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[title]Fancy upping your arty credentials? If you enjoy spending time exploring the best that the West End has to offer – preferably under cover of night like a culturally savvy vampire bat – Art After Dark will tick a lot of boxes for you.
Its name is a bit of a clue as to what’s involved, but here’s the lowdown: Art After Dark is a brand new initiative for anyone who fancies an evening of culture in the heart of the capital without needing to splash the cash.
The seasonal programme offers a great opportunity to visit galleries and cultural venues after hours, including iconic institutions like the Royal Academy of Arts and the National Gallery. All the venues are within walking distance of each other, so no Tube or cabs are needed. Plus, if you’ve ever felt too daunted to venture into a commercial gallery, or attend a preview or exhibition opening, Art After Dark will demystify the art world and introduce you to work that excites and inspires.
The experts at Art of London have launched this inclusive series – which will run three times this year – so you know it’s something to bookmark in the calendar and plan a whole night around. You can even have first blood (that bat fixation again) with the inaugural Art After Dark on March 23 and 24, when you can discover unmissable (and free!) art and culture across London’s West End until 9pm. Given that it’s one event you’ll really want to attend – and impress your friends by letting it slip to them – follow Art of London on Instagram to get the lowdown on what’s happening.
On Thursday March 23, some key independent art galleries around St James’s will be staying up late, including Cristea Roberts, 3812 Gallery and Stern Pissarro as part of the West End Gallery HOP!. The following night, Friday March 24, it’s the turn of the big guns. Check out a brand new display of self-portraits, ‘Image of the Artist’, at the Royal Academy on Piccadilly and some striking video works in Nalini Malani’s ‘My Reality Is Different’ at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square.
On both evenings, don’t miss some cool new art installations lighting up Piccadilly Circus, St James’s Market and St James’s Churchyard: ‘Absorbed by Light’ by Gali May Lucas and sculpted by Karoline Hinz, and ‘Crossroads’ and ‘Exponential’, both by Lucid Creates.
Of course, once you’re in the West End, it would be foolish not to avail yourself of all the great spots to keep your special night going, with Piccadilly, St Martin’s Lane and Haymarket all at your disposal. Eat, drink, or maybe even see some theatre or comedy. Whatever you’re up for, there’s sure to be a hidden gem or unmissable classic nearby for you to try.
Art After Dark promises to be a great way to absorb some culture year-round, get in some steps and see London’s art-packed West End in a whole different light. Or should that be darkness?
Art After Dark launches Mar 23 and 24 2023, with three events planned across the year.
