London Festival of Europe

The London Festival of Europe is an event running from 19-31 March that is organised by a cultural group called European Alterities which brings together philosphers, artists and political thinkers to look at the future of Europe, 50 years after the signing of the Treaty of Rome in March 1957 which created the European Economic Community, later known as the European Union (EU).

The EU got bigger and more powerful on the back of economic and political union, the festival wants to look at the identity and values of people in the new Europe. To do this there’s a series of talks and exhibitions at various venues around London including the Tate Modern, the London School of Economics, Somerset House and the Institut Francais and many of these events are free to attend.

Among the activities taking place are a show at the Courtauld Institute of Art in Somerset House called Looking East:Contemporary Art From Eastern Europe, a free to attend debate at the Foreign Press Association between European journalists called The European Media and a free debate at the London School of Economics entitled Europe and the Environment. The festival begins tonight with a free lecture and video show at 6pm in the Courtauld Institute of Art.