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The jugglers, circus people and clowns are on their way to London. Back to being a live event this year, the London International Mime Festival features a wide variety of shows, from dance to puppetry. See classic stories reimagined and also exclusive international films. Check out the Gandini Juggling performance, an original show featuring contemporary juggling and music coming to Sadler's Wells Theatre, January 12 to 15. Also from January 26 through 29 at The Peacock is one of Britian's most popular circus companies Barely Methodical Troupe, who complete powerful acrobatics in their show 'Kin'. Another highlight is 'What Do You See?' which celebrates identity through a mixture of song, movement and costume at Shoreditch Town Hall, January 19 to 23. The festival is also hosting workshops so you can work on your own clown skills. Times and venues vary, so see the London International Mime Festival website for a complete schedule.

Catch hundreds of British and international short films as well as a bunch of talks and workshops at the 19th edition of the London Short Film Festival, a BAFTA-affiliated celebration of shorts which takes place across ten days and loads of great cinemas and arts spaces across the city. Screenings include an opening-night programme of comedy shorts at the ICA, ‘Lo-Budget Mayhem’ selection at the Rio Cinema showcasing the best in frugal filmmaking, and  the festival’s usual programme of d/Deaf Shorts, exploring experiences of people within the d/Deaf community, at the BFI Southbank. Check out the full programme here.

Taking place across a multitude of venues in the capital, London’s inaugural Syrian Arts and Culture Festival (SACF) presents an electric programme of multidisciplinary arts showcasing the country’s historical, economic, social, political and cultural specificities over two weeks of events. There’ll be some top quality cinema, including a selection by celebrated figures in the film industry such as Omar Amiralay, Hala Alabadalla, and Ossama Mohammed. And you can also catch traditional musical performances, a date from renowned Syrian singer Dima Orsho, a range of talks and ‘A Taste of Syria’, a participatory workshop about Syrian cuisine. Full programme details can be found here.