While TED talks are a chance to hear from some of the world’s most influential figures and learn about a wealth of different topics, there’s something special about ditching the screen and booking a ticket to hear those who inspire you speak in person. Each month, the Culture Whisper team rounds up the most exciting talks happening in London to book now.
Since Wolf Hall in 2009 and Bring Up the Bodies in 2012, readers have been eagerly awaiting the final installment of Hilary Mantel's thrilling Cromwell trilogy. The Mirror and the Light comes out in March 2020, and Mantel is giving and exclusive talk at the Southbank Centre to mark the occasion.
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With the birth of new wave band Blondie in 1975 came a whole new sound and music scene. Merging the genres of rock, punk, disco, reggae and hip-hop, Blondie were the epitome of New York City cool. Founding members Debbie Harry (the vocalist and face of the band) and Chris Stein (its guitarist and songwriter) are in conversation at the Barbican. Come along to hear the duo explore the history of the band and their music.
Price: £30 - £65
The second season of ‘By Design’ talks at the Sir John Soane’s Museum kicks off on 24 February. Held in collaboration with luxe rug manufacturers Luke Irwin, the series sees leading designers from across the nation discuss their practice through the lense of a single object. Co-hosted by BBC arts editor Will Gompertz and award-winning design critic and author Alice Rawsthorn, the new season of monthly talks, held in the museum's Library Dining Room, welcomes: landscape gardener Dan Pearson (24 February), designer Ilse Crawford (30 March), fashion designer Erdem Moralioglu (20 April), architect Amanda Levete (18 May) and British artist Phyllida Barlow (1 June).
Price: £30 per talk
Using the simple theme of ‘alive’ as a common thread, the Night of Ideas crosses French, British and European perspectives to engage audiences in free debates and tackle the latest ideas behind contemporary issues. The night is made up of 17 different talks, between which over 40 experts are taking part, including: artists Yinka Shonibare and Marguerite Humeau, award-winning fashion and multimedia designers VIN OMI, philosopher Pascal Bruckner and the brains behind VEJA shoes.
Price: FREE, registration essential
Hear from Professor of Circadian Neuroscience Russell Foster and British painter Tom Hammick as they discuss the effect of different sleep patterns and nocturnal working on an artist’s practice, using Léon Spilliaert’s battle with insomnia – and the work he produced as a result – as the starting point of the talk.
Price: £15
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London may no longer be consumed in a dense smog, but air quality in the city is still a serious problem. In fact, certain pockets of the city are permanently engulfed in illegal levels of air pollution. This talk is the final part of the RA’s panel series responding to its Eco-Visionaries exhibition, and is a chance to hear from a panel of architects, activists and scientists as they discuss air pollution in our cities, and how the information around the problem is presented to us.
Price: £9 - £15
Hear from national treasure Maxine Peake (Avalanche: A Love Story, Hamlet, The Cherry Orchard) and rising star Ria Zmitrowicz (Three Girls, The Doctor) as they discuss the rewards and challenges of performing in Lucy Kirkwood's new play The Welkin at the National Theatre. Set in 1759, the play follows a jury of 12 women who must decide if another woman is hanged.
Price: £9/£6 concessions
Though originally known as the son of Timothy Spall, Rafe Spall has now carved out an impressive acting career of his own, spanning big screen romcoms (I Give It A Year), cult TV series (Black Mirror) and plays (Hedda Gabler, National Theatre). He’s currently starring in Clint Dyer and Roy Williams’ one-man show Death of England, an exploration of class, race and identity in modern Britain at the National Theatre. Hear Spall reflect on the rewards and challenges of performing in the show.
Price: £9/£6 concessions
Dame Helen Mirren is one of the best-known, most respected actresses in the world, with a career spanning stage, screen and television. As a one-off fundraising event, and part of the Kiln Theatre’s In Conversation series, Mirren is sitting down with actor Jim Carter to discuss her career in the spotlight. Proceeds from the evening are in aid of the Kiln Theatre.
PRICE: £95 - £125
Join leading writers Blake Gopnik and Olivia Laing as they reflect on the life and work of Andy Warhol. Coinciding with the opening of Tate Modern’s new Andy Warhol exhibition, the talk is a rare chance to hear more about the artist’s career and ongoing cultural influence, from those who have studied his work intensely.
The discussion marks the publication of art critic Blake Gopnik’s biography Warhol: A Life as Art, which draws on hundreds of interviews and years of archival research. Gopnik is joined by writer and critic Olivia Laing, whose engagement with Warhol’s work includes a new essay in the Tate exhibition catalogue. The conversation is chaired by writer and journalist Charlie Porter, who has also contributed to the Warhol catalogue.
PRICE: £12/£8 concessions
Part of the RA’s Lucian Freud: The Self-portraits exhibition, this talk examines the future of the self-portrait in contemporary art. On a panel being chaired by broadcaster and art historian Jacky Klein are contemporary artists Gavin Turk and Agnieszka Szczotka, and writer, artist and educator Anthony Luvera. Together, they will analyse what a self-portrait is in today’s society and discuss the different media being used to represent the self today.
PRICE: £15/£9 concessions
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Join Gwendolyn Dubois Shaw, Afua Hirsch and Frances Morris as they discuss Kara Walker’s 2019 Hyundai Commission, Fons Americanus, in the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. The 13-metre-high fountain, populated with characters from art historical, literary and cultural sources, narrates the history of slavery in Britain, Africa and the Americas. The talk explores the key themes and questions the installation raises, while considering the role that art and artists play in bringing about change.
PRICE: £12/£8 concessions
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Want to hear more about the inspiration behind Steve McQueen's Year 3 Project? The exhibition, currently on show at Tate Britain, features photographic portraits of thousands of London schoolchildren. Listen in on a panel debate at the gallery, in which a range of contributors reflect on the installation and how it might speak to current debates around identity, childhood and belonging. What does this project say about the future of London?
Price: £12
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With the William Blake exhibition drawing to a close, hear a panel discuss new perspectives on Blake’s work emerging in the 21st century. How are contemporary artists and writers drawing on Blake’s life and work? What influence does the 18th-century artist have on culture today? Contributors include the writer John Higgs, author of the new book William Blake Now: Why He Matters More Than Ever. The event includes a private view of the exhibition.
Price: £12
Ever felt that you should be a better feminist? If the answer is yes, then you’ll be happy to hear that Deborah Frances-White has too: once, she went to a women’s rights march, popped into the toilet at a department store and got distracted trying out face cream – and when she came out again, the march was gone. Instances like these make up the podcast The Guilty Feminist, where Frances-White and her guests discuss topics that ‘all feminists agree on’, while confessing the paradoxes and insecurities that undermine their principles.
The podcast has been downloaded over 60 million times since 2016 – so check out what the hype is about and join Frances-White and her special guests live on 9 December.
Price: £16.50
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