Madonna Returns with Dance Album 'Confessions II'
Nearly 21 years after her Grammy-winning opus 'Confessions on a Dance Floor,' Madonna reunites with co-producer Stuart Price for a new album of pristine dancefloor bangers. The highlight track 'Danceteria' showcases the power of communion under the disco ball. The album is available now.
Minions Travel Back in Time in New Film
In the latest Minions adventure, the yellow critters jump back in time to source monsters for their own creature feature. The premise serves as an excuse for a string of jokes, delivering the expected comedic antics.
Outdoor Summer Season at Alexandra Palace Park
From 9 to 18 July, Alexandra Palace Park in London hosts a series of concerts with panoramic views. The lineup includes Wet Leg (10 July), Super Furry Animals (12 July), and The Streets (16 & 18 July), with The Maccabees kicking off on Thursday. Attendees can enjoy both mosh pits and blanket seating.
Love Supreme Jazz Festival at Glynde Place
On 4 and 5 July, the Love Supreme jazz festival takes place at Glynde Place near Lewes. This multi-stage event features vocalist and bassist Esperanza Spalding (4 July), saxophonists Joe Lovano and Emma Rawicz (4 July), and guitar visionary Bill Frisell (4 July), among dozens of others.
Gillian Ayres Exhibition at The Box, Plymouth
From 4 July to 4 October, The Box in Plymouth presents a show of Gillian Ayres' work, spanning her seven-decade career. The exhibition highlights her expressive, emotional, and ultra-colourful abstract paintings.
Entangled and Woven Textile Exhibition at The Whitworth
From 10 July to 3 January, The Whitworth in Manchester showcases 400 years of textiles from India and South Korea, alongside new work by eight contemporary artists from those countries. This exhibition joins a trend of major fabric-based art shows in UK institutions.
Nicola Bealing's Dreamlike Paintings at Exeter Phoenix
From 4 July to 29 August, Cornwall-based artist Nicola Bealing presents a new series of dreamlike and dark paintings based on the seven deadly sins. The works feature animals, humans, and bizarre hybrid creatures.
Tish Murtha Photography Homecoming at Baltic Centre
From 4 July to 4 April, the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead hosts a homecoming show for documentary photographer Tish Murtha, who died in 2013. The exhibition brings together four of her best-known series, capturing raw life on the margins in the UK.
Comedian Michelle Wolf's New Show
US comic Michelle Wolf, known for her 2018 White House correspondents' dinner critique of Trump, now focuses on personal themes. Her new show 'Best Job in the World' mines laughs from parenthood chaos and the gender divide. Tour dates include Oxford (6 July), Farnham (7 July), and London (8 & 9 July), continuing to 16 September.
Melissa Hamilton's Night of Ballet at Grange Park Opera
On 9 July, Royal Ballet principal Melissa Hamilton curates and stars in a gala night featuring extracts from 'Don Quixote,' 'Sleeping Beauty,' and 'Giselle,' plus a new contemporary commission from PCK Dance. Guest dancers join from English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and New English Ballet Theatre.
Oresteia at Bridge Theatre
Simon Stone directs a modern take on Aeschylus' Greek tragedy at the Bridge Theatre, running to 19 September. The cast includes Tom Glynn-Carney, Mary-Louise Parker, David Morrissey, and Rosie Sheehy.
Fun Home Musical at Royal Exchange Theatre
Jeanine Tesori's Tony-winning musical, based on Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir, runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre to 1 August. Directed by Sarah Frankcom, the show stars Jodie McNee and Nigel Harman.
Streaming: Little House on the Prairie on Netflix
Netflix releases a new adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's novels on 9 July. The series stars Alice Halsey as young Laura and is helmed by Rebecca Sonnenshine, writer of 'The Housemaid.'
Streaming: Katie Price Documentary
On 8 July at 9pm, Now & Sky Documentaries airs a four-part series on Katie Price, directed by Bafta-winner Paddy Wivell and produced by Louis Theroux's company. The show examines the former glamour model's personal life amid tabloid headlines.
Streaming: Miguel Ángel Blanco Documentary on Netflix
On 10 July, Netflix releases a documentary about the 1997 kidnapping and murder of 29-year-old councillor Miguel Ángel Blanco by Eta. The film includes recollections from friends, journalists, political leaders, and the king of Spain.
Streaming: Trying Series 5 on Apple TV
On 8 July, Apple TV releases the fifth series of Andy Wolton's adoption dramedy. Guest stars include Charlotte Riley as the birth mother and Celia Imrie as a hoarder.
Games: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Released on 9 July for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, Ubisoft's 'golden age of piracy' adventure returns with a visual overhaul and reimagined single-player campaign emphasizing swashbuckling action.
Games: Moonlight Peaks
Out on 7 July for Switch 2, Switch, PC, and Android, this rural-life sim stars a lovable vampire growing ingredients, crafting potions, and romancing werewolves.
Album: Sienna Spiro – Visitor
Londoner Sienna Spiro, who started on TikTok in 2021, releases her debut album. She has scored multiple US hits, made the UK Top 10, and sang for David Attenborough at his 100th birthday. Her elegant retro-soul ballads are expected to dominate summer.
Album: Mary in the Junkyard – Role Model Hermit
The London-based trio describes their music as 'sparse rock, like rock but balding.' Their debut album features tracks like 'New Muscles' and 'Mouse,' blending alt-rock with classic rock elements.
Album: Tom Rasmussen – Live at Union Chapel
Recorded in November 2024 at a north London church, this live set strips Rasmussen's queer dance-pop to its bare bones. The harp-assisted opener 'Body, Heart, Mind' creates a modern hymn, while 'Shugs (Live Wire)' elevates love to worship.
Podcast: The Surgeon of St Helena
This series blends investigative reporting with social history of British overseas territories, telling the story of a surgeon on St Helena whose unethical practices went unnoticed for years.
YouTube Series: Sotheby's
London auction house Sotheby's opens its archives and curatorial expertise in a detailed YouTube series. Highlights include exploration of David Hockney's love of LA and a look at Renoir's impressionism.
Documentary: Secrets of the Ant Trade
BBC World Service airs on 9 July at 2.32am a documentary on the global ant trade, now a multimillion-dollar business and trafficking empire. The show follows Kenyan authorities clamping down on ant gangs.
