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Spring arrives across the Wizz Air network, with (hopefully) sunnier days for April fooling around, and May Day festivals in the major cities. For a dose of artistic endeavour, Glasgow hosts its third International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art (11-27 April), with new commissions and rare opportunities to see work by world-renowned artists, along with new, emerging talent.
11-13 April
Brösarp Antiques Fair
Sweden's most exclusive antiques dealers descend on this small village (90km from Malmö) every spring. On show are restorations by the region's most skilled craftsmen, and the fair is a must for all fans of beautifully restored furniture. There are also demonstrations of the various expert techniques. www.osterlen.com/brosarpsmassan |
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18 April
50th Anniversary of the Universal Exhibition
In 1958, Brussels played host to the famous World's Fair, commemorated at the time by the iconic Atomium monument. It was the first major post-war World Fair, and more than 42 million visitors visited the site, which opened with a call for world peace and global progress. Celebrating this vintage optimism is this new exhibition, running to October. www.brussels-expo58.be |
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3 April
Festival Guitarra I Altres Acords
If you're a fan of the six string, then the Catalan capital is very much where you'll want to be in April and May. Celebrating all things guitar-y, Barcelona holds its annual festival, where you can expect to see the very finest exponents of all kinds of guitar music. Listed strummers include Paul Anka, Joe Satriani and Seu Jorge. www.theproject.es |
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10-13 April
Kinoteka 6th Polish Film Festival
With film from central and eastern Europe making waves this year (see feature, page 36), the 6th Polish Film Festival at London's Riverside Studios is bound to be a big hit.
As well as award-winning movies, there's a Q&A with the stars and an exhibition of Andrzej Klimowski's renowned film posters. www.riversidestudios.co.uk |
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3-5 May
Tate Liverpool's 20th Anniversary
Comedians and actors introduce favourite works from the collection, there's an artists' masterclass and, in the evening of the third, a colourful parade around the Albert dock. www.tate.org.uk/liverpool
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9-11 May
European Canoe Championships
Krakow, the renowned city of culture, welcomes the European Championships with canoe slalom racing taking place on the outskirts of the city. This will not only be the top European meeting of the year, but also the last chance to book a place for the Beijing Olympic Games, one of the reasons that over 250 athletes are expected. |
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31 May
Zinneke Parade
The grand boulevards of Brussels come alive with colour in this huge parade, which channels the creativity of the locals. The only limit to the costumes and floats on show is the imagination of the participants, and everyone is welcome to join in. www.zinneke.org |
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From 2 May
1984, Il Teatro alla Scala, Milan
Forget the Big Brother reality TV show - this opera is an adaptation of George Orwell's dystopian nightmare, led by renowned conductor Lorin Maazel (pictured). |
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