Ten new audiobooks for October 2026, from a full-cast Dracula with Jonathan Bailey to Russell T Davies reading his own television memoir.
Last updated: 4 October 2026
By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture
This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.
Exhibition reviewMayfair
Saunas, subway cars and a lot of skin in Mayfair
Louis Fratino at Zwirner is the American painter's first solo show in London, and his first with the gallery since it began representing him. I went on a Saturday afternoon in early October to see fifteen new paintings by a painter who is very open about who he borrows from.
Cool Factor: 4/5
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Last updated: 2 October 2026
By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture
This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.
Cool Factor: 3/5
The Anish Kapoor Hayward Gallery show is his first solo exhibition there since 1998. It fills the whole building, both outdoor terraces included. I went on a Wednesday afternoon at the end of September. It starts strong, with a ballooning red inflated piece so big you can't walk round it. By the final room, though, it felt like a somewhat confused show. It comes from an artist who was once at the top of his game, and who now feels like he's slid into a late stage of dabbling in every medium.
It runs until 18 October 2026 and tickets cost £22. In the final weeks, the gallery stays open until 9pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.
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Last updated: 30 September 2026. I checked every price, opening time and date in this Frieze London 2026 guide against Frieze's own ticket and visitor pages that day.
By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture
This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.
Coming into London for Frieze?
A railcard takes a third off most UK rail fares for a year, and my railcard page has the current TrainPal new-customer discount and the steps to claim it.
Frieze Week2026 Edit
Frieze London 2026 and Frieze Masters run in The Regent's Park from Wednesday 14 to Sunday 18 October 2026. Wednesday is invitation only, so the public gets four days. Frieze London shows art made mostly since 2000. Frieze Masters shows work made before 2000, from ancient Egypt to the late 20th century, and the two tents sit about 15 minutes' walk apart at either end of the park.
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Soho Home art is chosen by Rise Art and runs from £295 to £10,000. Six artists worth knowing, editions versus originals, and when the member discount pays.
Our Book of the Month: Girls Just Wanna Have Funds by Female Invest. The friendliest first investing book I have read, and the one place it leaves a UK reader short. Prices, formats and an honest verdict. #BookOfTheMonth #GirlsJustWannaHaveFunds #FemaleInvest #MoneyBooks #UKFinance
Jinkx Monsoon as Mary Todd Lincoln at the Trafalgar Theatre. Ninety minutes of very good physical comedy, and one habit that wears thin.
September 11, 2026Comments are off for this post.
London Design Festival 2026: What to See
London Design Festival 2026 runs 12 to 20 September. Eleven picks, what is free, what is ticketed, and the day that gets you eight.
September 10, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Hospital Rooms poster sale: four prints, £100 each
Four A2 prints by Chantal Joffe, Celia Paul, Grayson Perry and Jules de Balincourt, £100 each, closing noon on Sunday. The money puts artwork on NHS mental health wards. #HospitalRooms #ArtPrints #GraysonPerry #LondonArt #SupportTheArts
September 10, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Enemies and Rascals review: inside Artangel’s strongroom
A sealed Victorian strongroom under Chancery Lane, forty minutes of voices in the dark, and the moment they all start shouting at once. Free until 18 October.
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