4 brilliant things to do this May

Seeking great arts activities for the month ahead? Why not stream an eye-opening art documentary, take a garden tour or take the chance to buy affordable art?

The Barker Gallery at the Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, 2022

Discover affordable artworks 

The latest edition of the Affordable Art Fair in Hampstead Heath promises the very best in contemporary art at prices that won’t break the bank. Check out special ‘edits’ of works under £500 and the rising stars of the Jackson’s Painting Prize, and stick around for evening views that include live DJ sets and complimentary drinks. If you fancy bringing the whole family, enjoy the ‘weekend family hour’, with activities such as face painting and scavenger hunts. There really is something for everyone.

Affordable Art Fair, 11–14 May, tickets from £10

Book via affordableartfair.com

Get hands-on at Yorkshire Sculpture Park 

Connect to nature through weaving

In this two-day workshop at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, willow sculptor and basket maker Joe Gregory shares the joys of willow basket-making, while utilising foraged and locally sourced wood. With a promise that students will walk away with a basket they have made themselves, this is a chance to reconnect with nature and use your hands to produce something beautiful and unique, with no previous experience required. This workshop is part of The Oak Project, a nationwide arts programme that forges connections to nature through creativity.

Foraged Basket Making with Joe Gregory at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 20–21 May

Book via ysp.org.uk

A still from the film All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

See artist activism in a new light

If you missed it in cinemas, you can now stream the astonishing Oscar-nominated documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. This award-winning film, from film-maker Laura Poitras, tells the story of photographer Nan Goldin and her mission to hold the Sackler family members who owned Purdue Pharma, the pharmacy behind the highly addictive drug OxyContin, accountable for the overdose crisis. Through grassroots activism, she forced museums around the world to reckon with taking major donations from the Sacklers, whose name once adorned institutions such as the Louvre and Tate.  

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Available to stream via Apple TV, Curzon, Google Play and more

The Queen Mother’s Garden at Walmer Castle 

Tour spectacular gardens

Enjoy a special tour of the stunning grounds at Walmer Castle in Kent. You’ll see its wildflower meadows, rejuvenated Glen Garden and The Queen Mother’s Garden, which was inaugurated on her 95th birthday. It features an elegant arched pavilion, a rectangular pool inspired by Islamic designs, and sculptural plants such as purple-headed cardoons and deep-blue agapanthus. This special tour – part of the National Garden Scheme – gives visitors the chance to learn about the history of this impressive English Heritage site as well as how these beautiful gardens are cared for.

National Garden Scheme Tour at Walmer Castle, 25 May at 5.30pm

Book via english-heritage.org.uk