4 brilliant things to do in October

From spooky museum tours to Diwali celebrations, these are our highlights for the month ahead

Image: Beth Walsh 

Celebrate the festival of lights in Leicester

Immerse yourself in one of Britain’s biggest Diwali celebrations, in Leicester, featuring dance, fireworks, illuminations, fashion and food. Take a walk down the ‘Golden Mile’ to experience an incredible light display. Enjoy a spin on the ‘wheel of light’ and spend time at Diwali Village, taking in the annual Mela Rangoli exhibition (a rangoli being a traditional Indian pattern that symbolises joy). While there, head to the main stage to catch a brilliant performance by the Shiamak Midlands dancers. 

Diwali Leicester

Dates from mid-October and on into November

Multiple locations across the city

visitleicester.info/diwali

Image: courtesy of the artist ​

Enjoy special screenings in Scotland

Mount Stuart, the stately home and gardens located on the Isle of Bute, has invited Zimbabwean-Scottish artist Sekai Machache to showcase a series of new short films across the property. Drawing from the collection and archives, Machache has collaborated with other artists including Alberta Whittle, Mele Broomes and Eyve Madyise to tell new stories that embrace song, dance, literature and spirituality.

Svikiro at Mount Stuart 

For October screening dates, see mountstuart.com

Image: © Trustees at Natural History Museum London​

Uncover the spooky side of the Natural History Museum

Join a special late-night (and adults-only) Halloween event at the Natural History Museum. Fancy dress is encouraged and visitors can join one of two tours that introduce the more misunderstood creatures in the collection. While the ‘spooky tour’ offers a trip around the strangest specimens on display, the ‘tank tour’ gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the incredible ‘spirit collection’, where unusual creatures, including an enormous squid, are preserved in alcohol.

Halloween at the Museum, The Natural History Museum

31 October, 6.45-10.30pm

Book tickets here

Image: BBC 

Hear tales of a secretive graffiti artist

The BBC takes a look at the curious world of Banksy, arguably the world’s most famous, yet anonymous, street artist. This 10-episode mini-series follows presenter (and self-proclaimed Banksy fan) James Peak as he searches for clues surrounding the artist’s life and work, from the radical history of his hometown of Bristol to celebrity-filled exhibitions in Los Angeles. Peak also gets to meet a few of the people closest to the artist, who offer insider information without ever revealing who Banksy actually is. 

The Banksy Story, available now on BBC Sounds

bbc.co.uk

For more art and culture events see The Arts Society Magazine, available exclusively to members and supporters of The Arts Society (to join see theartssociety.org/member-benefits). And for more brilliant arts content delivered direct to your in-box, sign up at theartssociety.org/signup