The high cost of living in London is no excuse to miss out on the rich culture the capital has to offer.
Many of the city鈥檚 art exhibitions and events are affordable 鈥 and, better yet, a great number of them are completely free.
This guide proves you can immerse yourself in London鈥檚 vibrant cultural scene without breaking the bank.
After all, the best things in life are free (though, to quote Coco Chanel, the second-best things are usually very, very expensive).
Featuring sculpture, drawing, painting, installation and photography, this hugely popular exhibition encompasses over five decades of the Italian artist鈥檚 work. The forests of Northern Italy was a major inspiration to Penone, who was fascinated by the relationship between humans and nature, organic and artistic practices.
Serpentine South Gallery, until September 7, serpentinegalleries.org
The first solo exhibition of London-born artist Alexandra Metcalf, Gaaaaaaasp is an exploration of gender and interiority through depictions of psychological turmoil. Comprised of both paintings and spatial installations, navigating the exhibition is a visceral experience, harking back to England鈥檚 psychiatric spaces in the mid-20th century.
The Perimeter, until 26 July, the perimeter.co.uk
Co-organised by three London-based artists, Fake Barn Country is an experimental selection of eclectic mixed-media artworks created by over two dozen artists.
Raven Row, until 6 July, ravenrow.org
Devised by artist duo Himali Singh Soin & David Soin Tappeser, this new moving image installation is an exploration of the 鈥渉edge鈥 as poetic and political space. Through experimental poetry, music and film, the artwork unpacks the symbolism of a 2,500 km hedge grown by the British Empire in the 1800s.
Tate Britain, until 25 August, tate.org.uk
Since 2023, the National Gallery has displayed six of the Renaissance artist鈥檚 greatest masterpieces, which have been loaned from the King. Regarded as one of the finest achievements of Italian Renaissance art, Mantegna鈥檚 nine canvases depict the power and eventual collapse of Ancient Rome.
The National Gallery, ongoing, nationalgallery.org.uk
The Barbican Music Library is hosting Black Sound London, an exhibition showcasing British black music and its global influence, spanning jazz, lovers鈥 rock, jungle, grime and drill.
Bringing together vintage mixtapes, renowned magazine covers and fly-posted walls, the exhibition unpacks how movements such as grime and lovers’ rock reshaped the sound of Britain 鈥 and have evolved into powerful statements of identity and resistance today.
Barbican Library, until Jul 19, 2025 barbican.org.uk
In her first solo exhibition outside of India, Kolkata鈥揵orn Arpita Singh tells the stories of womanhood, political turmoil, and social injustice across 60 years of art at The Serpentine Galleries.
From black and white watercolours in her youth, through to the vibrant and colourful Bengali folk oil paintings that dominate her career, Singh鈥檚 work is a chronology of emotion, culture, and female experience.
Blending surrealism with traditional Indian motifs, her art explores everything from motherhood to vulnerability, reflecting a life shaped by both domestic intimacy and public struggle.
Serpentine North Gallery, until Jul 27, 2025 serpentinegalleries.org
Eleven rooms of the Tate are dedicated to this visual exploration of the varied materials that artists have used over the decades. Expect to see works such as Doris Salcedo’s famous metal structures, Marcel Duchamp鈥檚 toilet seat and Sarah Sze鈥檚 installations.
Tate Modern, ongoing; tate.org.uk
If it鈥檚 the rare English sunshine you鈥檙e after, Sculpture in the City is an open-air gallery, featuring 17 artworks across the City of London district. Embark on a treasure hunt across the city to see installations by Maya Rose Edwards, Richard Mackness, and Arturo Herrera.
Various locations, until spring 2026 , sculptureinthecity.org.uk
This commission reunites two pieces of art created nearly a century apart, designed for the same Tate Britain space. One is a mural from the 1920s, painted directly onto the gallery’s walls, while the other is a film installation created in response to the mural. Together, these works raise important questions about our interaction with historical art.
The goal is to spark a conversation about engaging with historical works. 鈥淚 know there is an argument among young people now that these images retraumatise, but I think we either look or forget,鈥 said Piper. 鈥淭o keep a clear sense of history, we need to see these things. We need to recognise the importance throughout black struggles and the significance of difficult images.鈥
Tate Britain, ongoing; tate.org.uk
London-born photographer Eileen Perrier presents a striking portrait series that documents individuals within their communities, from Peckham to Paris. Her work challenges traditional beauty standards and questions the commodification of identity. While each image captures a distinct personality, the collection as a whole offers a broader reflection on community, representation, and belonging.
The Autograph, until Sept 13, 2025, autograph.org.uk
1880 THAT is all about sign language. A playful exhibition meets a powerful and very real cause, created due to the frustration with the exclusion of deaf people. The exhibition comprises video, Pop Art, and sculpture replicating and representing the feeling of losing a language.
Wellcome Collection, until Nov 16, 2025, wellcomecollection.org