursday. The late-night event features performances, talks, workshops, music, and guided tours led by artists, researchers, and community leaders. Each session offers a unique perspective on health, science, and what it means to be human. There will also be the chance to see their current exhibition, “1880 THAT”, which explores deaf identities, language, and histories. Admission is free, and the full line-up is available on the Wellcome Collection website and social media.
Date: 14 March 2026, 7-10pm. Location: Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE. Price: Free. wellcomecollection.org
Art news of the week
Camden Art Centre announces Donald Locke exhibition
Timehri Rock #40, 2009. Mixed media, ceramic, twigs. Image courtesy of The Anthony Shaw Collection/York Museums Trust. Image credit Tom Meyer
Camden Art Centre announces it will open a major survey of Guyanese-British artist Donald Locke (1930–2010) this summer, showcasing five decades of his work from the late 1960s through to his final pieces in Atlanta. The exhibition traces Locke’s development across Guyana, the UK, and the United States, highlighting his contributions as a post-war artist of the Windrush Generation, whose work has often been under-recognised in the UK. It features early biomorphic ceramics, mixed-media sculpture and paintings from the Plantation Series, large-scale works combining found materials, and late pieces influenced by the assemblage traditions of the American South. Across all media, Locke consistently explored themes of history, identity, and subjugation, while experimenting with form, materials, and stylistic approaches. This London iteration includes new works on paper and ceramics, alongside loans from York Art Gallery and the Donald Locke Estate, making it the first time the full breadth of his practice is displayed in the capital.
Date: 12 June – 20 September 2026. Location: Camden Art Centre, Arkwright Road, London, NW3 6DG. Price: Free. camdenartcentre.org
Click here for more art news to be on your radar this week.
Food of the week
1 Lombard Street launches steak & unlimited frites Fridays
The Aubrey Brunch. Image credit @lateef.photography
Fridays at 1 Lombard Street just got even better with the launch of Steak & Unlimited Frites Fridays. Diners can enjoy perfectly cooked Irish beef from master butcher Peter Hannan, served with classic Béarnaise or peppercorn sauce and bottomless fries. Complement the meal with cocktails like the Americano, Paloma, Rum Punch (£8) or Espresso Martini (£10), all within the impressive Neo-classical dining room featuring a Grade II listed stuccoed ceiling and glass dome.
Location: 1 Lombard Street, London, EC3V 9AA. Price: from £27. Website: 1lombardstreet.com. Instagram: @1lombardstreet
Cause of the week
Sandblast Arts
Image courtesy of Old Spitalfields Market
Sandblast Arts is a London-based charity dedicated to raising awareness and solidarity for the Saharawi people of Western Sahara. They are looking for volunteer Virtual English Teachers to support Saharawi refugee children aged 10–16 through one-to-one online sessions. Volunteers will meet with a child twice a week for 30–45 minutes to help improve their conversational English, listening, and speaking skills in a relaxed and engaging way. The focus is on building confidence rather than perfect grammar, with a short preparation for each session. The total commitment is about two hours per week.
Click here to apply.
