Outdoor arts and culture to enjoy in London for summer 2023, from splendid sculpture to opera in the park

It may be raining at the test match, Wimbledon is washed out, but that won’t stop the British public making the most of the summer and heading outdoors – with many flocking to the great al fresco cultural events on offer all over London.

The capital has you covered with a multitude of open-air exhibitions, cinema screenings, gigs and more that will guarantee you make the most of the long days ahead. Here’s our pick of the best.

Theatre

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Set in the heart of Regent’s Park, this staple of the summer theatre calendar is the perfect way to spend a sunny evening (but maybe bring a rug, and some insect repellent – those post-rain midges love an art-lover’s ankle).

Established in 1932, the award-winning venue seats up to 1,304 and puts on a packed (and varied) roster of shows each year: this summer, there’s a new production of The Tempest, “a thrilling new take” on Robin Hood and a remake of the Eighties musical La Cage aux Folles. Even better, tickets are a steal, with the cheapest costing only £20.

Regent’s Park, season runs to September 16; buy tickets here

Opera Holland Park

If you’re an opera fan – or indeed love music in general – don’t miss a trip to Holland Park.

The gorgeous canopied auditorium is open to the summer breeze, making it the perfect venue for its three-month summer festival of music. Featuring everything from La bohème and Ruddigore to Jonathan Dove’s new opera, Itch, it’s a season to whet the appetite of any opera lover. This year’s slate also features five performances from The Royal Ballet School – and with three opera recitals curated by Julien Van Mellaerts and Dylan Perez, what’s not to like?

They also have a free recital series every other Friday – titled Songs on the Steps – where you can just perch on the grass opposite the venue’s gate and hear principal singers from the season sing at lunchtime.

Holland Park, to August 19; buy tickets here

Shakespeare’s Globe

The replica of William Shakespeare’s iconic Globe theatre is open to the elements for every performance, summer or not. The venue has a reputation both for putting on fascinating productions of his plays and spotlighting other playwrights too.

This year, the programme includes A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors, As You Like It, and comedy family show The Midsummer Mechanicals. Best of all, the tickets are affordable – if you don’t mind being one of the groundlings and standing for the performance.

Southbank, season runs to October 29; buy tickets here

Music

Somerset House Summer Series

Get ready to party in one of London’s most impressive locations for an open-air concert. This year the Somerset House Summer Series is putting on 11 gigs to see you through July. The artists span a range of genres – from French psych-rock group La Femme, who kick off the proceedings on July 6, to Peckham’s Gabzy, who closes the event on July 16. Artists playing in between include Alison Goldfrapp, Beabadoobee and Olivia Dean.

Somerset House, July 6-16; buy tickets here

BST Hyde Park

Dance your way through the summer with this series of one-off gigs from some of the biggest names on the planet. Taking place over three weekends in June and July, BST features ten days of massive gigs: this year, Bruce Springsteen, Lana Del Rey and Pink are all on the roster, with Korean mega-group Blackpink, Take That, Billy Joel and Guns N’ Roses also playing. If you like big names, there’s no better place to be.

Hyde Park, to July 9; buy tickets here

Kew The Music

Set in the lush landscape of London’s Kew Gardens, this festival bills itself as “picnic concerts”, where those who prefer munching rather than moshing to music can bring food and drink and let the sound wash over them. A most civilised day out indeed.

Comprising a series of six one-off gigs, the event runs from July 11 and has a line-up that features Bastille, The Vamps, Jack Savoretti, The Human League, Haçienda Classical, and Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. Whatever your tastes, there’s something for you to enjoy.

Kew Gardens, July 11-16; buy tickets here

Film

Screen on the Canal

This free, open-air film festival is about as laidback as it comes. The Everyman cinema screen is set up on one side of the King’s Cross canal, while seating is built on the other.

Cinephiles are invited to come and watch the numerous classic films being screened, which include classics Back to the Future, Edward Scissorhands, Romeo + Juliet and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and family favourites such as Shrek, the original Jumanji and Moonrise Kingdom, which play every day until August 6.

Forget Henman Hill and head to the canal as live Wimbledon tennis matches will also be played every day between July 3 and July 16.

King’s Cross, Coal Drops Yard, to August 6; free to visit

Barbican Outdoor Cinema

For those looking for a programme that’s a bit more artsy, the Barbican Outdoor Cinema is worth a look. Although the series starts slightly later in the summer, it is well worth the wait, with films including Yimou Zhang’s gorgeous Oscar-nominated period drama Hero, Martin Scorsese’s 1978 tribute film to rock band The Band, and Hitchcock’s Rear Window and Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning all on the programme.

Barbican Centre, August 23 to September 3; buy tickets here

Visual art

Sculpture in the City

This annual open air sculpture exhibition aims to use the urban environment as a gallery space like no other. Sponsored by local businesses and situated in locations dotted around the City of London, the initiative spotlights up and coming artists as well as the more internationally-acclaimed. This year’s installations include works by Vanessa da Silva, Isamu Noguchi, Emma Louise Moore, Ugo Rondinone, Pedro Pires, Mika Rottenberg, Jocelyn McGregor and more.

City of London, to spring 2024; free to visit

Bold Tendencies

This brilliant annual shebang, founded in 2007 and based in a Peckham car park, was a large part of the catalyst for the artistic transformation of the area. Each year sees a new set of sculptural commissions crop up around the Peckham multi-storey car park opposite Rye Lane station – this time artists include Jenny Holzer, Emory Douglas, Kahlil Robert Irving, Sandra Poulson and Abbas Zahedi – all artists whose work has been selected to run along the exhibition’s title Crisis.

The events programme, too, is excellent, promising stellar performances from musical acts including the Philharmonia Orchestra, contemporary music group, GBSR Duo, and The Multi-Story Orchestra.

Peckham Multi-Storey Car Park, to September 16; free to visit, tickets for events can be found on the DICE app

The Fourth Plinth

In Trafalgar Square, the art isn’t just cooped up in the National Gallery, it’s also one one of the plinths outside. The iconic Fourth Plinth has been fascinating and perplexing viewers for the past two decades – a fresh artwork is installed every two years. This year’s artist is Samson Kambalu, with his powerful sculpture Antelope. Kambalu’s installation recreates a 1914 photograph of Baptist preacher John Chilembwe and European missionary John Chorley, in which Chilembwe keeps his hat on – forbidden at the time in the presence of a white man.

Trafalgar Square, ongoing; free to visit

The Line

After a brisk walk as well as a culture fix? Then the Line might be the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Hailed as London’s first dedicated public art walk, it meanders from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the O2, following the city’s waterways.

Along the way, are installations and sculptures by artists including Anish Kapoor, Somag Lee, Ron Haselden, Tracey Emin, Eva Rothschild, Madge Gill, Gary Hume, Antony Gormley and more: a stimulating and sunny way to get your art fix.

Thames Path, ongoing; free to visit

Serpentine Pavilion

Each year since the turn of the century, the Serpentine invites an architect who has never designed a UK building before, to create its summer pavilion. The result has been a series of wonderfully different structures, with past commissions including Zaha Hadid, Daniel Liebeskind, SANAA, Ai Weiwei and Bjarke Ingels.

This year’s pavilion has been designed by the Lebanese-French architect Lina Ghotmeh. Titled À table – the French way of calling people to dinner – and with stools and tables lining the inside space, Ghotmeh’s structure takes its inspiration from history, global cultures – such as traditional Malian meeting huts – lively dinners, and her aspiration to develop a more sustainable relationship with the Earth.

Kensington Gardens, to October 29; free to visit

Soho Photography Quarter

This new open-air extension of The Photographers’ Gallery takes over Ramillies Place to create a permanent, pedestrianised space with a rotating, open-air programme of site-specific and interactive artworks, which change twice a year.

Currently on show are the works of award-winning South African photographer Gideon Mendel in Fire / Flood, a collection of photos and films documenting the devastating impact of climate catastrophes, focusing on flooding and wildfires. And until July 30, catch Pascal Sender’s video work, too – the quartet of dancers, who have been created using 3D painting, are projected onto the gallery’s corner window.

Ramillies Place, ongoing; free to visit

Queer Joy

Queer Joy is all about putting queer love front and centre. A free series of 50 portraits taken by 10 up-and-coming LGBTQIA+ photographers from around the world, the exhibition can be found in Granary Square, Pancras Square and Battlebridge Place. A collaborative project from Queer Britain, Gay Times, Getty Images and Skittles, the idea of the show is to give passers-by a glimpse at queer lives and love, while also boosting LGBTQIA+ representation in photography.

King’s Cross, Coal Drops Yard, to August 31; free to visit