One of the perks of living in a large, international city is the array of activities that are always on offer. This is particularly true in the summer when venues centred on arts and culture open their doors for special events that extend late into the evenings. Such is the case with Christie’s , an auction house in central London that also has outposts in New York and Hong Kong. Christie’s hosts a number of late evening events throughout the year aptly titled Christie’s Lates, one of which I attended last night.

The evening was filled with panel talks, Q&As, and performances from women who occupy various roles in the art sector. I was particularly interested in watching my friend Enam Gbewonyo perform her solo piece Nude Me/Under the Skin: The Awakening of Black Women’s Visibility one Pantyhose at a time and to hear from costume designer Anna Mary Scott Robbins who did the costume design for the TV series Downton Abbey. I don’t consider myself to be particularly artistic but I found it refreshing to see and hear about the diversity of what art can represent.

When my attention wasn’t consumed by one of the streams curated for this special event, I wandered round the space talking to other attendees, helped myself to a serving or two of crème catalan and a glass of wine and even took the time to wander into one of the showrooms where I ogled at a dozen or so Hermès bags (insert heart eye emoji).

All in all, this was a fun and laid-back evening (what more could you ask of a Monday night?) I truly feel that I often neglect to appreciate all that London has to offer and I am making the conscious decision to explore more of the city and the spaces that are open to the public. This is especially true when it comes to anything to do with art and culture so watch this space for more adventures around London.

Christie’s Lates are open to the public and free to attend. More information on individual events can be found on https://www.christies.com/exhibitions/christies-lates-global