The best artful events to enjoy this December

From Caribbean creativity to magical frozen worlds, these are our picks of the best cultural activities 

Production photo from on-location filming in Norway for Prelude, 2020 © Kehinde Wiley

Reconsider the landscape with Kehinde Wiley

Kehinde Wiley is known for his powerful portraits that challenge the European canon by placing black sitters at the forefront, but his latest venture sees him take on another trope – that of the Romantic landscape painting. In a new collaboration with the National Gallery, the artist brings together film and painting, to consider the legacy and psychology behind epic works by the likes of JMW Turner and Caspar David Friedrich.

Kehinde Wiley at the National Gallery: The Prelude, the National Gallery, London, 10 December 2021–18 April 2022

nationalgallery.org.uk

Photograph: Nottingham Playhouse

Get the chills with A Christmas Carol 

In a new dramatic retelling of the Dickensian classic, which focuses on the fear as much as the fun, Olivier Award winner Mark Gatiss leads an ensemble cast as Jacob Marley, with Nicholas Farrell as Scrooge. Expect incredible special effects and a flair for the Victorian Gothic, staged in one of London’s most iconic venues. 

A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story, at Alexandra Palace, until 9 January 2022

alexandrapalace.com

Artur Rummel

Be inspired by clay gifts

What better gift than something unique and handmade? Visit the winter shows online (such as the digital edition of the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, GNCCFonline) or in person for exclusive artisan finds, such as the Turning Earth Ceramics Market taking place in East London. Or why not commission a piece direct from a craftsperson? A great place to research makers is the Crafts Council Directory, where you’ll find details of over 800 craftspeople (craftscouncil.org.uk).

Let the magic of Narnia unfold

Enter an icy world based on the literary classic at Castle Howard. With interior installations that include a 25ft tree with 3,000 frosty baubles, dramatic lighting displays and immersive soundscapes (and perhaps a bit of magic), you can appreciate the grand home in a whole new light, through the journey of the Pevensie children as they make their way to the land of the White Witch. 

Christmas in Narnia, at Castle Howard, Yorkshire, until 2 January 2022

castlehoward.co.uk

Hew Locke, Souvenir II (Edward VII in Masonic Regalia), 2019. © Hew Locke, courtesy Hales Gallery

Discover life between islands

In a fantastic survey of transformational culture, Life Between Islands: Caribbean-British Art 1950s–Nowcelebrates Caribbean artists who made their home in Britain, and those that have continued their legacy. Featuring artists from the Windrush generation, such as Denis Williams, Donald Locke and Aubrey Williams, alongside contemporary voices such as Hew Locke, Steve McQueen and Sonia Boyce, this show considers the complexities of Caribbean-British identity as told through painting, sculpture, photography, film, music and more. 

Life Between Islands: Caribbean-British Art 1950s–Now, at Tate Britain, until 3 April 2022

tate.org.uk