What makes London such a great place for the creative arts? Well, there are various reasons. One reason is that because it is such a big city, there is more of everything, including art and artists; but more specifically, there some great art colleges in London, as well some fantastic art galleries and theatres.
Art Colleges in London
London has some superb art colleges. Most important is the University of Arts London, which is made up of six distinguished and distinctive colleges:
– Camberwell College of Arts: over 100 years of being one of the world’s top art and design institutions.
– Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design: a cultural centre and art college all in one.
– Chelsea College of Art and Design: situated next to the Tate Britain art gallery.
– London College of Communication: a world leader in media and design courses.
– London College of Fashion: a leading global provider of fashion education.
– Wimbledon College of Art: a community of highly accomplished artists.
Art Galleries in London
London has a huge number of art galleries for everyone’s taste in art, including:
– Tate Britain: contains the national collection of British art dating from 1500.
– Tate Modern: a modern art gallery containing work from all around the world.
– Great Western Studios: ‘studio space for the creative industries’.
– Lisson Gallery: a pioneering gallery founded in 1967 by Nicholas Logsdail.
– Dulwich Picture Gallery: founded in 1811, this is England’s first public art gallery. Its café was rated as ‘One of the top 10 places in London for afternoon tea’ by the Square Meal Restaurant Guide.
West End Theatre Shows
London has a thriving theatre scene in the West End. According to Time Out, the top 10 shows to see at the moment are:
1. Matilda the Musical: adapted from Roald Dahl’s book by Dennis Kelly, Tim Minchin and the RSC.
2. War Horse: an enjoyable puppet performance for ages 10 and over.
3. Posh: a satire on young Tories.
4. Chariots of Fire: a fun version of the 80’s film.
5. Sweeney Todd: starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton.
6. Billy Elliot the Musical: six years on, this one is still going strong.
7. Jersey Boys: one of the best shows in town.
8. One Man, Two Guvnors: a wonderful update of ‘A Servant to Two Masters’
9. Abigail’s Party: a funny and painfully accurate suburban satire.
10. Singin’ in the Rain: a fantastic adaptation of the 1952 classic.
London Has More of Everything
Another reason why London is such a good location for art is simply because it is such a big city. Everyone seems to gravitate towards London, so there is more of everything going on there, including art. Whatever you are looking for, you will find more of it in London, whether it is art colleges, groups, theatres and galleries.
This article was written in partnership with LSBO.co.uk, suppliers of West End tickets.