This is the dystopian future explored in Memory Palace, an immersive exhibition (hosted by the V&A Museum) that is being described as a ‘walk-in book’. The author Hari Kunzru worked in collaboration with a group of 20 artists, graphic designers, illustrators and typographers to create the innovative and multidimensional exhibition. Due to the wide field of contributors the artworks vary dramatically in size, shape and appearance, sometimes with nothing in common but the story’s text, and the idea of lost memories.

While it may be based 100 years into the future, Memory Palace is a powerful reminder that, no matter where and when we are, our memories are our most treasured possessions. As Kunzru’s imprisoned protagonist asks; ‘if you could keep one memory, what would it be?’ This exhibition might just be it. (Words: Nori Bell-Bhuiyan)

On until  20th October. For more information visit: www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-sky-arts-ignition-memory-palace

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Go Swimming

Summer and swimming have naturally gone hand in hand for as long as anyone can remember. One of the best places to take a dip in London for kids and adults both is the Serpentine Lido at Hyde Park. www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park/sport-in-hyde-park/serpentine-lido

Go for an ice-cream

It wouldn’t be summer without indulging in creamy refreshing ice cream. The Covent Garden’s Icecreamists however, offer summer ice cream with a twist and their unconventional approach to ice cream making has led to some delicious and some plain bizarre concoctions. Some of the more risky flavours have even sparked lawsuits. www.theicecreamists.com

Take a walk in the park

When the sun’s out there can probably be no better feeling than taking a relaxing wander through greenery. London certainly has no shortage of great parks scattered all over the city, but one of the great ones is Richmond Park – and it has deer.
www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park/about-richmond-park

Outdoor cinema

Sitting outdoors as the summer afternoon fades into the summer night, food and drinks on hand and your favourite film classic playing on a big screen… What’s not to love about a good outdoor film showing! Check out Pop Up Screens, which returns on July 12th. www.popupscreens.co.uk

 Al Fresco Dining

Sitting outdoors to dine always has a wonderfully sophisticated allure to it, particularly if you find the right restaurant. Quality al fresco dining is available all over the capital, but one place that comes highly recommended is the Italian gourmet River Café, in Fulham. www.rivercafe.co.uk

Take a tour of the city

Alternative London Tours will show you around the cultural and creative East End of London, either on bikes or on foot, sharing inside knowledge of the area as well as a passion for the London that’s off-the-beaten-track. www.alternativeldn.co.uk

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We Are The Freaks

Not everything taking place in the festival is pure film watching though. There are industry classes to help upcoming filmmakers with important skills such as making the leap from short to full length feature. Alternative filmmaking events such as Emerge, an afternoon full of talks, interactive installations and screenings will explore the future of filmmaking with the use of new and developing technology and will also be taking place during the festival. The diversity of genres, topics and techniques on display at this festival is just incredible. Whether you’re interested in making films, or just watching them, they’ll be no shortage of talent for you to admire here. (Words: Nori Bell-Bhuiyan) On from 25th June – 10th July. For more information visit: www.eastendfilmfestival.com

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The festival gives an opportunity for lesser known artists a chance to strut their stuff alongside the better known performers, and the line-up is comprised mainly of local unsigned musicians and DJs. Examples of the day’s talent include the leader of reggae resurgence Reggae Roast, experimental collective The Alternative Dubstep Orchestra (the name says it all), energetic beatboxer Bass 6, DJs like the fun-loving music-making team Livin Proof and countless more artists across a vast mix of genres.

It’s not just music on show though. Spoken word group, Remedy, will be complementing the music with their own performances, and the creative market ‘Togethertheycome’ will provide a wealth of artisan products, including fashion, jewellery and art prints.

Entrance to this (free) event is first-come-first-served, so if you’d like a day of fantastic music hosted along the lively and diverse Rivington Street, make sure you get in quick! (Words: Conori Bell-Bhuiyan)

For more information visit: www.rivingtonstreetfestival.co.uk

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The varied programme of installations, events and performances that make up the festival all explore modern problems of climate, consumerism and community – but prepare to get interactive. Whether it’s dissembling everyday objects to create new ones on Kate McIntosh’s Worktable, pledging publicly to make a change in Davis Freeman’s 7 Promises, or eavesdropping and sneaking secret documents through the underbelly of corporate London in the site-specific spy-thriller Oil City from immersive theatre group Platform, the Two Degrees festival certainly isn’t scared to get the audience involved.

Despite the heavy topics, Two Degrees is designed to celebrate what we can do right, not what we’re doing wrong, and the overall message is one of action and change. This is a group of artists, producers and performers gathered together to create a festival that will inspire people to try and make a difference. (Words: Nori Bell-Bhuiyan)

On until June 22nd. For more information visit: www.artsadmin.co.uk/projects/two-degrees

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True to Future Cinema’s reputation for creating once-in-a-lifetime cinema experiences, this event will be much more than the showing of an iconic film – it’s an immersion into a whole world. Expect vibrant technicolor and glamour that fuses film, music, performance and design to create an unforgettable foray into the age of disco, while honouring the legendary dance film, starring John Travolta.

There will be dance classes, hairstyling, beauty parlours, vinyl, American hotdogs… all the best that the 70’s had to offer. On select nights there will even be special music guests such as disco diva Kym Mazelle to complete the Saturday Night atmosphere.

To make the most of a show like this you’ll need to get into character yourself. Glam up in vintage 70’s style and however you wear your hair, wear it bigger – then you know you’re ready to party. (Words: Nori Bell-Bhuiyan)

On until July 7th 2013. For more information visit: www.futurecinema.co.uk/news

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The event is being hosted in the Sadler’s Wells, and offers a new and interactive way of experience dance with frequent opportunities for the audience to get involved in post-performance classes and learn about the vast variety of dance styles put on show.

The festival’s remarkable line-up includes pieces from some of the best modern choreographers around, notability world-renowned Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s romantic duet ‘Faun’ and contemporary dance pioneer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s ‘Drumming’, danced by the choreographer’s own company, Rosas, and the revolutionary and evocative ‘Political Mother’ by British dance star Hofesh Shechter.

In my mind, the best thing about Sadler’s Sampled it that you don’t have to be a huge dance fan to find something that will interest you. In fact, thanks to the incredible amounts of creativity on display, it would be impossible not to find something to either watch or join in with – or both. (Words: Conori Bell-Bhuiyan)

From June 22nd to July 7th.  For more information visit: www.sadlerssampled.com

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Highlights of the festival include the masters of cabaret, The Double R Club, creators of dark and edgy burlesque-inspired performances, Piff The Magic Dragon, renowned juggler Matt Ricardo – half comedian, half circus performer and all showman, and the (literally) unbelievable Cluen Family Dynasty – a completely fictional family of circus performers brought to life by London based artist Flora Bradwell.

However, this isn’t a festival that’s all about big names. Jackson Lane keeps true to its passion for supporting emerging artists, with Postcards including up-and-coming artists such as contemporary circus acts Inverted and Bike & Rabbits, whose double-billed performances will shatter your conceptions of what ‘circus’ truly means.

This year’s Postcards Festival is a more condensed version of its predecessors. But while the programme may be shorter, there is by no means any shortage of talent on display. As artistic director Adrian Berry says, the festival matches the name ‘Postcards’, “short, international, summery, colourful… even a little bit saucy.”

Whether or not circus and cabaret is “your thing”, I challenge anyone to say that the Postcards Festival is anything less than a luminous display of the surreal, innovative and completely unique. (Words: Conori Bell-Bhuiyan)

For more info visit: www.jacksonslane.org.uk/whats-on/festival/postcards-2013

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Pic: Belinda Lawley

The transformation of the Centre’s 21-area site is remarkable. Southbank’s ‘neighbourhood’ has been fitted out with orchards and gardens, murals, graffiti art and brightly painted sculptures and installations made of everything from foliage and concrete to wheelbarrows and doorbells. Amongst all this sits Beanotown, an iconic (if imaginary) neighbourhood filled with dastardly delights created to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Beano comic. The Royal Festival Hall itself boasts a rooftop collection of 42 flags from artists Bob & Roberta Smiths, covered with questions spurring you to consider your own ideas of neighbourhood and community.

Pic: Belinda Lawley

The festival’s programme includes archive photography exhibition Lambeth Treasures, an exhibition dedicated to mapping the incredible 2000 year-old cultural history of Lambeth. Performances are also in demand, with family circus troop Cirque Alfonse’s Timber!, a daring and acrobatic display involving lumberjack saws, and a world premiere of youth dance company ZooNation’s Groove Down The World retelling The Wizard of Oz with a hip-hop twist. Another highlight is cultural icon Yoko Ono’s Meltdown, a collection of music and film featuring artists from all over the globe in a dedication to music, feminism, environmentalism and peace activism.

Pic: Linda Nylind

In fact, the list of wonders taking place during the Festival of Neighbourhood seems nearly inexhaustible. If there was ever a time to get into the neighbourly spirit then now is it! The next few months at Southbank don’t just offer a wealth of fun cultural goings-on but a real close-up look at what makes a good neighbourhood, and what we can do to be better neighbours to each other – not just in Southbank, but everywhere we go. (Words: Nori Bell-Bhuiyan)

On until September 8th. For more information visit: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/festivals-series/festival-of-neighbourhood

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Spring Loaded – James Cousins + Robert Clark + James Wilton at the Place, June 5th – Set to be an amazing night of performance, this triple-billed show from three of the most innovative contemporary dance artists will examine powerful human themes of fear, fate and love.

Eat & Drink

The Paradise School of Grub,  June 6-25th  – If you’ve been telling yourself for years that you really ‘will learn to cook’, then now’s the time to do it, as gastropub Paradise launches their summer school of cooking classes hosted by the exciting new chefs of British cuisine.

Alternative

Sonic Celluloid presents… a Daft Punk double bill at The Roxy Bar and Screen, June 7th –  Electronic music duo Daft Punk make their film debut with the energetic double billing of Electrorama (a robot road trip set in the Californian desert) and Interstella 5555 (an intergalactic anime soundtracked to Daft Punk’s album Discovery). Get set for a night unlike any other… with great music.

Arts & Culture

Sadler’s Sampled, June 22nd – July 7th – “Free your mind and dance will follow” is the tagline of Sadler’s Sampled, a two-week dance festival with everything from hip-hop and contemporary dance to ballet and tango – and that’s just on one day!

Arts & Culture 

Falling Up by Mimre at Jackson’s Lane – June 19th – All-female theatre company Mimre’s Falling Up is a dynamic promenade performance that combines theatre, dance and acrobatics and tell the stories of four different women and what makes them who they are.

Cinema

British Animation Film Festival at Rich Mix,  June 23rd – Setting out to celebrate everything animated, this one-day festival dedicated to sharing the best of British and international animated films will contain every kind of animation, from hand-drawn shorts to 3D animation, and subject matter that varies from funny, to melancholy to just plain bizarre!

Best bits from last month 

• Something you should see… To Kill a Mockingbird
• Something you should see… Haroon Mirza at Lisson Gallery
• Something you should see… Propaganda: Power and Persuasion at the British Library
• Something you should see… The VICE Illustration Show
• Something You Should See… Safwan Dahoul at Ayyam Gallery

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