Lights, camera, arts and culture: free events all summer long at Television Centre

Spend your Saturday perusing the stalls, listening to some tunes and of course grab a drink – the legendary Television Centre Artist Market is back this summer on Saturday August 30, noon-6pm. Discover some fresh artistic treats to transform your home or source some killer gifts for your next friend’s birthday at the market. In partnership with local creative studio HQI, 30 local artists will be selling their wares, including ceramics, jewellery, vintage clothing, illustrations, and other handmade treasures. Shepherd's Bush music powerhouse Next Door Records will supply a groovy soundtrack, while White City's gastropub The Broadcaster serves up bevvies from a bar on wheels.

West London is known for its deep musical roots, from soul, funk and jazz to house, rap and pop. When the sun comes out, Television Centre’s forecourt transforms into a place to enjoy live music, sat directly in front of the iconic old studios. Head down on Wednesday August 20 to catch African funk collective Malombo Music Association playing a chill set during the lunchtime slot of 12.30-2pm. Or go to Next Door Records' Voices Radio (Thursday September 4, 4.30pm-8pm), which will take you from afternoon to early evening with a live broadcast of sets from rising star DJs.

Television Centre’s big outdoor screen is often showing the sport of the day, be it Wimbledon Tennis, Tour De France or the Ashes, but this summer there’s much more to see than just sports. Make the most of the warm summer evenings by getting a post-work dose of high culture. On Thursday August 21 from 5.30pm see Chantal Ackerman's elegant avant-garde documentary News From Home, with its sweeping scenes of New York City interspersed with letters from her loving mother. Or on Thursday August 28 from 5.30pm, you can catch pop art legend Andy Warhol's experimental film Empire accompanied by a live Philip Glass piano performance by Fiachra Garvey, in collaboration with Deeper Into Movies.

The Royal College of Arts (RCA) is a world-leading creative institution located just down the road from Television Centre, so it’s no surprise that their best student work is presented in an awe inspiring exhibition on the big outdoor screen. This year it’s all about animation. A seriously versatile artform, animation can range from cartoons to mesmerising art house movies. On Wednesday September 10, an outdoor showcase from RCA students will give you a taste of the future, with original animated movies that'll immerse you in colourful worlds of London’s future animators. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy some of the most promising animation talent of the future, today.

Television Centre Live events aren’t just about enjoying music or a film screening, there’s loads of opportunities to get hands-on too with free creative workshops. You must have seen that fruit designs are having a real moment right now. So get in on this delicious trend with Hache is for Hannah's fruit poster workshop (Thursday August 14, 1pm-2pm), which will help you make zingy visual art for your walls. Or let your creativity roam free with Kite Studio's relief postcard printing workshop (Wednesday September 3, 12.30-1.30pm), which is inspired by the wonders of abstract shapes. 

Sign up in advance for the workshops on Eventbrite here, and find out more about the full Television Centre Live programme here.