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.
We've been keeping our ears to the ground for any news about public appearances from Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the lead-up to the publication date of her new book, and at last, our prayers have been answered. The inimitable actor, producer and writer will discuss Fleabag: The Scriptures on stage at the Royal Festival Hall in conversation with Deborah Frances-White, host of the hit podcast The Guilty Feminist.
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Hear from curator and writer Francesca Gavin, and artists Sara Barker and Rana Begum, as they discuss the role and relevance of abstraction in contemporary art today. The event coincides with Hayward Gallery’s current retrospective exhibition devoted to the work of internationally renowned artist Bridget Riley, known for her vibrant and compelling abstract paintings that actively engage the viewer.
Price: £8
Lisa Taddeo’s Three Women was hailed as an instant feminist classic and a global phenomenon on its publication earlier this year. In it, the American journalist and author tells the story of three women whose lives reveal profound and previously unspoken truths about life and love, womanhood and desire. Hear Taddeo discuss the book that took her nearly a decade to write with Guardian columnist Hadley Freeman in a talk hosted by the How To Academy.
Price: £26 - £43
Head behind the scenes of the National Theatre’s current stage adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel My Brilliant Friend. At this all-day event, you’ll have the chance to watch a rehearsal demonstration and get first-hand insight from cast members, theatre-makers and academics.
Price: £60 (£40 senior citizens; £15 students and under-18s)
Learn about the history behind your favourite Christmas carols through a trio of talks at Gresham College. You’ll hear carols expert Jeremy Summerly talking about the year the Christmas carol went viral in 1929 (12 Dec); Dr Christine Corton on film adaptations of A Christmas Carol (10 Dec); and former Christmas elf Dr Teea Palo lecturing on why we're convinced Santa is from Finland (11 Dec).
Price: Free, but booking essential
Gina Miller has taken the government to court not once but twice – and won. In the face of abuse and threats – including a crowdfunded campaign to sponsor her assassination – she has risen to become an icon for anyone who believes in transparency, democracy and the rule of law. Hear Gina draw on her lifetime of fighting injustice to reflect on the moments that made her in this How To Academy talk chaired by Hannah MacInnes.
Price: £30 - £40
Join assistant curator Emma Lewis for an in-depth introduction to the gallery’s Olafur Eliasson: In real life exhibition. This is a chance to learn about Eliasson’s large-scale installations and the way he addresses climate change, sustainability and migration as well as nature, geometry and perception in his work. The talk is followed by an opportunity to explore the exhibition independently after hours.
Price: £25.50
To celebrate his 80th birthday in a somewhat unconventional way, multiple award-winning actor Sir Ian McKellen is touring the country performing 80 one-night solo shows in 80 theatres. The performances themselves promise an eclectic mix of material – from revived snippets of some of Sir Ian’s best-loved roles, to anecdotes from his 60-year career and recitals of gay poetry. Sir Ian begins his tour with 16 performances in London; follow the link below to find out where he’s performing.
Price: £15 – £45 (All profits will be given to charities sponsored by each individual theatre)
For one night only this November, acclaimed novelist and award-winning screenwriter David Nicholls is taking to the stage at the Bridge Theatre to discuss his Sunday Times bestseller Sweet Sorrow. The event is a chance to ask Nicholls any questions you have about his latest book or indeed his earlier work, which includes the novel-turned-film One Day and Bafta-winning screenplay for Patrick Melrose.
Price: £15 - £30
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
Book tickets
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
Since graduating from Central Saint Martins with an MA in Fashion, Roksanda Ilinčić has gone on to become one of London’s best-known fashion personalities. Her brand ROKSANDA is practically synonymous with modern femininity and women across the world enjoy her contemporary collections. To mark the publication of Fashion Central Saint Martins – a book about the college featuring some of the most striking works produced there plus interviews with notable alumni – the book’s editors Hywel Davies and Cally Blackman are coming to the V&A to discuss the school’s legacy and impact with Roksanda Ilincic herself.
Price: £15 - £18
Award-winning actress Demi Moore, one of the biggest names in Hollywood, is coming to Waterstones Piccadilly to discuss her new memoir, Inside Out. The book sees Demi pull back the curtain to open up about her career and personal life – laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward happiness. Book fast to hear first-hand tales of her life in the spotlight.
Price: £30
London-based artist Laura Grace Ford draws on the works of William Blake in her art, delving into spatial narratives, contested space, architecture, fiction and memory. On the anniversary of Blake’s birthday, she’ll be speaking on his politics and poetry, matching the town that Blake knew to the experience of being out and about in the contemporary city. London is different now, of course, but Blake’s fighting spirit makes him ever relevant.
Price: £10
The Royal Academy’s mammoth exhibition of Freud’s mirror moments will be introduced by guest curator Jasper Sharp of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, in this talk. Spanning nearly seven decades, this is (astonishingly) the first exhibition dedicated solely to self-portraiture in the intensely private artist’s work. Sharp will delve into its key themes and works – an expert insight into what promises to be a seminal show.
Price: £10
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: Check with the box office for returns
Discover some of the most exciting talents the literary world has to offer at the Southbank Centre, where the Autumn Literature Season is one of the most jam-packed to date. Expect to hear from big personalities, ranging from psychotherapist Philippa Perry to documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux. Follow the link below for our highlights.
Price: Depends on event
The luxury industries are growing in the UK. By 2020, it’s expected they’ll be worth almost £60 billion. Want a slice of the action? You can hear from the business leaders re-defining the UK’s luxury market at the British Library’s Inspiring Leaders talk. Delivered in partnership with Walpole, the talk will question: ‘what is luxury now?’ and celebrate innovators in the field. Panellists include House of Hackney founder Frieda Gormley, The Jackal founder Darren Sital-Singh and Me+Em founder Clare Hornby. The talk is followed by a networking reception with drinks and canapés.
Price: £11
How To Academy’s flagship conference collates the individuals who make the future. Fertility and genetics expert Robert Winston will be speaking on genetically enhancing humans, and celebrated linguist Noam Chomsky will be buzzing in on video from Arizona. Right at the intersection of science and culture, this event will span topics from democracy and the future of healthcare to the problems that technology both creates and solves. These are the issues of tomorrow, and our motto is: always be prepared.
Price: £159 – £169
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