Art After Dark March 2023: what to see and where to eat

There’s no doubt that London has a thriving arts and culture scene, but finding enough time in the day to experience it is another question entirely.

Enter Art After Dark, a new free public arts programme that will see galleries in the West End, including the National Gallery and Royal Academy of Arts, welcome culture-seekers after hours in seasonal events throughout the year.

The first event lands in London on 23–24 March with independent galleries and world-renowned institutions keeping the doors open into the night making a culture-filled evening accessible to everyone.

Looking to soak up the West End’s incredible galleries? Art of London, organiser of Art After Dark, is installing illuminated artworks across the area to help night owls discover the new culture trail.

The hospitality of the West End is world-famous too, so why not get some friends together for an evening of gallery-hopping before dinner?

And as the galleries will stay open late into the evening, you can grab a quick drink in a West End bar, served by world class mixologists, along the way too.

The first night of the Art After Dark programme will see London’s intimate-but-powerful independent galleries welcome visitors late into the evening. It’s a privilege usually reserved for art world movers and shakers attending private views for the West End Gallery HOP!

Three of the galleries taking part are clustered in St James’s, hopping distance from each other as well as some of the best restaurants in London.

Cristea Roberts is a contemporary gallery with a focus on original prints and works on paper. Art After Dark visitors will be able to view two exhibitions.

The first is an exhibition of new works by Lubaina Himid: Alla Prima/Cross Hatch. Himid is a Tanzanian-born, UK-raised artist who has previously exhibited at Tate Modern. This exhibition features 24 hand-painted screenprints.

The second is Sensing Abstraction; an exhibition of works on paper by five female abstract artists, including Bridget Riley and Anni Albers.

Stern Pissarro Gallery specialises in Impressionist artists and modern masters of post-war and contemporary art.

Art After Dark coincides with the opening of a new exhibition, In the Mood for Red, which explores the versatility of red to evoke a variety of meanings. The exhibition will feature works by artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Marc Chagall and Alexander Calder.

With outposts in Hong Kong and London, 3812 Gallery represents modern and contemporary Chinese and British artists and its exhibitions often explore the dialogue between them.

The exhibition to be mounted during Art After Dark is still being kept under wraps – but with 3812 Gallery’s passion for ink work, expect a focus on that medium.

Art After Dark visitors looking for a spot to debate which piece they’ll be adding to their wish list will be spoilt for choice with some of London’s finest dining establishments on the doorstep.

Reserve a table at the atmospheric Wiltons, where fresh seafood, traditional British service and a dress code for diners makes for the ultimate old-school London dining experience.

Or visit its Jermyn Streeet neighbour Franco’s for an elegant Italian repast. Both restaurants are offering a complimentary glass of champagne to Art After Dark attendees.

You could even take a short walk along Piccadilly to The Ritz for an intimate cocktail in the plush surroundings of The Rivoli Bar. Here certified classics are served straight up or with an experimental twist.

Canny planners will book a late table in the spectacular interior of neighbouring The Wolseley. With last orders taken at 11pm, it’s surely an excellent way to round off an evening of art and culture.

As the start of the weekend, Friday evenings are filled with promise – and Art After Dark delivers. The spring edition sees the National Gallery and the Royal Academy of Arts taking part in this celebration of the capital’s cultural scene.

Choosing between the two world-renowned art institutions is a tough call. Fortunately, they’re in walking distance of each other, plus there’s some top eateries en route affording a true feast for the senses.

The Portico Entrance to the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square is one of the most recognisable of London’s many landmarks.

Once inside, you’ll find yourself immersed in a European art history lesson, as you make your way through room after room of masterpieces by artists such as da Vinci, Vermeer, Rembrandt, van Gogh, Monet and Turner.

Those with more contemporary tastes can explore the exhibition Nalini Malani: My Reality is Different. The Indian video artist has taken inspiration from paintings in the gallery’s collection as the basis for a set of striking video animations which are projected here on a large scale.

Whether you choose to take the time to really soak in a few significant works or attempt a whistle-stop tour through everything on show, you’ll no doubt work up an appetite.

Two standout restaurants are to be found a stone’s throw from the National Gallery on nearby Leicester Square.

The buzzy Leicester Square Kitchen showcases contemporary Mexican and Peruvian small plates, reserve wines and signature cocktails. Or visit Whitcomb’s at The Londoner hotel to sample a taste of the simple-yet-elegant cuisine of the French Mediterranean.

If you’re planning to hop over to the Royal Academy of Arts to continue your art-filled evening, Notto pasta bar on Piccadilly is a perfectly placed spot to refuel with a daily menu of eight seasonal pasta dishes from which to choose. Here, Art After Dark attendees can toast an evening of culture in the capital with a complimentary Bellini.

For dinner in design-led surrounds cut through St James’s Market. At Aquavit London the walls showcase art in partnership with local galleries, including 3812 Gallery, and the tempting menu is an ode to the fish, game and seasonal delicacies of Nordic cuisine. What’s more, a complimentary drink will be offered to diners to celebrate Art After Dark.

On Pall Mall you’ll find the Michelin star Wild Honey St James. Its three-course early supper menu is available until 6:30pm, providing ample time to enjoy seasonal British produce cooked with French technique before rounding off the evening with a final gallery visit.

The Royal Academy of Arts may be beloved for its open submission Summer Exhibition, but there’s plenty to explore year-round.

As well as significant pieces in the permanent collection, visitors to the spring instalment of Art After Dark can take in the self-portrait themed Image of the Artist which celebrates 300 years of the Academy’s founding president, Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Once you’ve had your fill of art, linger a while on site at the Poster Bar by José Pizarro which will be offering complimentary pintxo appetisers with every purchase from its Spanish-focused drinks menu.

As well as the galleries taking part, Art After Dark will be spreading to the streets of the West End.

As you hop between galleries or dash to your restaurant reservation, keep an eye out for three exciting illuminated installations placed to signpost galleries and spark conversations.

Absorbed by Light, a collaboration between designer Gali May Lucas and sculptor Karoline Hinz, highlights our infatuation with technology. Be sure to look up from the map on your phone so you don’t miss it.

Design studio Lucid Creates is the architect of some of the most spectacular light and sound installations of recent years, with work often appearing at music and arts festivals and live events.

For Art After Dark, the collective will stage two works, Crossroads and Exponential (the latter pictured main image), creating an unmissable moment for a host of switched-on Londoners.

Art of London champions art and culture in the West End. To discover more about Art of London’s new quarterly arts and culture programme Art After Dark, visit artoflondon.co.uk