Speaking for Ourselves

Events in London

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14/04/2025

Events in London

Talks and discussions

Monday 3 November

* China’s Economic Prospects on the Cusp, George Magnus, 6pm, Gresham College, Barnard’s Inn Hall, Holborn, EC1N 2HH

* NYRA: Pre-Launch, Amanda Lenhardt on her social venture designed to catalyse collective action between farmers in the Global South on the frontlines of climate change and people in the UK ready to take evidence-based climate actions, 7 - 9pm, King’s College, 8th Floor Terrace, Strand campus, 30 Aldwych, WC2B 4BG. Info: NYRA

* Syria after Assad: a reporter’s view on a nation in transition, Raya Jalabi, in person and online, 6.30 - 8pm, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE

Tuesday 4 November

* For the Sun After Long Nights, Nilo Tabrizy and Leila Molana-Allen launch book chronicling Iran’s Woman, Life, Freedom movement, 7pm, from £5.94, Frontline Club, 13 Norfolk Place, W2 1QJ Info: Frontline

* Artificial intelligence and planetary futures: agency, equity and co-operation in global AI governance, Divij Joshi, Pedro Conceição, Rose Mutiso, Alessandra Lustrati, 2.30-4pm, in person and online, Overseas Development Institute, 4 Millbank, SW1P 3JA. Info: ODI

Wednesday 5 November

* The growth story of the 21st century: The economics and opportunity of climate action, Nicolas Stern, 6.30-8pm, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE

* The Gaza catastrophe: the genocide in world-historical perspective, Gilbert Achkar on his new book, Dina Matar, Nimer Saltany, 6 - 7.30pm, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, WC1H OXG

* The State of Democracy in South Asia, SY Quraishi, Shandana Khan Mohmand, Maya Tudor, 5.30-7pm, Kings College, Strand campus WC2R 2LS

* Sanctuary for Health Justice FAQ Session, project provides a welcoming environment for health equity scholars under threat in the US. The webinar invites questions related to the application process, 1 - 2.30pm. Info: Institute of Development Studies

Thursday 6 November

* The Long Heat: Climate Politics When It’s Too Late, Andreas Malm and Wim Carton on their latest book, 6pm, Kings College, Strand campus, 30 Aldwych, WC2B 4BG.

Thursday 6 - Friday 7 November

* Global finance and geopolitical fragmentation: implications for emerging markets and developing economies, in-person and online, Overseas Development Institute, 4 Millbank, SW1P 3JA. Info: ODI

Friday 7 November

* Heart of Conrad, Agnieszka Adamowicz-Pośpiech; Kaoru Yamamoto, Robert Lemkin, Jacek Dukaj and Robert Hampson discuss the enduring influence of Polish-British novelist Joseph Conrad, 7 - 8.30pm, £12, British Library, 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB. Info: Library. See also Film, 7 November

Saturday 8 November

* Festival of Migration: Being Human Festival, food, performance, workshops, and storytelling, 11am-5pm, free, Migration Museum, The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG. Info: Migration Museum

Monday 10 November

* Fault lines: The new political economy of a warming world, Helen Milner, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE

Tuesday 11 November

* Understanding Colourism in UK School and Colleges, Aisha Phoenix, Nadia Craddock, Jamila Thompson, 12.30 - 1.30pm, online. Info: Kings College,

Exhibitions

* Thirst: In Search of Freshwater, from ancient Mesopotamia and Victorian London to modern-day Nepal and Singapore, the exhibition combines art, science, history, technology and indigenous knowledge to deepen understanding of our relationships with freshwater, free, Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, NW1 2BE until 1 February. Info: Wellcome

+ Thirst: an exhibition bridge over troubled water

* Kerry James Marshall: The Histories, “the most important artist” in the US, who places the lives of Black Americans front and centre, £23.50-£25.50, Royal Academy, Piccadilly, until 18 January. Info: RA

+ ‘If you say Black, you should see Black’

+ ‘My paintings don’t fit the narrative’: Kerry James Marshall on why he’s depicting black enslavers

* Botanical Tales and Seeds of Empire & Flora Indica: Recovering the lost histories of Indian botanical art, The Singh Twins examine the global mythologies of plants and the histories of Empire + Flora Indica – a world first display of work by historical Indian botanical artists, admission included in Kew entry fee, Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens until 12 April

+ The Singh Twins light up the dark links between empire and botany

+ The Singh Twins spotlight Kew’s role in the business of Empire

* A Story of South Asian Art: Mrinalini Mukherjee and Her Circle, artists who have shaped the trajectory of Indian Modernism, £17, Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly W1J until 24 February. Info: RA

+ 21 November, Curator talk: A Story of South Asian Art, 11 - midday, £15/£9

* Nigerian Modernism, Nigerian artists working before and after the decade of national independence from colonial rule in 1960, Tate Modern, Bankside SE1 9TG until 10 May. Info: Tate

* Mumbai + London: new perspectives on the ancient world, small exhibit focussed on Greek god Dionysius and India’s Vishnu, British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG until 11 January 2026. Info: Exhibition

* Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times In An Instant), Mexican artist Teresa Margolles’ cuboid on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square is a memorial to trans people worldwide

* Collecting and Empire, trail making connections between archaeology, anthropology and the British Empire, British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1. Info: British Museum

* British Library, installation of 6,328 books marks the contributions of migrants to UK, Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1. Info: Installation/ 7887 8888

* Inspiration Africa: Stories Beyond the Artifacts, exploration of V&A galleries through the lens of African heritage, free, second Saturday of every month, V&A, Cromwell Road, SW7. Info: V&A

* African Deeds, showcases a collection that includes diaries, cassette interviews, videos, photos and documents of three generations of family history, inspired by grandfather Thomas’ land title deeds brought from West Africa in 1901, Black Cultural Archives, 1 Windrush Square, SW2 1EF. Info: BCA

* Target Queen, large-scale commission by British-Indian artist Bharti Kher, Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre

* Making Egypt, exploring ancient Egypt's creativity and how it continues to influence art, design and popular culture today, £10, Young V&A, Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9PA. Info: V&A

* Imaging Peace, outdoor exhibition featuring global community peace photography projects, part of ‘Lost & Found: Stories of sanctuary and belonging’, a free programme of arts and ideas at King’s College, Strand, WC2R 2LS. Info: Peace exhibition

* The Presence of Solitude, through film, photography and costume, Taiwanese artist Val Lee explores isolation, solitude and the resulting human connections, free, Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road until 11 January. Info: Hayward

* I Still Dream of Lost Vocabularies, examination of political dissent and erasure through the idea of collage, Sabrina Tirvengadum, Sunil Gupta, Qualeasha Wood, Jess Atieno, Sheida Soleimani, free, Autograph, Rivington Place, EC2A 3BA until 21 March. Info: Exhibition

* Parliament of Ghosts, site specific work by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama that repurposes colonial-era furniture and jute sacks alongside newly crafted elements, inaugural show at Ibraaz, 14 Mortimer Street, W1W 7SS, a space dedicated to Global Majority culture, until 15 February. Info: Ibraaz

* Wildlife Photographer of the Year, from £15.50, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, DW7 5DB until 12 July. Info: Museum

* Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots, the Black British photographer offers a visual narrative of the dynamic movements which shaped and define British music, fashion, and youth culture, Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA until 4 January. Info: Somerset House

* El Anatsui, new works in wood by the Ghanaian artist, October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester Street, WC1N 3AL and Goodman Gallery, 26 Cork Street W1S 3ND until 29 November.

* Secret Maps, the stories hidden in some of history’s most mysterious maps, £20, British Library, 96 Euston Road NW1 2DB until 18 January. Info: Library

from Friday 7 November

* The Land Carries, work by three international artists: Ahmed Akasha (UK), Dina Nur Satti (US) and Yasmin Elnour (Bahrain) responding to material in the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology, 1 - 5pm, Petrie Museum, University College London, Malet Place, WC1E 6BT until 16 May. Info: Sudan exhibition

+ 13 November, In Conversation with… the artists

Film

* Palestine 36, as villages across Mandatory Palestine rise against British colonial rule, with rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe, and the Palestinian population uniting in the largest and longest uprising against Britain’s 30-year dominion, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision in this drama set in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region, Barbican, ICA, Curzons Bloomsbury and Soho until 6 November; Cine Lumiere until 11 November

+ Palestine 1936: A story for today

* Souleymane’s Story, drama about 48 desperate hours in the life of a Guinean fast food courier in Paris, Ritzy 5 November; Rio until 3 November; Cine Lumiere until 6 November

+Souleymane pedals for his life on the streets of Paris

* Khartoum, five Sudanese people have their stories unexpectedly woven together in this evocative mosaic, until 6 November, Curzon Bloomsbury,

+ Sudan’s war re-enacted in exile

* Writing Hawa, , the story of three generations of Hazara women from the same family in Afghanistan, and their aspirations to emancipate themselves from patriarchal traditions. But when the Taliban return it turns the lives of the three women upside down, Curzon Bloomsbury until 6 November

* London Korean Film Festival (LKFF), the biggest yet, with films from Korea’s all-time box-office champion Roaring Currents to current releases in Korea: films for family audiences, thrillers, costume dramas, comedies, dramas, even a dark adult fantasy, until 14 November. Info: LKFF

Monday 3 November

* After Eight, documentary on the darker side of Britain’s post-pub curry culture, telling the story of Satpal Ram and a major miscarriage of justice + Q&A with director Mos Hannan and producer Usayd Younis, 6.45pm, £9, Rich Mix

Tuesday 4 November

* The Village Next to Paradise, a recently united family in small coastal Somali town must navigate personal aspirations and the threat of drone attacks, 6pm, £9, Rich Mix

+ Paradise village: a way to talk about Somalia

Wednesday 5 November

* The Veto, documentary showing how powerful nations manipulate the United Nations Security Council to block action in the face of mass atrocities, paralysing international responses to genocide and war crimes + Q&A with Julian Borger, Tahani Mustafa and Tim Slade, 7pm, from £5.94, Frontline Club, 13 Norfolk Place, W2 1QJ. Info: Frontline

* 35 Shots of Rum, explores the bond between a Black Parisian father and his daughter at a moment of significant change, and meditates on the loneliness of the immigrant experience, 6.30pm, £9, Rich Mix

Wednesday 5 November

* The Stringer, investigation into the truth behind an iconic Vietnam War photograph that questions why Vietnamese photographers’ work in the conflict have not found their place in history + Q&A with Bao Nguyen, Garry Knight and Fiona Turner, 7 - 8:30pm, from £5.94, Frontline Club, 12 Norfolk Place, W13. Info: Frontline

from Thursday 6 November

* UK Jewish Film Festival, until 16 November online selection 19 - 27 November. Info: Festival

Friday 7 November

* African Apocalypse, British-Nigerian student Femi Nylander follows the trail of a 19th century French colonial military commander who burned his way across Africa as Joseph Conrad wrote his book, The Heart of Darkness. Tens of thousands were massacred in the name of imperial domination. With communities still devastated by a century-old atrocity speaking out for the first time, Nylander begins to question his own sense of belonging + director Robert Lemkin on Conrad’s enduring influence, 5pm, £12, British Library, 96 Euston Road, NW1. Info: Screening. See also Talks and discussions, 7 November

+ ‘Your White Supremacy, like Kurtz’s, still haunts our modern world’

* Pressure, classic of Black British cinema captures the struggle of young British West Indians as they attempt to make their way through life, 6/10pm, National Film Theatre + 14, 23 November

* Colossal Wreck, one man’s view of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai

Saturday 8 November

* In Search of Bengali Harlem, the shared histories of Brown and Black communities through one Bangladeshi immigrant son’s journey for his parents' story and intergenerational healing + Q&A with the filmmakers & Jonah Batambuze, 5.30pm, £9, Rich Mix

Sunday 9 November

* Atlantics (Atlantique), Mati Diop’s talented feature debut is about young lovers in Senegal, caught between marital commitment, poverty and migration’ it’s also a ghost story, 6.30pm, National Film Theatre

* Sthal (A Match), a young woman strives for an education and a brighter future in a patriarchal society, where arranged marriage is presented as the only option for self-betterment, 3pm, Lumiere, Mercury Shopping Centre, Mercury Gardens, Romford RM1 3EE

Tuesday 11 November

* Touki Bouki, A restless young couple dream of escaping Senegal for Paris, in one of the key works of African cinema, 8.50pm, National Film Theatre

Performance

* Period Parrrty, set in 2010, Gayathiri Kamalakanthan’ debut play is no ordinary coming-of-age story. It’s a trans Tamil party, and an ode to Tamil survival and self-determination, from £19, Soho Theatre, Dean Street, W1 until 22 November. Info: Soho Theatre

* Voila! Theatre Festival, 110 shows. 70 languages, including 4 - 8 Nov, Mendari, solo performance reclaiming Muslim-Malay-Singaporean identity from colonial myths, state narratives and disappearing heritage; 5-7 Nov, Kill Your Father, radical reimagining of the Medea myth by Black lesbian Brazilian playwright Grace Passô; 7 Nov, Xquenda, an indigenous woman from rural Oaxaca seeks justice after the disappearance and murder of her best friend; 13 Nov, Neither Here Nor There, two women, one second-generation Chinese-Spanish, the other Danish, Nigerian and Italian, explore identity, prejudice, and the search for belonging. Barons Court Theatre, Theatre Deli, Etcetera Theatre, The Playground Theatre, The Questors Theatre – Studio, The Space Theatre, Theatro Technis and The Cockpit. Until 23 November. Info: Festival

* The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights, the dark underbelly of America’s anti-immigration policies and the brutal sacrifices that drive the pursuit of prosperity, £15 - £49.50, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, N4 3JP, until 29 November. Info: Park

Tuesday 4 - Wednesday 5 November

* Bibi Rukiya’s Reckless Daughter, Kathak dance piece about a widow who confines her three daughters in response to societal pressure to protect her family’s reputation + Q&A chaired by artist/activist Shakila Taranum Maan, 7.30pm, The Place, 17 Dukes Road, WC1H 9PY. Info: The Place

Saturday 8 November

* Arabs Are Not Funny, Ily Hamida, Isabelle Farah, Hasan Al Habib, Talal Karkouti, Sami Abu Wardeh, 7.30pm, £20/£18, Theatro Technis, 26 Crowndale Road, NW11TT. Info: Theatro Technis

from Monday 10 November

* After Sunday, Ty, Leroy and Daniel have signed up to a new Caribbean cooking group led by their occupational therapist, but when you are locked in a secure hospital, too much food for thought can be a bad thing, £10 - £35, Bush Theatre, Uxbridge Road, W12 8LJ until 20 December. Info: Bush