All events are free unless otherwise stated
Les Williams
1 - 27 February
Exhibition
Barbican Library
Les loves painting in pen and wash. This exhibition explores his
love of London,where the urban landscape bears the hallmarks of a
long history. The capital city is continually changing and provides
rich opportunities for an artist. He trained at the Prince’s Trust
in London, and also under some of the leading watercolourists in
the country. Currently Les is a member of the Society of Graphic
Fine Artists, The Maritime Art Group, the West Norfolk Artist
Association, and is Chairman of The Bankside Group of Artists.
Becoming a Director
Thursday 2 February
9.45 – 11.45am
Talk
City Business Library
In partnership with City Business Library,
Her Majesty’s
Revenue & Customs staff will look at
the tax implications of setting up a limited company in the UK and
the responsibilities of the director.
Free—but you must book in advance
Thirty Years of Music at the Barbican
6 February – 28 March
Exhibition
Barbican Music Library
During the past thirty years the Barbican has become one of the
most important arts centres in the world. Follow the myriad of
musical events held over the last three decades through a display
of diaries and leaflets dating back to the opening of the Barbican
in 1982. The exhibition will also include a fascinating series of
photographs by John Maltby documenting the building of the centre
in the mid-1970s.
Watch This Space
8 February – 29 April
Exhibition
Guildhall Art Gallery
ReHang (the youth panel for Guildhall Art Gallery) presents this
exhibition of specially selected youth/student art. It has been
curated by the three winners of the Curatorial Competition 2011.
Curators and artists range in age from 14 – 24 years old. This is a
Stories of the World youth engagement project as part of the
Cultural Olympiad 2012.
Journey of the Book
Wednesday 8 February
12noon and 1pm
Tour
Guildhall Library
You will follow a book through the various stages of ordering,
accessioning, cataloguing and preparation for the shelf. Tours last
around 45 minutes each.
Free – but you must book in advance
Researching Criminal and Prison Lives
Friday 10 February
10am – 4.30pm
Conference
London Metropolitan Archives
This one day event will focus on the use of different types of
criminal and prison records in historical and family history
research. The sessions will demonstrate the ways in which we can
illuminate the lives of criminals and prisoners in the nineteenth
and early twentieth-century. In presenting some case studies and
the documents from London prisons and the Home Office that were
used to construct them we can comment both on how the lives of
criminals were affected by imprisonment and other engagements with
the criminal justice system.
£15/£10 concessions—but you must book in
advance
Control and Relieve Stress
Friday 10 February
2 – 4.30pm
Talk
City Business Library
Do you feel the many pressures that modern personal and business
life imposes on you?
Systemic and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Coach, Sibylle
Chaudhuri, will give you tools to solve problems and stop worrying.
She will help you to let go and relax. Exercises from the field of
NLP will support and enable you to be in control of your life, calm
and at ease.
Free—but you must book in advance
Ever Truly Yours
Friday 10 February
7 - 9pm
Tour
Keats House
A romantic candlelit tour of Keats House for lovers of all ages.
There will be fizz, chocolate and a creative writing challenge
inspired by Keats’s love letters to Fanny Brawne.
£10/£8 concessions—but you must book in
advance
Love is My Religion
Saturday 11 February
3pm
Poety reading
Keats House
A Valentine poetry reading for you and your love, including
extracts from Keats’s love letters to his fiancée Fanny Brawne, the
girl next door.
Free—with an admission ticket to the house
The Age of Elegance: 1890 – 1930
11 February – 28 May
Exhibition
Guildhall Art Gallery
Paintings from Guildhall Art Gallery’s permanent collection
celebrating the transition of art from fin de siècle to the jazz
age, including responses by contemporary artists and designers.
The Food of Love
Sunday 12 February
2 – 4pm
Keats House
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, an opportunity to find out about
foods regarded as aphrodisiacs through the ages! Cookery
demonstrations with tasting of foods connected with love. A display
of ingredients and relevant recipe books for reference only, with
opportunity for discussion.
Free—with an admission ticket to the house
Valentine Celebration
Monday 13 February
10.30 – 11.30am
Children's event
Shoe Lane Library
An activity to celebrate Valentine’s Day, with stories, games
and crafts. For children from 2 – 7.
Free—but you must book in advance
Introduction to International Trade
Tuesday 14 February
2.15 – 4.15pm
Talk
City Business Library
In partnership with City Business Library, Her Majesty’s Revenue
& Customs staff will explain import/export procedures and
highlight the various regimes which may save you time and money,
for businesses that trade with countries outside the European
Union.
Free—but you must book in advance
Edward Lear Centenary—Quangle-Wangles, Pobbles, and
Jumblies
Wednesday 15 February
11am – 1pm
Family activity
Keats House
Create your own fantasy animal inspired by Edward Lear’s
nonsense poems. Write a poem about them and have a go at bringing
your creature to life with crafts! A fun, half term activity for
all the family.
Free—but you must book in advance
The Heart’s Desire
Tuesday 14 February
2pm
London Metropolitan Archives
If you need your heart warmed and filled with love then why not
pop in to this talk on Valentine’s Day. Take in a poem, some art,
and a scandal with a mistress or two all within the collections
held at the London Metropolitan Archives. This talk will have a
special focus on the sentimental and its use in the images of the
Illustrated London News in the nineteenth-century. Don’t miss our
treasured collection of Valentine’s cards which will be on
display.
Free—but you must book in advance
Danger UXB—the Greatest Threat to St Paul’s
Wednesday 15 February
12.30 – 1.30pm
Talk
Shoe Lane Library
In the early hours of 17 April 1941, during the heaviest air
raid yet on London, a 500kg German bomb hit St Paul’s and exploded
in the North Transept, causing great damage and (as recently
discovered) causing the Dome to lift and crack.
But, initially unnoticed, the Cathedral faced an even greater
menace that night as a 1000kg High Explosive Parachute Mine had
landed by the north wall at the east end of the Cathedral. Its
detonation would’ve wrecked St Paul’s. This is the story of how St
Paul’s was saved, told by Peter Boalch.
Communicating and Influencing With NLP
Thursday 16 February
2 – 4pm
Talk
City Business Library
Businesses are embracing the highly effective communication
techniques of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) as part of their
culture more and more as they realise that delivering results
relies on more than just technical skills and qualifications.
During this workshop, Alison Matthews of Sensability will
introduce techniques which will help you understand yourself and
others better and help build effective relationships which will
enable you to achieve consistent results, reach your targets and
generate greater customer/client satisfaction.
Free—but you must book in advance
Arts & Activism: Culture and Resistance
Saturday 18 February
10am – 4.30pm
Conference
London Metropolitan Archives
The seventh Huntley conference will explore the use of the Arts
as a form of cultural resistance by political and cultural
activists Jessica and Eric Huntley. The Huntleys took the interests
and struggles of black people in the UK and made them central to
their campaigns and publishing. They encouraged and published the
works of black artists through books, posters and greeting cards,
in addition to supporting ventures such as the Keskidee Centre and
promoting musicians, dancers and actors through cultural
events.
£8—but you must book in advance
Reel London: Bexley in Archive Film
Tuesday 21 February
1 – 4pm
London Metropolitan Archives
Using archive films from the Bexley Local Studies & Archive
Centre, footage will include the opening of the clock-tower in
Bexleyheath town centre (1912), Bexley Civil Defence during World
War II and films showing civic events including: Bexley Royal
Charter Celebrations (1935), May Queen Celebration in Sidcup Green
(1935/36), Communist Party rally (1947).
Free—drop in
Website Woes: Which Site-Type Will Win You Business?
Wednesday 22 February
10am – 12noon
Talk
City Business Library
Do you have a business and a website, or do you have a Business
Website?
With so many types of websites available, it can be daunting trying
to pick the right one, or two, and do justice to your brand!
Glen Thomas will take you through 3 steps to work out which type
of website is the right tool for your business—Identify how, who
and where to manage your website, who do you want to see your
website? Are you aiming for an ‘active’ or ‘passive’ site? Will you
be selling or sharing on your website?
Walk away with a web action plan that you will be able to apply
to your business straight away.
Free—but you must book in advance
Exploring LGBT Collections
Wednesday 22 February
6 – 7.30pm
Workshop
London Metropolitan Archives
A workshop which introduces material from the LGBT collections held
at LMA. An LGBT History Month event.
Free—but you must book in advance
Eulogy to Keats
Thursday 23 February
3pm
Poetry reading
Keats House
On the 23 February 1821, John Keats died in Rome at the age of
25. To commemorate the anniversary of his death, we present a
programme of poetry and prose to celebrate the life of this
inspirational poet. This will include a reading of Shelley’s eulogy
to Keats, Adonais.
Free—with an admission ticket to the house
Late View: The Cat’s Pyjamas
Friday 24 February
6 - 10pm
Guildhall Art Gallery
Inspired by our Age of Elegance exhibition, the Gallery will be
open after hours for an evening of Jazz Age entertainment. We will
be kicking up our heels to the music of the Roaring Twenties and
enjoying the whimsical, witty literature and entertainment once
enjoyed by the Bright Young Things. You can also enjoy a
specially-designed decadent cocktail from our pop-up bar.
Eulogy to Keats
Sunday 26 February
3pm
Poetry reading
Keats House
On the 23 February 1821, John Keats died in Rome at the age of
25. To commemorate the anniversary of his death, we present a
programme of poetry and prose to celebrate the life of this
inspirational poet. This will include a reading of Shelley’s eulogy
to Keats, Adonais.
Free—with an admission ticket to the
house