London Art Guide May 2026: Premieres, Fairs, and Performances
May 2026 in London showcases a vibrant array of artistic events. The all-male comedic dance troupe, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, will perform at Sadlers Wells on May 5 and 6, marking their 50th Anniversary with the UK premiere of Metal Garden. The Affordable Art Fair is set for Hampstead Heath from May 6 to 10, while London Craft Week takes place from May 11 to 17. The European Writers' Festival at the British Library's Pigott Theatre features Jáchym Topol, Anne-Marie Reuter, and Sara Stridsberg on May 16-17. Additionally, the London Gay Men's Chorus celebrates its 35th anniversary with MOMENTus at the Pan Pacific Hotel from May 22-24. Other highlights include Photo London at Olympia from May 14-17 and a Festival of Korean Dance from May 13-30.
Key facts
- Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo performs at Sadlers Wells on 5 and 6 May 2026.
- Ceramic Art London is at Olympia from 8 to 10 May 2026.
- Photo London moves to Olympia, running 14-17 May with VIP preview on 13 May.
- London Gay Men's Chorus presents MOMENTus at Pan Pacific Hotel from 22-24 May.
- Affordable Art Fair returns to Hampstead Heath from 6 to 10 May.
- European Writers' Festival at British Library features Jáchym Topol, Anne-Marie Reuter, Sara Stridsberg.
- Brighton Fringe runs 1-31 May; Brighton Festival runs 1-25 May.
- A Festival of Korean Dance runs 13-30 May at The Place and other UK venues.
Entities
Artists
- Glenda
- Rita
- Jáchym Topol
- Anne-Marie Reuter
- Sara Stridsberg
- Jonny Woo
- Young-doo Jung
- Hugh Bonneville
- Maggie Siff
- Lesley Manville
- Aidan Turner
- Griff Rhys Jones
- Cynthia Erivo
- Rosamund Pike
- Mason Alexander Park
- Felicity Kendall
- Freddie Fox
- Ralph Fiennes
- Miranda Raison
- Jinkx Monsoon
- Gary Oldman
- Mark Gatiss
- David Haig
- Hadley Fraser
- Megan Dalla-Camina
- Dr Diana Carroll
Institutions
- Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
- Sadlers Wells
- Craft Potters Association of Great Britain
- Olympia
- Photo London
- Nikon
- London Gay Men's Chorus
- Terrence Higgins Trust
- Pan Pacific Hotel
- Affordable Art Fair
- London Craft Week
- Wimbledon Art Fair
- Wimbledon Art Studios
- British Library
- Pigott Theatre
- Brighton Fringe
- Brighton Festival
- A Festival of Korean Dance
- The Place
- Korea National Contemporary Dance Company
- 99 Art Company
- Ryu and Friends
- Aldwych Theatre
- Lyttelton Theatre
- Apollo Theatre
- Noël Coward Theatre
- Wyndham's Theatre
- Trafalgar Theatre
- Barbican Theatre
- Theatre Royal Haymarket
- Soho Theatre
- Royal Court Theatre
- RSC's Swan Theatre
- Chichester Festival Theatre
- ArtsHub
- The Sydney Morning Herald
- The Australian
- Woman's Day
- B&T
- Thames & Hudson
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Brighton
- Hampstead Heath
- Kensington
- Olympia
- Pan Pacific Hotel
- British Library
- Pigott Theatre
- The Place
- Glasgow
- Bournemouth
- Newcastle
- Manchester
- Stratford-upon-Avon
- Chichester
- Adelaide
- Australia