From the Editor
* Film festivals galore:: the Korean Film Festival is underway, to be followed by the UK Jewish Film Festival from 6 November, French Film Festival from 13 November, Palestine Film Festival from the 14th, and from 27 November the London Migration Film Festival.
* The Black British Theatre Awards 2025
Daniel Nelson london.globalevents@gmail.com
TALKS AND MEETINGS
Monday 3 November
* China’s Economic Prospects on the Cusp, George Magnus, 6pm, Gresham College, Barnard’s Inn Hall, Holborn, EC1N 2HH
* NYRA: Pre-Launch, Amanda Lenhardt on her social venture designed to catalyse collective action between farmers in the Global South on the frontlines of climate change and people in the UK ready to take evidence-based climate actions, 7 - 9pm, Kings’ College, 8th Floor Terrace Strand campus, 30 Aldwych, WC2B 4BG. Info: NYRA
* Syria after Assad: a reporter’s view on a nation in transition, Raya Jalabi, in person and online, 6.30 - 8pm, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE
Tuesday 4 November
* For the Sun After Long Nights, Nilo Tabrizy and Leila Molana-Allen launch book chronicling Iran’s Woman, Life, Freedom movement, 7pm, from £5.94, Frontline Club, 13 Norfolk Place, W2.1QJ. Info: Frontline
* Artificial intelligence and planetary futures: agency, equity and co-operation in global AI governance, Divij Joshi, Pedro Conceição, Rose Mutiso, Alessandra Lustrati, 2.30-4pm, in person and online, Overseas Development Institute, 4 Millbank, SW1P 3JA. Info: ODI
Wednesday 5 November
* The growth story of the 21st century: The economics and opportunity of climate action, Nicolas Stern, 6.30-8pm, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE
* The Gaza catastrophe: the genocide in world-historical perspective, Gilbert Achkar on his new book, Dina Matar, Nimer Saltany, 6 - 7.30pm, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, WC1H OXG
* The State of `Democracy in South Asia, SY Quraishi, Shandana Khan Mohmand, Maya Tudor, 5.30-7pm, Kings College, Strand campus WC2R 2LS
* Sanctuary for Health Justice, project provides a welcoming environment for health equity scholars facing existential threats in the US. The webinar invites questions related to the application process, 1 - 2.30pm. Info: Institute of Development Studies
Thursday 6 November
* The Long Heat: Climate Politics When It Is Too Late, Andreas Malm and Wim Carton on their latest book, 6pm, Kings College, Strand campus, 30 Aldwych, WC2B 4BG.
Thursday 6 - Friday 7 November
* Global finance and geopolitical fragmentation: implications for emerging markets and developing economies, in-person and online, Overseas Development Institute, 4 Millbank, SW1P 3JA. Info: ODI
Friday 7 November
* Heart of Conrad, Agnieszka Adamowicz-Pośpiech; Kaoru Yamamoto, Robert Lemkin, Jacek Dukaj and Robert Hampson discuss the enduring influence of Polish-British novelist Joseph Conrad, 7 - 8.30pm, £12, British Library, 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB. Info: Library. See also Film, 7 November
EXHIBITIONS
* Thirst: In Search of Freshwater, from ancient Mesopotamia and Victorian London to modern-day Nepal and Singapore, the exhibition combines art, science, history, technology and indigenous knowledge to deepen understanding of our relationships with freshwater, free, Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, NW1 2BE until 1 February 2026. Info: Wellcome
+ Thirst: an exhibition bridge over troubled water
* Botanical Tales and Seeds of Empire & Flora Indica: Recovering the lost histories of Indian botanical art, The Singh Twins examine the global mythologies of plants and the histories of Empire + Flora Indica – a world first display of work by historical Indian botanical artists, admission included in Kew entry fee, Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens until 12 April
+ The Singh Twins light up the links between empire and botany
+ The Singh Twins spotlight Kew’s role in the business of Empire
* Mumbai + London: new perspectives on the ancient world, small show focussed on Greek god Dionysius and India’s Vishnu, British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG until 11 January 2026. Info: Exhibition
* Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times In An Instant), Mexican artist Teresa Margolles’ cuboid on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square is a memorial to trans people worldwide
* Collecting and Empire, trail making connections between archaeology, anthropology and the British Empire, British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1. Info: British Museum
* British Library, installation of 6,328 books marks the contributions of migrants to UK, Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1. Info: Installation/ 7887 8888
* African Deeds, showcases a collection that includes diaries, cassette interviews, videos, photos and documents of three generations of family history, inspired by grandfather Thomas’ land title deeds brought from West Africa in 1901, Black Cultural Archives, 1 Windrush Square, SW2 1EF. Info: BCA
* Target Queen, large-scale commission by British-Indian artist Bharti Kher, Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre
* Imaging Peace, outdoor exhibition of global community peace photography projects, part of ‘Lost & Found: Stories of sanctuary and belonging’, a free programme of arts and ideas at King’s College, Strand, WC2R 2LS. Info: Peace exhibition;
* Kerry James Marshall: The Histories, “the most important artist” in the US, who places the lives of Black Americans front and centre, £23.50-£25.50, Royal Academy, Piccadilly, until 18 January. Info: RA
+ ‘If you say Black, you should see Black’
+ ‘My paintings don’t fit the narrative’: Kerry James Marshall on why he’s depicting black enslavers
* The Presence of Solitude, through film, photography and costume, Taiwanese artist Val Lee explores isolation, solitude and the human connections that may form in these moments, free, Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road until 11 January. Info: Hayward
* Nigerian Modernism, Nigerian artists working before and after the decade of national independence from British colonial rule in 1960, Tate Modern, Bankside SE1 9TG until 10 May. Info: Tate
* I Still Dream of Lost Vocabularies, examination of political dissent and erasure through the idea of collage, Sabrina Tirvengadum, Sunil Gupta, Qualeasha Wood, Jess Atieno, Sheida Soleimani, free, Autograph, Rivington Place, EC2A 3BA until 21 March. Info: Exhibition
* Parliament of Ghosts, Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama repurposes colonial-era furniture and jute sacks alongside newly crafted elements, Ibraaz, 14 Mortimer Street, W1W 7SS, until 15 February. Info: Ibraaz
+ Secret Maps, the stories hidden in some of history’s most mysterious maps, £20, British Library, 96 Euston Road NW1 2DB until 18 January. Info: Library
* El Anatsui, new works in wood by the Ghanaian artist, October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester Street, WC1N 3AL and Goodman Gallery, 26 Cork Street W1S 3ND until 29 November.
* A Story of South Asian Art: Mrinalini Mukherjee and Her Circle, artists who have shaped the trajectory of Indian Modernism, £17, Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly W1J until 24 February. Info: RA
+ 21 November, Curator talk: A Story of South Asian Art, 11 - midday, £15/£9
ARTS OPPORTUNITIES
* Comedian Munya Chawawa has launched Black Boys Theatre Club “to give young men access to a world of theatre”.
The comedian and satirist hopes to make the arts more accessible for young black boys across the capital with his new arts initiative
* Women writers, directors, performers, musicians and visual artists are invited to submit projects for the Playground Theatre’s planned Women’s Voices: A Celebration
* For emerging and mid-career Palestinian artists based anywhere in the world: a fully-funded, 11 week residency at Gasworks in London from 7 July to 21 September 2026. Application deadline: 12 January.
* The BFI is to invest £150m over the next three years under six headings: audiences, education & heritage, filmmaking & talent development, skills & workforce development, international, and insight & industry.
* The Royal Court Theatre’s first nationwide, open-access Young Playwrights Award invites every teenager in the country to try writing a play..
* New Diorama Theatre is distributing grants of £500 to migrant theatre makers to ease the burden of visa, legal, and other bureaucratic costs affecting migrants navigating UK immigration.
* Entries for the 2026 Open City Documentary Festival are open. Deadline: 28 November
* Black Cultural Archives is looking for 13 ,more members to develop skills, explore culture, and shape the future of the heritage sector. Information here for information and an application form.
* First or second-generation migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, international students or international workers can enter the Then & Now’ writing competition focussing on your migration story. Details here.
* Good Chance, formed in the Calais Jungle refugee camp, is launching Stage Door 10 - a national programme placing 10 creatives from refugee backgrounds in paid roles across 10 UK theatres and arts organisations.
* Theatro Technis and Hyphen Artist Collective’s offer free in-person & online writing sessions + community chats for hyphenated & global majority creatives.
* Artist Surgeries at the Gate Theatre: on the second Thursday of every month.
* As Yet Unscene, year-round initiative to find and develop scripts in early stages of development. it includes workshops, rehearsed readings and fully-rehearsed performances of longer extracts. Details here
* The Royal Court Theatre’s Writers’ Card aims to help playwrights through mentoring, networking, funding opportunities, events, subsidised meals and free script printing.
* The Royal Court has also launched a London-wide playwrights award for 13-18-year-olds.
* The Cockpit Theatre’s monthly scratch night enables performers to try out 10-15 minutes of new work + a short Q&A. Also classes, workshops, readings, advice sessions, support & performance opportunities.
* Papatango hopes its new Playwrights’ Studio will be a home for playwrights of all levels of experience. Its advantages include digital workshops, lone-to-one, and thousands of pounds in open-access funding.
* Riverside Studios is offering a regular drop-in playwriting group: “Whether you’re working on a script and want creative inspiration, you're intrigued by the idea of writing a play, or simply want a creative outlet, these monthly meet-ups are informal, fun and open to everyone.” It has also launched songwriting sessions.
FILM
* Souleymane’s Story, drama about 48 desperate hours in the life of a Guinean fast food courier in Paris, Ritzy 5 November; Rio until 3 November; Cine Lumiere until 6 November
+Souleymane pedals for his life on the streets of Paris
* Khartoum, five Sudanese people have their stories unexpectedly woven together in this evocative mosaic, until 6 November, Curzon Bloomsbury,
+ Sudan’s war re-enacted in exile
Palestine 36, Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir’s most ambitious work to date is a powerful drama about events leading up to the 1936 Arab Revolt against the British, Barbican, ICA, Curzons Bloomsbury and Soho until 6 November; Cine Lumiere until 11 November
+ Palestine 1936: A story for today
* Writing Hawa, the story of three generations of Hazara women from the same family in Afghanistan, and their aspirations to emancipate themselves from patriarchal traditions. But when the Taliban return it turns the lives of the three women upside down, Curzon Bloomsbury until 6 November
* London Korean Film Festival (LKFF), the biggest yet, with films from Korea’s all-time box-office champion Roaring Currents to current releases: films for family audiences, thrillers, costume dramas, comedies, dramas, even a dark adult fantasy, until 14 November. Info: LKFF
Monday 3 November
* After Eight, documentary on the darker side of Britain’s post-pub curry culture, telling the story of Satpal Ram and a major miscarriage of justice + Q&A with director Mos Hannan and producer Usayd Younis, 6.45pm, £9, Rich Mix
Tuesday 4 November
* The Village Next to Paradise, a recently united family in small coastal Somali town must navigate personal aspirations and the threat of drone attacks, 6pm, £9, Rich Mix
+ Paradise village: a way to talk about Somalia
Wednesday 5 November
* The Veto, documentary showing how powerful nations manipulate the UN Security Council to block action in the face of mass atrocities, paralysing international responses to genocide and war crimes + Q&A with Julian Borger, Tahani Mustafa and Tim Slade, 7pm, from £5.94, Frontline Club, 13 Norfolk Place, W2 1QJ. Info: Frontline
* 35 Shots of Rum, explores the bond between a Black Parisian father and his daughter at a moment of significant change, and meditates on the loneliness of the immigrant experience, 6.30pm, £9, Rich Mix
Thursday 5 November
* The Stringer, investigation into the truth behind an iconic Vietnam War photograph that questions why Vietnamese photographers’ essential contribution to the conflict have not found their place in history + Q&A with Bao Nguyen, Garry Knight and Fiona Turner, 7 - 8:30pm, from £5.94, Frontline Club, 12 Norfolk Place, W13. Info: Frontline
from Thursday 6 November
* UK Jewish Film Festival, until 16 November online selection 19 - 27 November. Info: Festival
Friday 7 November
* African Apocalypse, British-Nigerian student Femi Nylander follows the trail of a 19th century French colonial military commander who burned his way across Africa as Joseph Conrad wrote his book, The Heart of Darkness. Tens of thousands were massacred in the name of imperial domination. With communities still devastated by a century-old atrocity speaking out for the first time, Nylander begins to question his own sense of belonging + director Robert Lemkin on Conrad’s enduring influence, 5pm, £12, British Library, 96 Euston Road, NW1. Info: Screening. See also Talks and discussions, 7 November
+ ‘Your White Supremacy, like Kurtz’s, still haunts our modern world’
* Pressure, classic of Black British cinema captures the struggle of young British West Indians as they attempt to make their way through life, 6.10pm, National Film Theatre + 14, 23 November
PERFORMANCE
* Period Parrrty, set in 2010, Gayathiri Kamalakanthan’ debut play is no ordinary coming-of-age story. It’s a trans Tamil party, and an ode to Tamil survival and self-determination, from £19, Soho Theatre, Dean `Street, W1 until 22 November. Info: Soho Theatre
* Voila! Theatre Festival, 110 shows. 70 languages, including 4 - 8 Nov, Mendari, solo performance reclaiming Muslim-Malay-Singaporean identity from colonial myths, state narratives and disappearing heritage; 5-7 Nov, Kill Your Father, radical reimagining of the Medea myth by Black lesbian Brazilian playwright Grace Passô; 7 Nov, Xquenda, an indigenous woman from rural Oaxaca seeks justice after the disappearance and murder of her best friend; 13 Nov, Neither Here Nor There, two women (second-generation Chinese-Spanish, the other Danish, Nigerian and Italian) explore identity, prejudice, and the search for belonging. Barons Court Theatre, Theatre Deli, Etcetera Theatre, The Playground Theatre, The Questors Theatre – Studio, The Space Theatre, Theatro Technis, The Cockpit. Until 23 November. Info: Festival
Tuesday 4 - Wednesday 5 November
* Bibi Rukiya’s Reckless Daughter, dance piece about a widow who confines her three daughters in response to societal pressure to protect her family’s reputation + Q&A chaired by artist/activist Shakila Taranum Maan, 7.30pm, The Place, 17 Dukes Road, WC1H 9PY. Info: The Place
Wednesday 5 - Friday 7 November
* Kill Your Father, radical reimagining of the Medea myth by Black lesbian Brazilian playwright Grace Passô, £12, Etectera Theatre, 265 Camden High Street. Info: Etcetera
TV and RADIO
Monday 3 November
* Global Eye, current affairs, 7pm, BBC2
Tuesday 4 November
* World’s Most Dangerous Roads, comedian Phil Wang in Lesotho, 9.45pm, BBC2
Wednesday 5 November
* Tropic of Cancer With Simon Reeve, Bangladesh, 8pm, BBC2
* Eye Investigations: Death in Dubai, sexual weirdness in the Gulf?, 11.30pm, BBC2
Friday 7 November
* Unreported World, ICE agents hunting migrants in the US, 7.30pm, Channel4
* Empire With David Olusoga, new series, 9pm, BBC2
* Free Thinking, the end of civilisations and societies, 9pm, Radio4