City Family Arts Network Spring 2016

Spring 2016

Your at-a-glance guide to family-friendly arts and cultural

events in the City of London

Welcome to the City!

More than meets the (googly) eyes The City of London is home to a host of arts and cultural offerings for families, with many destinations just a stone’s throw from each another.

Did you know, for example, that the Museum of London is just five minute’s walk from the Barbican Centre, in which lies two theatres, three cinemas, a concert hall, two galleries, the Barbican Children’s Library, various restaurants and a lakeside area?

It also plays host to two world-class symphony orchestras, the London Symphony Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra. The Guildhall School of Music & Drama shares the Barbican campus and presents public performances, as well as running a Saturday school for talented under-18s.

Eat, drink, shop, relax The City, or Square Mile, is best known as London’s financial centre, but it also has places to eat, shop, park, picnic and relax. London Wall Bar and Kitchen, London Wall Pizza Express and Barbican Kitchen are just some of the local eateries which cater specifically for families, with kids’ menus and special offers; there’s shopping to be done at One New Change; and Fortune Park and St Luke’s Gardens offer calming green space. Ample parking is available at the Barbican Centre.

Well-connected City cultural attractions are well served by public transport with train stations including Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Farringdon, Old Street and Cannon Street, and underground stations including Barbican, St Paul’s and Bank. With the arrival of Crossrail at Farringdon and Liverpool Street in 2018, an estimated 90,000 extra visitors will pass through the City every day.

Regular family events As well as the events listed in the highlights calendar, your family can enjoy the following activities most weeks.

Parent & Baby Screenings, Barbican Cinemas 2 & 3 Every Mon 11.30am Enjoy new films on the big screen with your little ones under 12 months Framed Film Club, Barbican Cinemas 2 & 3 Every Sat 11am A year-round programme of film and learning for 4- to 11-year-olds Museum Explored, Museum of London Every Sun 12–2pm 5+s are invited to join Museum hosts and explore galleries through fun, hands-on activities Family Tour, Museum of London Every Sun 2–2.45pm A guided tour especially for families with over-5s Hands-on History, Museum of London Every Sun 2–4pm Get up close to history at the Museum’s object handling table and learn incredible London stories LSO Free Friday Lunchtime Concerts, LSO St Luke’s Fri 29 Jan, Fri 12 & 26 Feb, Fri 4 Mar 12.30pm Discover instruments in short, informal concerts by musicians from the London Symphony Orchestra Rhyme Time for Under-5s, Barbican Children’s Library Every Fri 10.45am (babies) Every Mon 10.45am (toddlers) & 4pm (3+) A great opportunity for children to experience stories, rhymes and music in a relaxed atmosphere Storytime for 3–5s, Barbican Children’s Library Every Mon 4pm An engaging session for pre-school children and a good way for young children to begin socialising * We strongly advise you check online or call the relevant organisation before your visit, as there may be instances where an event is cancelled or moved.

This leaflet has been put together by the City Family Arts Network

Learn more at cityfamilyarts.co.uk

February Half Term

LSO: Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream CONCERT

The Next Generation of Jazz CONCERT

Tue 16 Feb 7.30pm

Fri 19 Feb 7.30pm

Barbican Shakespeare Weekender: Play On VARIOUS

Junior Guildhall Concert: Romeo & Juliet CONCERT

Sat 5 - Sun 6 Mar 11am–6pm

Sat 5 Mar 5.30pm

March 2016

Kodo One Earth Tour: Mystery CONCERT & DANCE

National Festival of LGBT History: Family Day DROP-IN ACTIVITIES

BBC Singers Plus Family: The Somme Remembered WORKSHOP & CONCERT

Sun 7 Feb 11am-5pm

Thu 11 Feb 6.15pm

Mon 15 Feb 7.30pm

LSO Family Concert: Play On, Shakespeare! CONCERT

Sun 7 Feb 2.30pm

February Half Term: Heroes VARIOUS

Musical Storytelling for Under-5s CONCERT

Fri 5 Feb 12.30-1.15pm

Sat 13 – Sun 21 Feb 12-4pm

The World of Charles & Ray Eames EXHIBITION

Until Sun 14 Feb

February 2016

All

All

12+

8+

12+

All

All

8–16

7–12

1–5

£10 (£5 concs.)

See website

£5

£5 u-18s, £10-40 adults

£20-30

Free, drop-in

Free, advance booking required £5

£5 u-18s, £10 adults

£3 u-5s, £5 adults

All ages Free

For Barbican, Milton Court and LSO St Luke’s events, call the Barbican Box Office on 020 7638 8891 or visit barbican.org.uk For Museum of London events, call the Museum Box Office on 020 7001 9844 or visit museumoflondon.org.uk

Spring 2016 Highlights

Easter Holidays

Centre for Young Musicians Annual Showcase CONCERT

LSO Community Choir: Songs of Hope & Freedom CONCERT

Young Orchestra East Rehearsal with Gustavo Dudamel OPEN REHEARSAL

Easter Holidays: Incredible inventions VARIOUS

Sat 19 Mar 7.30pm

Mon 21 Mar 7.30pm

Thu 24 Mar 11am

Sat 26 Mar – Sun 10 Apr 12-4pm

A Night with Boy Blue DANCE

Fri 8 – Sat 9 Apr 2.30pm & 7.45pm

Milton Court

LSO St Luke’s

7+

6+

8+

8+

All

Free

£15-20, u-16s 50% off

£5 u-18s, £10-40 adults

£5 u-18s, £10-40 adults

Free, drop-in

£5

£5 u-18s, £7 adults

Museum of London

8–25

5+

£10 (£5 concs.)

Free, drop-in

Free

Please note booking fees apply (ranging from £0.60 to £4 per booking) to tickets booked online or by phone. This calendar is designed to give an overview of activity only. Please visit the related websites (listed on back page) for comprehensive information on all events, including further details about content and suitability, how to purchase tickets and any terms and conditions associated with either free or paid activity.

Barbican Centre

Sun 24 Apr Digital Workshop: Enter a Victorian Photograph WORKSHOP 12.30-1.30pm 2-3pm, 3.30-4.30pm

LSO with Alan Gilbert and Joshua Bell (violin) CONCERT

LSO with Alan Gilbert and Daniil Trifonov (piano) CONCERT

Sun 3 Apr 7pm

Thu 7 Apr 7.30pm

April 2016

5+

Families Find Out Festival SCIENCE FESTIVAL

Sat 12 - Sun 13 Mar 11am-4pm All

7+

Sun 6 Mar Digital Workshop: My Family’s Museum Adventure WORKSHOP 12.30-1.30pm, 2-3pm, 3.30-4.30pm

ECROSS STREET MAR HIT W

Kin

gs C

ros s

n

gdo

in Farr

an

Chil

Barbic

dren ’s Libr ary

EX P L ORE

Museum of London

St. Pauls

KE

T

Old Street

CROSSR COMING

AIL IN

St. Lukes

ditch

Shore Mil to Cou n rt

tre ea h T & Da

M

ll ha f a i l do l o a r m Gu ho Sc & D c usi

Liverpool St.

Moorg

ate

e nc

Bank

Illustration Š Tim Bradford

une Fort Park

Find us & find out more

Barbican Centre Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS

Milton Court (Guildhall School) 1 Milton Street, EC2Y 9BH

The Barbican is Europe’s largest multi-arts venue, iconic in its architecture. Exit Barbican tube at street level, walk through Beech Street tunnel and turn right on to Silk Street for the main entrance.

The Barbican Children’s Library is at the back of the main library on Level 2. The Barbican’s family events include Framed Film Club, family concerts from resident and visiting orchestras and Big Barbican Adventure, a do-it-yourself adventure trail.

Milton Court is the Guildhall School’s state-of-theart new building, which includes a concert hall and two theatres. It is located opposite the School’s Silk Street building, with the main entrance on the corner of Silk Street and Milton Street.

barbican.org.uk/families cityoflondon.gov.uk/services (Children’s Library)

Cinemas 2 & 3 Barbican Centre

Beech Street, EC1Y 8AA

The Barbican’s Cinemas 2 & 3 are located on the corner of Beech Street and Whitecross Street, i.e. the left-hand side of the tunnel as you approach from Barbican tube. As well as Framed Film Club, the Barbican Cinemas offer Parent & Baby Screenings, with specially adapted light and sound to create a soothing, relaxed environment.

gsmd.ac.uk/visitingus

Guildhall School Silk Street, EC2Y 8DT

The Guildhall School is one of the world’s leading conservatoires and drama schools, with two buildings which are directly opposite each other.

The Silk Street building is next to the Barbican Centre, with the main entrance on the same side of the street. gsmd.ac.uk/visitingus

161 Old Street, EC1V 9NG

LSO St Luke’s, owned by the London Symphony Orchestra, is a stunning 18th-century church restored to become a 21st-century performance venue. Leave Old Street tube via Subway 4, turning left. The spire of LSO St Luke’s will be immediately visible ahead, to the right. Whitecross Street, with its famous food market, is the road linking the Barbican with LSO St Luke’s. The LSO offers family concerts, early years workshops, singing days, open rehearsals and more at both LSO St Luke’s and the Barbican Centre. lso.co.uk/families

barbican.org.uk/film

LSO St Luke’s

Museum of London

150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN

The Museum of London, near St Paul’s Cathedral, is the only museum in the capital dedicated to showcasing London through the ages. It is a family-friendly venue with guaranteed activities at weekends and school holidays; family activity bags and information sheets are available from the information desk. The Museum’s entrance is on a pedestrian high walk which can be reached by stairs, escalators or lifts from Aldersgate Street, London Wall or St Martin’s-le-Grand. museumoflondon.org.uk/families