Until 31 January

Leeds Print Festival

Print’s dead? Don’t believe everything you read, the process that dates back 1,000s of years is just as alive as ever – and the chaps at a new print festival in Leeds are celebrating just that over the next few days. Tomorrow’s live printing event, Print Is Dead. So Are Zombies, Ghosts and Vampires. Be Afraid of Print is worth going along to for the title alone. Don’t you agree?

Leeds Print Festival at Leeds Gallery, Munro House, York Street, Leeds, LS9 8AG; Opens today and runs until 31st January

27 January – 3 February

IMPRINT – A FABELIST Festival of Local and Global Stories

Music, art, literature and gastronomy; IMPRINT – a festival presented by international arts community, FABELIST – hopes to engage adults and children alike, with a fusion of artworks, storytellers and theatrical performances. If you’re in or around NW8′s Church Street Neighbourhood then go along and show your support, be inspired by FABELIST’s troubadours, and “be whisked on your way to future stories by a magic flying balloon”. How fabulously arty…

FABELIST present IMPRINT at Serpentine Gallery Centre For Possible Studies, 21 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 8HR; 27th January to 3rd February

Photography by Jonathan Perugia

Sunday; Lunchtime

The Cornish Grill at Redhook

A British institution, but about as interesting as a night out with George Osborne; the traditional Sunday roast was in need of a shakeup. Enter Matt Chatfield of The Cornish Grill and a monthly pop-up at Farringdon’s delightful Redhook. Inviting some of the capital’s top-chefs – this Sunday they welcome Alyn Williams (formerly holding top chef positions with Ramsay and Wareing) – to conjure up fine dining goodness from the finest Cornish seafood, meat and vegetables; this is one Sunday roast we’re very excited about…

The Cornish Grill at Redhook, 89 Turnmill Street, London, EC1M 5QU; Sunday lunch on 29th January. Tickets cost £40.00 each and are expected to sell out quickly

Photography Benjamin Backhouse

Opens 27 January

The Hummingbird Bakery, Islington

Splendidly scrumptious, American-style bakery The Hummingbird Bakery are continuing their onslaught on London’s cupcake scene with a fifth branch opening tomorrow in Islington; with the first 1,000 customers bagging themselves a lip-licking cupcake shaped bundle of joy, expect somewhat of a drooling stampede come 11am…

The Hummingbird Bakery, Angel Building, St John Street, London, EC1V 4AD; Doors open 27th January at 11:00am

Until 10 February

Espacio Nomadic – Not in Transit

The Espacio Gallery Project – a 100-plus strong community of artists in quest of their own permanent London gallery space – present their second ‘Espacio Nomadic’ show at The BAR Gallery; displaying the works of 18 of their artists. Part of an ongoing travelling showcase of their artists, Espacio Nomadic will tour established galleries until they finally lay their hat; Not in Transit features the work of artists based and working in the UK but with roots spreading the entire globe…

Espacio Nomadic – Not in Transit, The BAR Gallery at Willesden Green Centre, 95 High Road, Willesden, London, NW10 2SF; Running until 10th February. Open daily including weekends, 2:00pm – 6:00pm

Until 5 February

International Film Festival, Rotterdam

One of the largest film events in the world, and one of the biggest supporters of global independent filmmaking, Rotterdam’s stonkingly colossal film festival – 1,000s of screenings over 12 days – is the only place for cinephiles this month. And with a whole host of parties, events, fringe activities – and even an Ai Weiwei café cum exhibition space – it’s a destination for more than just movie-buffs…

41st edition International Film Festival is taking place at various locations in Rotterdam’s City Centre; Running until 5th February

27 January

Flamenco Fix at Proud Brighton Ballroom

The fine folks behind London’s Proud venues have taken over Brighton’s Hanbury Ballroom – transforming it into a delightfully decadent retro supper-club. This weekend it plays host to a passionate celebration of fiery flamenco; with live performances, kitsch visuals and rare grooves. The venue alone is worth a visit, but this lavish night of Latin passion makes it a must…

Flamenco Fix at Proud Brighton Ballroom, 83 St Georges Road, Brighton, BN2 1EF; Friday 27th January from 8pm. Show only tickets £8.00

29 January

Chinese New Year Celebrations, locations throughout London

And finally…

Lion dances, Asian stalls, general drum beating havoc – it’s the Chinese New Year and this weekend’s the time to celebrate. As well as London’s famous celebrations, there’s also plenty going on at both the World Museum, Liverpool, and throughout Manchester’s Albert Square and Chinatown…

Year of the Dragon Celebrations; Parade begins 10:15am at Trafalgar Square, proceeds through China Town ending at Rupert Street 11:30am. Official opening ceremony at Trafalgar Square; 12:00pm with performances through to 5:40pm. Shaftesbury Avenue has performances 12:00pm – 6:00pm whilst Chinatown hosts a parade of Lion dancers and various traditional Asian stalls

Daniel Arsham
Floor Drip, 2011
Fiberglas, plaster, and paint
44 x 45 x 16″

20 January – 6 February

Daniel Arsham, the fall, the ball and the wall at OHWOW

Gallery/publisher/community/retailer… OHWOW is many things, but most of all, it continues to serve up its effortless cool on a conveyer belt of arty style and swagger. We’ve featured their beyond-hip retail spaces here, here and here; and their LA gallery has a steady rotation of the most forward-thinking art around. Their latest exhibition, opening this weekend, showcases the work of New York-based artist Daniel Arsham and his curious architectural manipulations. And rather spiffing it is too…

Daniel Arsham, the fall, the ball and the wall at OHWOW Gallery, 937 N. La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069; 20th January to 6th February

Until April 2012

WigWamBam; Queen of Hoxton Rooftop Pop-Up

The Queen of Hoxton‘s rooftop terrace is one of the capital’s very best, and, following the resounding success of their Rooftop Cinema in the summer, they’re back with a cosy al fresco bolthole to see us through till spring. With a schwenkgrill throwing out bratwursts and winter tipples like hot buttered rum and hot’n’spicy cider; their WigWamBam is a perfect wee spot from which to escape the hustle and enjoy acoustic sessions, candle-lit readings, and all manner of fun and frolics. It’s a little bit like a hazy Glastonbury evening in the middle of London city…

WigWamBam at The Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3JX; Open Monday to Friday 4:00pm – 10:00pm and Saturday 6:00pm – 10:00pm

Anna Gaskell
Untitled #6 (Wonder) 1996
Chromogenic Print
Courtesy of Yvon Lambert Gallery

Until 29 January

Alice in Wonderland; Tate, Liverpool

From Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, to Peter Blake and Yayoi Kusama; Lewis Carroll’s iconic novels have influenced generations of visuals artists, and Alice in Wonderland at Tate Liverpool is the first exhibition of its kind to explore these inspirations and relationships to contemporary art. It’s quite a collection, an absolute must for anyone with the slightest of a psychedelic persuasion, and it closes next week; so get there while you can…

Alice in Wonderland at Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock, L3 4BB; Running until 29th January

Launches tonight

Raarr at The Book Club

Shoreditch’s cultural hotspot The Book Club, is playing host to one of the most adorable, and worthy, exhibitions we’ve come across for some time. Raising money for the NSPCC, 22 of the world’s leading illustrators have produced specially commissioned animal portraits, all without heads or faces. The script is simple (but the results quite brilliant) a gang of kids from around the country – each brandishing an arsenal of felt-tips – were invited to complete the works. It’s fun, hugely original, and supports one of the country’s most admirable charities. Get down there, and show your support…

Raarr at The Book Club, 100 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4RH; Exhibition Launch starts 6pm this evening. Free Entrance

Photograph by Constantin Meyer

Until 22 January

Design Post Cologne

imm Cologne is underway, and one of the best spots for unearthing new work from some of the world’s top cutting-edge interiors talents is Design Post; with their 3,000 sq mt of high-end interior and product design, from the likes of Moooi, Nimbus and Rosso. One of the highlights kicks off on Saturday, when the ʻCHAIRityʼ event can see you trade in your unwanted seat (and a donation of 100€) in exchange for an iconic designer chair from the likes of Fritz Hansen, Kartell or Vitra…

Design Post Köln, Deutz-Mülheimer-Straße 22a 50679 Cologne; Running until 22nd January. Opening hours, 9:00am – 8:00pm Weekdays and 10:00am – 6:00pm Saturday & Sunday

Until 21 January

Thornback & Peel Pop-Up Shop

Thornback & Peel’s elegant hand-printed accessories are a delightful example of nu-Victoriana – steeped in quaint English heritage. Catch their sale pop-up event in Clerkenwell to grab some of their eccentric classics; with a further 10% discount by signing up for their mailing list, over here…

Thornback & Peel Pop Up Shop, 21 Clerkenwell Green, London, EC1R 0DX; Running until 21st January. Open Monday – Friday, 12:00pm to 7:00pm, Saturday 12:00pm to 8:30pm and Sunday 11:00am to 4:00pm

25 January

Auchentoshan Presents; The William McGonagall Burns Supper

Keen readers will know that we’re fond of a wee dram; whisky has enjoyed somewhat of a revival in the last few years, and Glasgow’s closest Distillery, Auchentoshan (pronounced Ock-un-toshan, in your best Scottish accent please), are rethinking the tradition of Burns Night – 25th January – with a decidedly more irreverent approach at venues across the UK. Celebrating the work of William McGonagall – a Scot noted for challenging perceptions of poetry with his famously bad prose – as opposed to Robert Burns’ landmark works, Auchentoshan Presents… The William McGonagall Burns Supper will start with pudding, and end with the starter (turning the supper on its head as McGonagall turned Scottish poetry on its), whilst tweed wearing guests are invited to write and recite their own McGonagall styled pieces. Toying with the conformity of a traditional Burns Night supper, whilst staying true to its roots, Auchentoshan’s anarchic approach looks set to be one of the most inspired ways to spend next Wednesday eve…

The William McGonagall Burns Supper at The Charles Lamb, Islington, London, N1 8DE; Starts 7:00pm and costs £27.50 per person

Chinese New Year 23 January

Year of the Dragon

It’s the Chinese New Year on Monday. And what better way to celebrate than with a shiny new pair of sneakers? Perhaps not the most authentic way to see in the year of the dragon, but it’s a bloody good excuse to show you these opulent limited edition Kobe VII System Supreme in custom-crafted shoebox, that we saw over on Hypebeast…

NIKE “Year of the Dragon Collection”; Available Now

15-17 January

English Hedgerow at Home

It may be trade only but, if you can get yourself in, new Earls Court interiors and homewares trade show, Home, is playing host to a world exclusive ceramics/augmented reality mash-up. English Hedgerow is a very modernist take on chintz, comprised of a plate design by Andrew Tanner – with Jason Jameson and James Hall – that’s brought to life by a painfully cute app from Unanico…

English Hedgerow World Exclusive, Earls Court Two, London; 15th – 17th January 2012

Until 26 February

Republic of the Moon, FACT Liverpool

Liverpool’s quite brilliant arts organisation, FACT, is hosting – and co-curating with The Arts Catalyst – a curious exhibition that explores visions of life on the moon. Seven international artists offer their take on lunar habitation, whilst a series of screenings and events accompany the celestial exhibition.

Republic of the Moon at FACT, 88 Wood Street, Liverpool, L1 4DQ; Running until 26th February

Image: Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin,
Gaddafi killed. That’s for Lockerbie. And for Yvonne Fletcher. And IRA Semtex Victims. The Sun, October 21, 2011,
Unique C-type print, 150 x 190 cm

14 January – 18 February

Portable Monuments; Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin

Amsterdam’s Galerie Gabriel Rolt introduce a new solo exhibition from UK-based duo Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin this weekend, and high-brow stuff it is too. Deconstructing press images of war into a visual language comprised of coloured blocks. You’ll have to engage your brain to decipher this particular code, but rest assured the exhibition will look pretty whilst the cogs are clicking into place.

Portable Monuments at Galerie Gabriel Rolt, Elandsgracht 34 1016 TW Amsterdam, Netherlands; 14th January to 18th February

19 January – 4 February

The Stew House Pop Up Experience

Artists Katy Gray and Dan Hillier are working on the interiors of a specially designed banqueting hall, at an undisclosed London Fields location, for the return of cult supperclub/pop-up event; The Stew House. Based around a 70-person dining table, the team are delving into history to present 8 slow-cooked classics that are sure to be as heart-stoppingly good as the elaborate designs.

The Stew House, secret location in London Fields, London;
At time of going to press there are only 2 dates left in January; 19th and 26th.
Two new dates have been released for February with tickets still available; 3rd and 4th

Until 21 January

The Market of Everything; Traffic, Dubai

An art-based event in Dubai, that “promotes community involvment and supports social sustainability through the exchange and recycling of our belongings”? It might sound a bit off-kilter for the land of the mega-rich, and – with a series of events that also include a drum circle and a series of film screenings and ping-pong tournaments – it’s perhaps one of the more ‘real’ things you’ll see in the UAE city; and surely that’s a good thing.

Traffic; The Market of Everything, Buy/Sell/Trade/Donate, 179 Umm Suqeim Road, PO Box 6716 Dubai, UAE; 12th – 21st January 2012

Now Open

Wine by the Bay, Miami

Owner of the Design District’s Etra Fine Art gallery; Stefano Campanini is one of the Miami art scene’s major players, and a lover of good wine to boot. Bash the two fields together and you get Stefano’s latest pet project, a delightful 1,200 sq ft wine boutique cum art space, located directly across from the under-construction new Miami Art Museum and with a terrace view of Biscayne Bay. If you’re enjoying some Winter sun in Miami this weekend, there’s no better spot for a bit of artistic refinement. Bravo.

Wine by the Bay, 888 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 112, Miami, FL 33132. Opened beginning of January;
Opening times are Monday – Saturday 12pm – 9pm

13-14 January

London Ice Sculpting Festival

We may well have had ourselves a mild little Winter so far, but as the forecasters are predicting a cold snap over the weekend, why not get yourselves down to Canada Square (someone has to) for a theatrical display of drills, chainsaws and hefty, bearded Europeans.

London Ice Sculpting Festival, located across Montgomery Square, Canada Square Park and Jubilee Place Shopping Mall (right by Canary Wharf tube station); Open Friday 13th and Saturday 14th January

All Through January

Maggie Mania at Maggie’s

There’s been plenty who have called for Maggie’s head over the years, and now – with a little help from a swanky Chelsea night club – every miner’s dream’s come true. The 80s are back in all their disgustingly superficial splendour at this Fulham Road favourite, where you can party all night; just like a Liverpudlian who’s found out Maggie’s dead…

Maggie Mania, Maggie’s, 329 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9QL;
Open every Wednesday and Thursday 10:30pm – 2:30am & every Friday and Saturday 10:30pm – 3.30am. Cocktail available now!

Widely regarded as the first ‘video artist’, Korean-born American artist, Nam June Paik was one of the most innovative artists of the 20th century and of course an inspiration to millions. Tate Liverpool, in collaboration with FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology), are presenting a unique retrospective of his works until 13th March – the first major exhibition since his death in 2006, and the first of his work in the UK since 1988. His inspiring manipulated television images formed the basis of the MTV generation and working alongside the likes of John Cage, Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson and David Bowie, Nam June Paik was one of the greatest innovators in art of our lifetime. Exhaustive, engaging and utterly inspirational, this is an unmissable retrospective of an icon’s life’s work…

TV Cello, 2003

Nam June Paik with Yoko Ono and John Lennon

TV Chair, 1968

Good Morning Mr Orwell, 1984