Things to do in London in February 2025
February brings a range of exciting events, from the opening of Sadler’s Wells East with an impressive programme, to the UK’s first major survey of American artist Noah Davis at the Barbican and a celebration of Leigh Bowery at Tate Modern. Collect Art Fair returns to Somerset House, Kew Gardens hosts its Orchid Festival, and Seth Troxler will perform at Fabric. Here’s our guide to the must-see events in London this February.
Noah Davis
Noah Davis, Untitled, 2015. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. © The Estate of Noah Davis. Courtesy The Estate of Noah Davis and David Zwirner. Photo: Kerry McFate.
#FLODown: The Barbican will host the UK’s first institutional survey of American artist Noah Davis (1983–2015), showcasing over 50 works spanning painting, sculpture, and works on paper. The exhibition, which covers his career from 2007 to 2015, explores his figurative paintings that capture the emotional and fantastical aspects of everyday life. Davis’s work draws from diverse sources like vintage photography, film, music, and art history, creating scenes that are both realistic and dreamlike. As co-founder of the Underground Museum in Los Angeles, Davis was committed to making art accessible to all. This exhibition includes his works on politics, family, race, and history, alongside his experimentation in sculpture and curation. A multidisciplinary programme of events inspired by Davis’s vision will also be held at the Barbican.
Date: 6 February - 11 May 2025. Location: Barbican Art Gallery, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £18 + BF. Book now.
Sadler’s Wells East
Sadler’s Wells East © Peter Cook.
#FLODown: Sadler’s Wells East will open in February 2025 in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, offering a bold new venue for dance. Part of the East Bank cultural hub, it will feature a range of performances, from hip hop to bharatanatyam, alongside education programmes and community spaces. The opening season will showcase 20 diverse productions, creating a dynamic platform for local and international artists. For more details, read the full article here.
Date: Opens February 2025. Location: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, London. sadlerswells.com.
Mitsuko Uchida & Mahler Chamber Orchestra: Mozart
Mitsuko Uchida continues her celebrated partnership with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Image credit May Zircus.
#FLODown: Mitsuko Uchida continues her celebrated partnership with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra in a programme of intimate and joyous music at the Royal Festival Hall. Featuring Mozart’s Piano Concerto in B flat major, K. 456, with Uchida directing from the keyboard, the evening also includes Janáček’s bittersweet wind sextet Mladi. This event marks the ninth year of Uchida’s collaboration with the orchestra.
Date: 1 February 2025. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre. Price: from £17.00 (excludes £3.50 booking fee). Book now.
Click here for more classical musics in London this spring/summer 2025.
Leigh Bowery!
Fergus Greer, Leigh Bowery Session I Look 2 1988 © Fergus Greer. Courtesy Michael Hoppen Gallery.
#FLODown: Tate will open an exhibition celebrating the groundbreaking career of Leigh Bowery (1961–1994), a fearless and original artist who redefined art, fashion, and popular culture. Showcasing his bold and dazzling costumes alongside painting, photography, and video, the exhibition traces Bowery’s journey from a young boy in Australia to a globally influential cultural icon. It offers a vivid portrait of his outrageous, complex, and creative legacy.
Date: 27 February – 31 August 2025.Location: Tate Modern, Natalie Bell Building, Level 3 Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Price: £18 / Free for members.Book now.
Click here for more fashion exhibitions to see in London in 2025.
THE SEAGULL
Cate Blanchett in the Barbican production, The Seagull. Photograph: Steven Chee
#FLODown: Cate Blanchett and Tom Burke star in Thomas Ostermeier’s new production of Chekhov’s The Seagull, returning to the stage in a gripping exploration of ambition, desire, and sacrifice. Blanchett plays Arkadina, a celebrated actress whose dominating presence disrupts her relationships, particularly with her son Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who struggles to emerge from her shadow. Meanwhile, her lover Trigorin (Burke) becomes the object of affection for young actress Nina (Emma Corrin). Adapted by Duncan Macmillan, this powerful production runs for six weeks only.
Date: 26 February - 5 April 2025. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS.Price: £20 + BF. Book now.
Seth Troxler at Fabric
Seth Troxler to perform at Fabric on 8 February 2025.
#FLODown: Globally renowned DJ Seth Troxler headlines Fabric London with support from DJ Holographic and Tarzsa in Room 1, while Bradley Zero delivers an all-night set in Room 2.
Date: 8 February 2025. Time: 11pm - 7am. Location: Fabric London, 77A Charterhouse St, London EC1M 6HJ. Price: from £15. Book now.
Click here for more gigs and shows to see in London in February.
Collect Art Fair 2025
Left to right: Chaise Bergère, Agnès Debizet, represented by Galerie Melissa Paul; An expanded fragments: Blue oriental, Minyeol Cho, represented by Siat Gallery; Seom/ Island 4001, Park Sung-wook, represented by Lloyd Choi Gallery; Prism Side Table, Angus Ross, represented by Contemporary Applied Arts (Photograph: Jake Curtis, Styling: Alex Kristal).
#FLODown: Collect Art Fair returns for its 21st edition at Somerset House in London this February, showcasing over 400 living artists from 40 international galleries. New participants from regions like Taiwan, Switzerland, and Cyprus join the fair, presenting contemporary craft and design that pushes the boundaries of traditional mediums. The fair will feature exquisite works in ceramics, glass, furniture, art jewellery, and more, with pieces priced from £500 to over £50,000.
Date: 28 February - 2 March 2025. Location: Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA.Price: from £23. Book now.
Kew Orchid Festival 2025
Orchids at Kew Gardens, celebrating the remarkable biodiversity of Madagascar. © RBG Kew.
#FLODown: Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival returns in February 2025, celebrating the vibrant flora and fauna of Peru. The Princess of Wales Conservatory will be transformed into a stunning display of Peru’s diverse landscapes, featuring lush orchids, alpacas, and flamingos. Visitors can also enjoy large-scale photography by Peruvian artist Mariano Vivanco and murals by Lima-born Gisella Stapleton. Additional highlights include an orchid-aviary and sculptures of endangered plants, such as the Queen of the Andes. Orchid After Hours will offer exclusive evening events, complete with live Peruvian music, performances, and delicious food.
Date: 1 February - 2 March 2025. Location: Princess of Wales Conservatory Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE. Price: from £20. Book now.
London Bookshop Crawl
Daunt Books.
#FLODown: The London Bookshop Crawl, held every February, invites book lovers to explore as many of the city’s independent bookshops as they like. Participants can join group tours or create their own routes using a Welcome Pack, which often includes perks like discounts and freebies. Many shops host special events, and crawlers are encouraged to share their experiences online. Participation is free, but optional paid packs and group tickets help support the self-funded event.
Date: 14 - 16 February 2025. Location: Various independent bookshops across London. Price: Free (Paid guided tours available).Sign up for the London Bookshop Crawl.
Flavour&Some X Control Room A
Flavour&Some x Control Room A. © Cave & Sky.
#FLODown: Battersea Power Station will host an exclusive fine dining and dance experience in February at its original Art Deco control room. Flavour&Some x Control Room A offers a five-course tasting menu crafted by award-winning chef Adam Thomason, served alongside world-class dance performances set to an original score. Tickets, starting from £145, include the full experience, with each course paired with four drinks, blending taste, movement, and culture in a truly unique atmosphere.
Date: 28 February - 2 March 2025. Location: Battersea Power Station, Circus Rd W, Nine Elms, London SW11 8DD. Price: from £145. Book now.
IL TROVATORE
Il trovatore ©2023 Camilla Greenwell.
#FLODown: Adele Thomas’s acclaimed production of Il trovatore returns to the stage in February at The Royal Opera’s Main Stage. Verdi’s opera of obsession and rivalry is brought to life with a visually striking design inspired by early renaissance storytelling and Hieronymus Bosch’s surreal imagery. Conductors Giacomo Sagripanti and Carlo Rizzi lead stellar casts, including Michael Fabiano, Rachel Willis-Sørensen, and Aleksei Isaev.
Date: 26 February – 22 March 2025. Location: Royal Ballet and Opera, Bow St, London WC2E 9DD. Price: £13–£270. Book now.
The Score
The Score at Theatre Royal Haymarket.
#FLODown: Following a successful run at the Theatre Royal Bath, The Score explores the complex themes of creativity, rivalry, and the cost of genius. Starring Brian Cox (Succession) as Johann Sebastian Bach, the production takes us to 1747 Prussia, where Bach is summoned by Europe’s most tyrannical ruler. As the two men engage, their lives are transformed. With rave reviews from its sold-out Bath run, The Score is already being hailed as one of the season’s must-see productions.
Date: 24 February 2025 - 26 April 2025. Location: Theatre Royal Haymarket, London SW1Y 4HT. Price: from £25. Book now.
Imagine Festival 2025
Imagine Festival 2023. ZooNation. Image credit Paul Hampartsoumian.
#FLODown: Imagine Festival, London’s arts festival for families, returns to the Southbank Centre in February 2025, during the half-term holiday. The festival offers a variety of events designed to ignite children’s creativity and imagination, including music, storytelling, dance, visual arts, and more. Highlights include performances like There’s a Bear on My Chair (18-23 Feb), The Rollercoaster(21-22 Feb), and free activities such as the Roblox Designathon (22-23 Feb). It also includes family-friendly activities like Draw With Rob (22 Feb) and the CBeebies Wildlife Jamboree (23 Feb).
Date: 18 – 23 February 2025. Location: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Click here to discover the full line-up of events.
Linder & Mickalene Thomas at the Hayward Gallery
Linder at the Hayward Gallery. Photo: Hazel Gaskin. Sweater dress: Ashish. Make-up:Kristina Ralph Andrews. Courtesy of the artist and Hayward Gallery.
#FLODown: The Hayward Gallery showcases two impactful exhibitions this February. Mickalene Thomas’ All About Love examines themes of beauty and identity through photomontage, marking her first major international tour. Danger Came Smiling offers a retrospective of British artist Linder’s 50-year career, also using photomontage to challenge traditional depictions of beauty.
Date: 11 February – 5 May 2025. Location: Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Price: £19. (concessions available). Book now.
Click here for more art exhibitions opening in London in February 2025.
Concrete Garden: Imagining Worlds
The Barbican Conservatory.
#FLODown: The Barbican Conservatory will host Concrete Garden: Imagining Worlds, a day of talks, workshops, and readings centred on sustainability and environmental care. Topics range from permaculture and Gaia theory to composting and gardening, with DIY plant-growing sessions and discussions by theorists, artists, and collectives. This event offers an exploration of our connection to nature and the importance of nurturing community growth.
Date: 9 February 2025. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS. Price: Free, but ticketed. Book now.
Les Illuminations
Wilton’s Music Hall,
#FLODown: Wilton’s Music Hall presents Les Illuminations, a captivating one-hour performance by the Chromatica Orchestra, featuring four works by British composers inspired by Italian Baroque and French Romanticism. The concert will showcase tenor Robin Tritschler as the soloist in Britten’s Les Illuminations, conducted by Peter Manning. This exquisite programme blends classical refinement with the passionate expressiveness of the Romantic era.
Date: 11 February 2025.Time: 8pm. Location: Wilton’s Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, London E1 8JB. Price: £12.50–£27. Book now.
Winter Light Festivals
Light Festival at Battersea Power Station. © James Parsons.
#FLODown: Don’t miss the final days of the free light festivals at Canary Wharf and Battersea Power Station, featuring works by local and international artists.
Click here for our guide to winter light festivals in London.