LONDON.- Mayfair Art Weekend (30 June - 2 July 2017), in partnership with the Royal Academy of Arts, has just announced an extensive programme of exhibitions, events, talks and tours, which will bring the cultural landscape of Mayfair to life. Mayfair Art Weekend celebrates the diverse offering of Mayfair as a vibrant hub of creativity and craftsmanship, where the worlds of art, fashion and luxury converge.

Over 60 galleries, auction houses, leading fashion brands and restaurants in Mayfair and St. James’s will open their doors to the public, inviting art lovers to explore the capital’s commercial galleries out of hours and engage with the world-class curatorial expertise on offer through a series of special events.

The Royal Academy of Arts will be the central hub for Mayfair Art Weekend, providing information about the open galleries and art activities taking place across Mayfair and St James.

In the Courtyard, visitors can discover temporary, site-specific artworks by emerging artists as well as take part in creative workshops. The RA’s Artistic Director Tim Marlow, among others, will host ‘On the Beanbag’, a series of informal conversations with artists, gallerists and local Mayfair figures.

Alongside the RA’s Summer Exhibition, there will be the special opportunity to visit the often hidden RA Schools and see their final year show.

From Old Masters to cutting-edge contemporary art, sculpture to live performance, from Britain and around the world, Mayfair Art Weekend will bring together a broad range of artists and exhibitions to satisfy all tastes. In addition to their exhibitions, over 50 special events will be hosted by participating galleries over the weekend, ranging from a garden party at Hignell Gallery in honour of Ben Russell’s cactus-inspired sculpture, to live painting by Eugenie Vronskaya at John Martin Gallery. To kick off the weekend, on Friday evening twenty-one galleries will participate in the Gallery HOP!, a curated tour of Mayfair's thriving gallery scene.

Guided walking tours of Mayfair will comprise a journey through Emily Young’s sculptural installations in Piccadilly with Bill Gerrish, Director of Bowman Sculpture and a “Walk on the Wilde Side” ramble through Mayfair’s Victorian art scene with Colin Sheaf FSA, Chairman of Bonhams UK.

Highlighting the convergence of of art, fashion and luxury, a number of leading fashion brands and world-class restaurants will participate in the weekend including Max Mara, Globe-Trotter and Sketch, while HIX Mayfair will offer an art-themed menu throughout the weekend inspired by dishes from Damien Hirst's and Mark Hix’s restaurant, Pharmacy 2. Aligning with Mayfair Art Weekend’s ambition to share art with the public, the restaurant will showcase new and established artists throughout the weekend, alongside Mark Hix’s collection of British artworks by Tracey Emin, Matt Collishaw and other YBAs. Michelin-starred Bonhams Restaurant, headed up by chef Tom Kemble, will be creating a special tasting menu inspired by Mayfair Art Weekend and Bonhams’ Old Masters sale.