Various east London venues

Whitechapel Art Gallery's brand new free festival is an inclusive take on the art world's love of big biennales. For eight weeks over summer, there'll be an eclectic array of events at both Whitechapel Gallery and over 40 partner venues across east London. There's loads to do, including exhibitions, talks, hands on workshops, and kids events. Highlights include drop-in exhibition The Ropery, which invites visitors to try rope and string braiding, and add their work to a growing installation in the gallery. At Greatorex, a community based workshop will explore the relationship between meditation and working with clay (Jul 23-26). At BLOC cinema, you'll find an evening of short films and discussions about the idea of 'Hard to reach' audiences (Jul 29). And don't miss the festival's programme of walking tours by local guides, exploring Whitechapel's different community stories.