The lifeline to arts, culture and heritage events in London is Time Out. We subscribe to the publication which arrives lie clockwork each Wednesday. It is more than a calendar listing, it is a lens through which you can see the London scene to discover places to be seen. I find myself spending more time reading it than actually venturing out to arts events. The next issue arrives and I realise that all the dog-eared pages I carefully flagged for future action now mark events that have quickly passed.
Each issue features a cover story that contextualises the hottest event in the arts and asks - how does this impact the scene at large and influence trends? It pulls you in and there’s no holding back.
My pick for this week, which I promise to actually see and not just imagine attending, is the Frieze Art Festival. Time Out’s article doesn’t just say, “hey, check this out” that’s for unthinking periodicals. The feature is called Moving Pictures and the first paragraph states:
“From modest spaces in the East End to giant halls in the west, the capital’s galleries are on the move. On the eve of the Freize Art Fair, Sarah Ken talks to the dealers and museum directors reshaping the London art world…”
Let’s be honest, do you think you would see this kind of article in the San Francisco Chronicle Pink Section? I should think not. Do they even have a Time Out San Francisco? I've never seen it. A quick search reveals that they do http://www.timeout.com/travel/sanfrancisco/. Interesting, this is only an online calendar. What's holding them back from the full blown publication for the City by the Bay? Fear not San Francisco the arts can use a little Time Out.
