Guide to Art & Culture in and around London
Settling in at uni is stressful and time consuming as it is, and it’s not easy to find time to make like a tourist. Here, I’m going to try and give you the tips and recommendations that I wish I’d had when I’d started uni- not that I would have necessarily taken them, as busy as being a fresher can feel! Personally, I’ve found accessing ‘culture’ and ‘broadening my horizons’ has offset some of my more embarrassing fresher incidents, and it gives me something to tell my mum about at the weekend to convince her that I really do have my life together. As all of you that move into halls are soon to be aware, it’s easy to burn out when you live with a bunch of people who eat, breathe, and sleep medicine. London is an incredible place to be a student. Don’t let it pass you by.
Luckily for us, if you know where to look, there are incredible shows, events, and exhibitions that are heavily subsidised for students and young people. Whether you’re an enthusiast already, have three grade 8 instruments to make you seem ‘well-rounded’ in your personal statement, or are just idly curious, I hope you’ll find something new and worth exploring.
Art
All of the major galleries in London are worth a visit should you have the time and inclination, but it’s very much the events and exhibitions that make the experience. Both Tate Modern and Tate Britain have late night events that include music, film, and crafts- they are free to attend, and check the website for the theme.
You’re bound to see adverts all around London for Olafur Eliasson’s In Real Life at Tate Modern. I can’t recommend this one highly enough, and definitely go with some friends! Sign up to Tate Collective online and tickets are £5. Until 5th January.
Music
This very much depends on your own taste, so I’d encourage you to do a little research- there are a lot of pubs and bars, particularly in Shoreditch (not far from those of you in Floyer or Dawson) that have free live music in the evenings. One in particular I’d recommend is the Old Blue Last in Shoreditch- lovely pub, they have something most evenings, it’s free to see it, and it’s a great way to discover new music.
For those of you who are interested in classical music, Young Barbican memberships are free and give you access to £10 tickets to see the London Symphony Orchestra. The Barbican Centre has events on ranging from cinema to art exhibitions, so definitely keep an eye on the website. And if you’re in Dawson, it’s five minutes away!
In a similar vein, the Student Pulse app gives you access to cheap tickets for upcoming concerts, and a free Young Royal Opera House membership can bag you £10 on the day tickets that are released by email.
Theatre
The amount of theatre happening in London at any one time is overwhelming, and many theatres have their own student schemes. At the price, give shows that seem a little out there a chance- you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Sign up to the National Theatre and you can get £7.50 Entry Pass tickets to many of their shows. Well worth seeing pretty much anything on there, and it’s a good opportunity to wander around Southbank.
Signing up to Young+Free at the Donmar gives you access to a small number of free tickets.
The TodayTix app has on the day rush tickets and lotteries for theatre and musicals (if you’re that way inclined).
Museums
I’d start with the classics- the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert- the list goes on. Both the Natural History Museum and Science Museum have lates: on the last Friday and Wednesday of the month respectively. They’re famous for a reason, but of course there are plenty with a more specialist slant, from the Design Museum to the Anaesthesia Heritage Centre (both free).
