Cranes, Canvases & Carnival | The Week Everything Gets an Upgrade

Quote of the Week - “Leave a sparkle whereever you go.”- Kate Spade

Good Afternoon, London. This edition of The London Palette reflects how our city is in full upgrade mode. And, you are invited to every floor of the renovation. Watch a 40-year wait finally roll credits as Lewisham's Arc Cinema flickers to life to resurrect a neighbourhood’s soul. If that stirs your appetite for reinvention, let the Affordable Art Fair at Battersea's Evolution London convince you that your walls deserve better. There are original works from £100, and no Mayfair postcode required. If you need the soundtrack to match, Camden is borrowing Louisiana's best medicine cabinet filled with of beads, brass, and a second-line parade that turns our late winter grey into full technicolour. As the city builds, collects and dances its way into Spring, this week's Lingala word of the week reminds us that no upgrade, personal or civic, is ever achieved in isolation.

Snatched highlights from this edition:

1. Eat, Glow, Connect on West End’s Iftar Trail

2. No Need for AI Jargon at Tech Show London

3. Mayor’s £1.8 Million Says Belonging Beats 5G

4. Live Music - Dele Sosimi, tribute to Oasis, & lots more!

Let’s dive in.

—Bybreen Samuels

COUNCIL CANVAS

Lights, Camera, Lewisham | 40 Years in the Making

You walk past the skeletal frames of Lewisham Gateway, right by the station, and spot the telltale glow of cinema signage flickering to life. This is after 40 years of dark screens in the town centre. Arc Cinemas is finally claiming the nine-screen spot in The Filigree, and promises to roll credits on decades of “what ifs.” Finally, the high stakes linchpin that Lewisham Council has demanded from developers, Get Living is brought to life. Fortunately, this regeneration project has been secured at zero cost to residents after the Empire chain imploded in 2023.

What’s landing is a technical powerhouse including luxury recliners, 4K laser projection, and a massive HYPERSENSE screen. It is one of only four in the country that provides a sensory experience that rivals formats like IMAX. The development is slotted into a Build to Rent neighbourhood that has already delivered 649 homes, including 106 affordable units. If you are someone who values the city’s regenerative growth, this is a fascinating study into Section 106 Agreement covering the planning process. Lewisham Council held the line on cultural infrastructure, ensuring that this £15 million leisure investment remained the heartbeat of the site despite shifting economic winds.

Yet, there is a persistent rub that has kept local policy watchers pacing. The Filigree’s energy centre suffered a catastrophic flood in February 2025, evacuating hundreds of residents who will not be back until late 2026. A delay that has stalled the very shops and refurbishments meant to surround the cinema. Cllr James-J Walsh frames this as part of a wider "inclusive regeneration" strategy. One that ties the cinema’s success to a revamped local market and a new library. All designed to spark a night time economy that does not rely on burning through public reserves.

Arc’s director Brian Gilligan is doubling down on community engagement, by promising local jobs and pricing by value to ensure the venue becomes a weekly habit for South Londoners, instead of a yearly splurge. By blending blockbusters with independent film festivals, the goal is to root the cinema into Lewisham’s diverse fabric. Rather than letting it sit as a glossy, detached island.

As Get Living hopes everything is fully operational by the end of 2026, the project sits at a tipping point. If the technical leaks stay patched and the residential return stays on track, this cinema could finally prove that stubborn policy work can resurrect a town’s cultural pulse. It's a reminder that in the world of urban planning, the most important feature is not the 4K screen. It is in fact the resilience of the community that fills the seats.

Find out more here - http://eepurl.com/jyiyxs

CITY PALETTE

Your Walls Called |They Want an Upgrade

There is a lie we tell ourselves. The one that sounds like, ‘I would love to buy art, but that is for people with spare rooms and spare trust funds.’ The Affordable Art Fair has arrived to puncture that myth. Evolution London in Battersea Park provides the creative backdrop from March 4 - 6. There, you will find works priced from £100 to £10,000. So take your time to browse the thousands of pieces without needing a gallerist’s handshake or a Mayfair postcode. Now is the time to curate your home instead of just decorating it.

If you want to dodge the weekend crowds, the real insider move is to aim for March 5 or 6, when the doors stay open until 9pm. It transforms the experience from a frantic event into a relaxed, post-lunch wander through a sunlit maze of over 100 international galleries. The pressure of the gallerist handshake is replaced by actual conversations about brushstrokes and inspiration. It is the perfect pace for discovering that one piece you were unaware you needed. Perhaps a bold print or a textured ceramic that makes you realise you don't need a largesse to start a serious collection.​​

The magic here lies in the shift from art as an intimidating investment to art as a daily ritual. Something that changes the way you feel when you walk into your living room on a Tuesday morning. By focusing on living artists and transparent pricing, the Fair bridges the gap between high-end culture and your actual walls, all set against the backdrop of Battersea Park’s early spring greenery. It’s a proper day out that manages to be both sophisticated and entirely unpretentious.​​

For a seamless visit, remember that tickets are timed to keep the atmosphere airy. But once you get inside, the space is yours until the lights go down. If you are bringing children and young people under 16, they can come for free. However, if you want to focus on finding a signature piece, the late night Thursday and Friday slots are where you will find the best grown-up buzz. Treat this artistic playground less like a financial milestone and more like a well deserved London habit. Secure your ticket now and you can start browsing the 2026 digital preview.

Book tickets here - https://affordableartfair.com

NW1 Goes Full New Orleans | Nobody's Complaining

Carnival season doesn’t stop at New Orleans, Rio, Salvador or the Caribbean. Sometimes, it slips into Camden wearing beads, brass, and a brassier attitude. Camden Mardi Gras takes that New Orleans Second Line spirit, historically a jazz funeral without the body, where grief is traded for a wild, frantic dance behind the band. The energy is spliced with a North London edge. It turns the neighbourhood into a pocket of colour and unapologetic joy, anchored by institutions like The Blues Kitchen and The Jazz Cafe. The vibrancy cuts straight through the late-winter grey sky.

Before you realise it you are in the thick of it. The big bass drum strikes three extra loud booms, and suddenly the Regent’s Canal feels a lot closer to the Mississippi than the Thames. On Friday, February 20, the seven-piece No Limit Street Band takes over the stage at The Blues Kitchen, bringing that Crescent City swagger where horns blare and drums lock into a rolling street parade groove. Venues become roaming stages with live bands whipping through funk, soul, and brassy takes on Stevie Wonder or Fleetwood Mac. DJs fold in everything from New Orleans bounce to London dancehall.

Take advantage of this seductive moment to play, not just watch. In New Orleans, the Second Line is literally the crowd that follows the official parade, namely the First Line, twirling decorated umbrellas and shaking handkerchiefs. In Camden, you might start the night as a spectator clutching a drink and end it in a loose, laughing line of dancers, following a sousaphone across the floor. You will feel like you have gatecrashed a secret society whose only rule is to have more joy, more colour, and more groove. Enjoy this sensory collision where brighter than life suits and masks meet the grit of NW1, creating a temporary, technicolour escape.

Treat this like any great London night out but with a twist. Plan for layers because that parade energy quickly turns into venue heat. Lean into the dress-up with masks, beads, or a flash of purple, green, and gold. Doors for the No Limit Street Band takeover open at 8pm with free entry before 9pm. So arrive early to secure your spot before the last entry at 1am. Camden Mardi Gras is not designed for perfection. See it more as your call to shake winter off your shoulders. Then, borrow a little bit of Louisiana’s legendary resilience to remind yourself that the best way to handle the grey is to dance right through it.

UNDISCOVERED GEMS

Eat, Glow, Connect | Iftar Trail Rewrites the West End

While the West End is no stranger to neon, its latest glow-up offers something far deeper than mere spectacle. As the iconic Ramadan Lights illuminate Coventry Street with 30,000 sustainable LEDs, tucked-away is Ramadan Delights Iftar Trail. Join the city’s sunset feast that stretches from Piccadilly to Leicester Square. Supported by the Aziz Foundation and the Heart of London Business Alliance, this curated food map sneaks you past the usual tourist traps and into a halal-haven. A space and place where global flavours meet traditional generosity.

The ritual starts by getting your free digital passport online and timing your arrival for Maghrib. Known for the moment the sun dips below the skyline and Central London's busiest kitchens switch gears. You can unlock a series of quiet, thoughtful perks like complimentary Medjool dates and mint tea on the rooftop of Hotel Indigo. Free fries with your Chicken Shack order at Shake Shack, all you need to do is quote “Iftar Free Plain Fries.” Or, finish off your meal at Franco with a gratis dessert. Collectively, they provide a seamless way to navigate the West End’s bustle while honouring the spirit of the fast. Several venues are even carving out dedicated prayer spaces for tranquility and reflection.

If you appreciate culinary fusion, then the sheer variety of the trail, where traditional Middle Eastern mezze sits comfortably alongside Western classics, is sure to tantalise you. There are 20% off steaks at Americana, Indian-inspired Iftar plates at Farzi, and even a playful soy caramel soft-serve twist at Bone Daddies. They are all designed to make the post-fast experience both celebratory and accessible. It turns the West End into a giant, shared dining room where the Iftar label is more than just about food. It provides a collective pause in the city’s frantic rhythm.

This year’s edition is the most expansive yet, proving that London’s cultural landscape is increasingly shaped by these shared, luminous moments of hospitality. There are no reservations or tickets needed to join the trail. Just download the map and bring an appetite for a different kind of night out under the lanterns. Whether you’re observing the month or simply want to experience the West End at its most welcoming, this food trail is your digital key to a more connected, tasty London

Find out more here - https://ramadanlightslondon.com

LONDON BUZZ

30 Spaces, One City, Zero Excuses for Going It Alone

At times, do you think that the London we once knew, where you actually recognised your neighbours is being replaced by a sea of polite nods and digital-only interactions? If this stirs a feeling in you, Mayor Sadiq Khan is betting £1.8 million to build offline connections and relationships. Recently, he unveiled a network of 30 anchor community spaces across every borough designed to stitch back our fraying social fabric. These strategic hubs are designed to turn strangers into neighbours. This is such a vital move for our city , where 40% of us admit to feeling lonelier than ever.

You will find these high-energy spots in places like Paddington’s Grand Junction or the Oasis Hub in Waterloo, where the vibe shifts from the rush of the street to shared heritage workshops. Alongside, stay and play sessions, and cultural mash-ups that bridge the gaps between generations. By handpicking 30 battle-tested organisations from Bell Farm in Hillingdon to Rosetta Arts in Newham, the Mayor is creating physical versions of apps for connection. Proving that face to face interaction is the only real cure for a city feeling the heat of rising isolation.

There is a buzz building for those of you who value our city’s soul because of the focus on hyper-local resilience. These spaces are equipped to offer everything from mental health support and debt advice to communal food shares and concerts. It’s a tactical response to the sobering fact that 46 council-run centres have quietly vanished since 2018, leaving a void where community cohesion once thrived.

As closures continue to outpace new openings borough by borough, this grassroots’ glue is the Mayor’s attempt to keep our capital from fracturing. You can find your nearest hub and a calendar of upcoming pop-up events at the Mayor of London’s website. Because in a city that often feels like it's humming with division, these spaces are a reminder that the most powerful network in London isn't 5G, it's actually belonging.

Find out more here - https://www.london.gov.uk

LONDON SOUNDSCAPE

Boisdale of Canary Wharf - February 26

Slink into Boisdale’s whisky haze above Cabot Square on Thursday where Odyssey, the disco-soul architects of Native New Yorker, Going Back to My Roots, Use It Up and Wear It Out, unleash polished harmonies, funky Latin grooves, and 70s club fire that’s packed global dancefloors for decades. Enjoy dinner and the show, or just the show and bask in their timeless vocal alchemy. And make sure you engage in the singalong euphoria. Dress sharp, sip deep and let the beat reclaim your vibe.

Book tickets here - https://www.boisdale.co.uk/restaurant/belgravia

Fox and Firkin - February 21

As horns wail and hips sway into the Fox & Firkin’s garden, allow yourself to be swept into London Afrobeat Collective’s rhythmic rebellion. Juanita Euka leads with soaring vocals over Alex Farrell’s funky riffs, Klibens Michelet’s baritone sax fire, and a multilingual storm of Lingala, Spanish, and English channeling Fela Kuti, Ebo Taylor, and P-Funk grooves. This SE13 takeover pulses with originals that ignite global crowds, then flows seamlessly into Auntie Flo & Friends’ afterparty for non-stop dancefloor beats. Feel the bassline and rewrite your night out.

Book tickets here - https://www.jamboreevenue.co.uk

Green Note - February 25

Slide into Green Note’s basement glow to hear Marcus Bonfanti’s raw slide guitar snarls delta blues like a Camden kid reborn in Mississippi. Marcus channels Robert Johnson’s haunts, Led Zeppelin riffs, and his own Cheap Whiskey grit with that thunderous voice Huey Morgan the musician and broadcaster calls, “knockout.” His solo ritual twists classics into spellbinding originals that the Guardian hails as “next-hero fire, all in the city’s cosiest nook.” Let his fingers pull you deep into the groove.

Book tickets here - https://www.greennote.co.uk

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club - February 27

When congas start thumping upstairs at Ronnie Scott's after 11:15pm, you plunge into Viva Cuba’s late-late fever. The sounds of belting trombones, sultry son vocals, and conga pulses from rotating Havana heavyweights like Jesus Cutino Band, Sarabanda, or Carlos Miguel y su Dimension. Collectively, they echo Ronnie’s own Havana jazz roots, by blending timeless salsa with raw timba energy that spills onto Frith Street. Sway, sip rum, and lose yourself in pure Cuban catharsis right here in the heart of London’s jazz scene.

Book tickets here - https://www.ronniescotts.co.uk

Royal Festival Hall - February 24

Shimmering horns blast out the rafters of the Royal Festival Hall, as Al McKay who is Earth Wind and Fire’s Grammy-winning guitar wizard, resurrects the funk dynasty. He will take you back in time with classics like September, Let’s Groove, After the Love Has Gone, and Can’t Let Go. Legends such as Tim Owens, DeVere Duckett, Claude Woods, and ex-EWF alum Gregory Moore, expand the circle of musical brilliance. This seated spectacle channels the excitement of 1970s disco-soul euphoria that packs arenas around the world since the 1990s. You will groove till your spirit soars. Now is the time for your pure cosmic strut into Southbank splendour.

Book tickets here - https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Soul Mama - February 22 and 28

Wake to Soul Mama’s brunch time rumble on February 22, where the Ska, Calypso & Reggae Brunch fuses “Riddims and Blues” into daytime steppers with Rocksteady Vibes. The crew members Diana, Tony ‘Rudeboy D’, Alberto will be spinning Prince Buster ska, calypso sway, Desmond Dekker toasters. Plus, Harvel’s karaoke classics let you belt Dinah Washington’s Mad About the Boy or Bob Marley. Allow this Caribbean pulse to hijack your Sunday.

When Fela Kuti’s spirit surges through Soul Mama’s stage on February 28, you will be locked into Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra’s hypnotic groove. The Hackney maestro weaves together intricate funk, Yoruba chants, and percussive thunder from his Egypt 80 roots, alongside Femi Kuti collaborations and Tony Allen syncs. Dele promises to deliver powerhouse anthems that have scorched festivals from Montreux to Glastonbury. His fusion of jazz fluidity with unrelenting Afrobeat pulse is guaranteed to lift you from your seat into a sweat-soaked sway. Dele is remixing history for your Saturday night.

Book tickets here - https://www.soulmama.co.uk

Southwark Cathedral - February 21

Glimmering flames flicker inside Southwark Cathedral’s vaulted arches as Candlelight Strings unravel Oasis’ raw edge by covering Live Forever, Champagne Supernova, and Supersonic into velvet quartet magic. Violins soar where Liam rasped, and cello rumble Noel’s hooks amid a sea of 1000 tealights. The beauty of the show is in how Madchester grit blends with baroque glow. Lean back and let the shimmer rewrite your rock canon into whispered transcendence.

Book tickets here - https://cathedral.southwark.anglican.org

The Jazz Cafe - February 23

Strings whisper Rio's secrets at The Jazz Cafe where Fabiano do Nascimento, the São Paulo-born nylon-string sorcerer, unfurls his choro-samba-jazz tapestry. He has a way of allowing nimble lines to dance over Baden Powell nods, Hermeto Pascoal riffs, and originals like Das Nuvens. Backed by Ola Szmidt’s ethereal support, this maestro blends classical precision with experimental pulse, creating a bossa-nova reverie that you will be humming for days. Let his fingers transport you.

Book tickets here - https://thejazzcafelondon.com

BUSINESS SCENE

AI Without the Acronyms | Tech Show Has You Covered

There’s that moment when yet another headline screams “AI is changing everything” and you think, “I’d quite like to understand this without becoming a full‑time engineer, thanks.” Tech Show London is built exactly for that mood. Take a two‑day wander around ExCel on March 4-5, where you can dip into what’s really coming next in cloud, AI, data and cyber, without having to pretend you speak in acronyms for a living.

Instead of one monolithic conference, you can explore five mini-worlds under one roof. Step into the worlds of Cloud & AI, DevOps, Cyber Security, Big Data, and Data Centres, so you can follow your curiosity rather than someone else’s sales pitch. Stroll the floor, pause at stands from familiar names like Dell or Siemens, and then sit in on a session that quietly rewires how you think about AI or digital privacy. The free ticket for buyers means you’re investing time, not a small fortune.

The real pull, though, is the people on stage. Professor Hannah Fry will be unpacking how tech and humans actually co-exist. Baroness Martha Lane-Fox is talking about where the digital world is really heading. Plus, there are founders and leaders sharing the messy, unsanitised versions of growth, risk and regulation. It feels less like a tech rally and more like eavesdropping on the boardroom conversations you are never in, but should absolutely be influencing.

If you go, treat it like a curated learning day rather than a sprint. Pick a couple of talks that speak to your world. Like, AI you can actually use, cyber threats that affect small teams, and data you can turn into revenue. Also, leave generous gaps to wander around, ask questions, and people‑watch over coffee or herbal tea. Register today for a free pass. Block the time out like you would a client meeting, and let those two days quietly sharpen the way you make decisions for the rest of the year. And if we cross paths, don’t be shy, do say “Hi.”

Book tickets here - https://www.techshowlondon.co.uk

LINGUISTIC TAPESTRY - WORDS OF THE WEEK 

English Word:
Borax
Pronunciation: /ˈbɔːr.æks/
Definition:  A white, powdered mineral, sodium borate that is traditionally used as a cleaning agent, laundry booster, and flux in soldering. In a more metaphorical or historical London context, it often refers to "borax furniture." Meaning, a cheap, flashy, mass-produced pieces designed to look expensive but lacking structural integrity. Cultural Note: The term borax carries a sharp, mid-century London sting, particularly within the East End's furniture trade. While the mineral itself was a household staple, borax became shorthand for anything "all spit and polish." Items with a glossy veneer that hid shoddy workmanship underneath.

Lingala Word:
Matondo
Pronunciation: /mah-TOHN-doh/
Definition:  Meaning thanks or gratitude. While it is the standard Lingala term for thank you, it carries a weight of collective acknowledgment, often used to express a deep, soulful appreciation for a gift, a gesture, or a shared moment of grace.“I give you thanks from my heart.”
Cultural Note: In a culture where music and survival are inextricably linked, saying Matondo is an act of "soufflant" meaning breathing together, acknowledging that no success or joy is achieved in isolation.

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