Budget-friendly things to do in London this week for £5 or less. Mughal Miniatures, supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Certain Blacks, is part of Ensemble Festival.Looking for more free things to do in London? Here are 102 of em! We've also compiled this epic map of free stuff in London. Admire 17 portraits by Joshua Reynolds From one of his earliest portraits to his very last, Joshua Reynolds is in the spotlight at Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath, for an exhibition charting the English painter's career on the 300th anniversary of his birth. Among the works on show is a self-portrait of Reynolds, wearing his specs (a rare quirk in an 18th century portrait). It's free to visit Kenwood House and the exhibition, although you're advised to book ahead. Free, until 19 November. Take a wander around Wembley Park The Wembley Park area has gone through huge changes in recent years, and here's a chance to learn more about that from an insider, on Tuesday this week. Julian Tollast, Head of Masterplanning at Quintain — the company behind the development — leads a guided walk around the neighbourhood for anyone who wants to learn more, including some lesser-known facts about the regeneration project. Free, 18 July. Watch the world's oldest river race Image: Matt BrownDid you know that the world's oldest river race takes place on the River Thames each year? The Doggett's Coat & Badge has up to six apprentice watermen take to the river in sculling boats and race the 7.3km from London Bridge to Cadogan Pier in Chelsea. It's not as well-known as the University Boat Races, and takes place on a weekday this year, so there should be plenty of space to bag yourself a viewpoint along the route. Free, 19 July. Treat your ears to free live music Every Wednesday until mid-August, free live music comes to Canary Wharf in the form of Summer Sounds. The outdoor gigs take place 12pm-2.30pm in Jubilee Park, so you can take your lunch along (or pick something up at one of the nearby shops or cafes). The programme is curated by the Busk in London team, with different musicians each time. This week it's singer Jake Rizzo and pianist Rufus Quickenden. Free, 19 July. See free circus, theatre and dance performances in Royal Docks There's a lot going on at Royal Docks this summer including a pop-up lido, but focus this week is on Ensemble Festival, a free four-day programme of theatre, circus, dance, music and digital art. Ecology, modern living, and reconnection in busy times are the festival's themes, and highlights include Mughal Miniatures (pictured), a series of pop-up, living pictures which evoke scenes of Indian princely courts and lush gardens. Bench Invasion features performers carrying benches with them on their wanderings and inviting people to sit with them, while Ghetto Fabulous is a family-friendly fashion and lip sync contest. Our pick of the bunch is Gorilla Circus: Unity, a large-scale aerial show featuring theatre, circus and stories, taking place at Royal Albert Dock on both Saturday and Sunday evenings. Free, 19-23 July. Join a curator for a gallery tour Anna Lavelle, art curator at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, leads a tour around the galleries, focusing specifically on art from the first and second world wars. First world war imagery of Richard Tennant Cooper and the second world war portraits of Terry Frost and Rex Whistler are among the pieces chosen for the way in which they depict the conflicts. £5, 21 July. Get the lowdown on the Tower of London Photo: Matt BrownThe City of London offers a free talk about the Tower of London — given by Andrew Jackson, the Governor of the Tower of London, no less. He offers insight into the world-famous site's history, its role in ceremonial events, and what it's like to live there. Watch the talk in person at Shoe Lane Library, or online. Free, 21 July Catch the last week of this Stone Age exhibition The Neanderthals and the Stone Age are the subject of the current exhibition at Hackney Museum — but it's only on until Saturday this week. Find out about a time when Hackney was like an African savannah, with huge beasts roaming the local area. Hackney is one of the most important archaeological sites from the Neanderthal era and the exhibition features objects dating back hundreds of thousands of years. Free, until 22 July. Hang out In a Field By a Bridge Potters Fields Park — which overlooks Tower Bridge — hosts In a Field By a Bridge, a free, two-day festival thrumming with shows and activities, including performances from the Junk Orchestra, a roaming performance from Timberlina and Dan de la Motte, and a suitcase sale featuring up to 50 sustainable second hand sellers. Fittingly, given Potters Fields' etymology, the Great Pottery Thrown Down's Keith Brymer-Jones is also in Conversation with fashionista Wayne Hemingway on the Saturday. Free, 22-23 July. See what's on at Summer by the River A reminder that free festival Summer by the River is ongoing on the southern bank of the Thames, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. Film screenings, live music, theatre shows, DJ sets and sporting event screenings are all on the free programme of events. No need to book — just turn up in plenty of time to bag yourself a decent spot. Free, ongoing. |