Following the recent World Penguin Day in April, there is a chance to appreciate the wild variety of these birds in their natural habitats.

AE Expeditions have an offer that will save up to £6,799 for participants of their voyages.

There has long been a desire to maintain sustainable travel, along with an urgent need to protect this species.

AE Expeditions is committed to offer guests a unique experience while preserving the pristine Antarctic ecosystem that the penguins call home.

With expert-led excursions, intimate small-ship experiences, and unforgettable wildlife encounters, there’s never been a better time to witness penguins in their natural environment.

Top travel picks include:

Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula
(24 Oct – 14 Nov 2026 | 22 Days) – From £20,808 £26,097 pp twin share

In Shackleton’s Footsteps
(8 Nov – 27 Nov 2026 | 20 Days) – From £18,829 £25,105 pp twin share

Spirit of Antarctica: In Partnership with New Scientist Discovery Tours
(7 Dec – 18 Dec 2026 | 12 Days) – From £12,647 £14,879 pp twin share

Antarctic Explorer Express
(7 Jan – 15 Jan 2027 | 9 Days) – From £11,220 £13,200 pp twin share

For more information or to book visit: AE Expeditions | Small Ship Expedition Cruises – Aurora Expeditions

Louisiana Literature presents the names of nine international authors in the 15^th edition of the festival which will take place from Thursday 20^th August until Sunday 23^rd August 2026.

According to the museum: Over the past few weeks, Louisiana Literature has announced the names of a number of authors who have confirmed their visit to the festival in Humlebæk in August. In addition to the winner of the Booker Prize 2025, David Szalay, the list also includes previous years’ prize winners, a new star and, as always, authors who are current with new publications in Danish. Here is a presentation of the nine names:

David Szalay

The Hungarian-British writer is acclaimed for his minimalist and captivating realism and has received several awards for his books. His novel Flesh, an exploration of masculinity, sex and money, won last year’s prestigious Booker Prize.

Nelio Biedermann

Louisiana Literature also welcomes the 23-year-old Swiss writer. His second novel Lázár is currently being published in 25 countries and has received international praise from critics, readers and fellow writers.

Kae Tempest

Poet, spoken word artist and musician is also coming to Humlebæk. He is known for his great linguistic sensibility and powerful stage presence – a “truth teller,” according to fellow author Max Porter. In 2014, he was the youngest recipient of the Ted Hughes Award for the long poem “Brand New Ancients”.

Leila Slimani

Won the Goncourt Prize in 2016 for Lullaby , which became an international bestseller. The French-Moroccan author, journalist and women’s rights advocate has been called a “master stylist” and “exquisite storyteller”.

Georgi Gospodinov

“My father was a gardener. Now he is a garden.” This is how The Gardener and Death by the Bulgarian author begins. It is his loving farewell novel to his father, who is suffering from cancer. As in Gospodinov’s other novels, including the Booker Prize-winning Time Hideout, the book deals with themes such as grief, empathy and memory, while the recent history of Eastern Europe and today’s political anxieties form the backdrop for the personal narrative.

Dag Johan Haugerud

Norwegian author and award-winning filmmaker will present his fifth novel, Sjælesorg , which has been nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize and has just been published in Danish.

Kiran Desai

Born in India and came to the United States as a young woman, moves effortlessly between philosophy, comedy, sensitivity and horror in her books, including The Lost Country, which won the Booker Prize in 2006.

Antonio Scurati

From Italy comes author and literature professor whose international bestseller M , about Benito Mussolini’s rise to power, will be published in Danish translation in August. In his homeland, the novel, which is the first in a planned series about Italian fascism, initiated a public debate about the fascist legacy and was honoured with the Strega Prize, the most prestigious literary honour in Italy.

Katie Kitamura

The American author will present her latest novel Audition, a drama about a successful actress and a much younger man who turns her life upside down. The novel, which was shortlisted for last year’s Booker Prize, is an exploration of role-playing and deception in human relationships. Kitamura herself has called the novel a Rorschach test, where the reader is challenged in their expectations of what they want to be true and what they want to remain in the world of fantasy.

Opening on 16 May 2026, this multi-channel film and sound installation has been created by Sir John Akomfrah RA.

Originally commissioned by the British Council for the British Pavillion at the 60^th Venice Biennale in 2024, this exhibition will come to Liverpool as part of a tour funded by Art Fund.

The work Listening all Night to the Rain has been inspired by the poetry of the Chinese writer Su Dongpo (1037–1101), then arranged into a canto, with the Walker Gallery displaying three out of the eight cantos that were shown in Venice.

Transforming the gallery’s exterior, Canto I will contain imagery and voices that project the original appearance on the façade of the British Pavillion in Venice. Cantos IV and V will be inside and will be showing a layering of soundscapes and recently formed footage from around the world.

The gallery writes that Akomfrah addresses memory, migration, racial injustice and climate change. His signature cinematic style creates critical and poetic connections across different places and times to encourage acts of listening and looking again, as forms of activism.

Sir John Akomfrah said: “I’ve had a long personal and professional relationship with the city of Liverpool, returning many times over the last four decades. It’s always felt to me, like an ever-unfolding conversation between myself, the city, and its communities.

Many of the themes, stories, people and ideas within my practice draw inspiration from, or find deep resonances with, cities like Liverpool. It is a place shaped by movement, by departures and arrivals, and by stories carried across water.

To bring Listening all Night to the Rain here, feels less like an arrival and more like a continuation of that conversation - one that Liverpool feels uniquely equipped to host.”  

Admission is free, with all donations welcome. For more information, visit liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/johnakomfrah

Set in the landscape of where this mighty ship was not only designed but it was built, this landmark attraction guarantees to fascinate.

Visitors of this Belfast attraction are taken through its conception in the early 1900s right through her construction and launch before the fateful maiden voyage took place in 1912.

Being transported back to follow the journey of Titanic, guests are shown state of the art projections, along with a 7.6 m long scale fully rotational model of RMS Titanic which is suspended from the ceiling. This was part of a £4.5 million refresh in 2023.

Followers of The Titanic are left with mesmerizing memories of a story of this great ship that now lives at the bottom of the ocean.

The Titanic experience is unforgettable and a must-see attraction for those visiting the Northern Irish capital of Belfast.

Tickets are available from £24.95 for adults and £11 for children and Anytime Ticket from £34.95 for adults and £21 for children with an average duration of 1.5-2.5 hours for the experience.

For more information, please visit https://www.titanicbelfast.com/experiences/the-titanic-experience/

An impressive collection of gender themed art works is to be shown at the Walker Art Gallery from 16 May 2026.

The show highlights the works of key artists from Grayson Perry to David Hockney, with personal objects such as a Liverpool LGBTQ+ football scarf. The exhibition covers centuries of history through oil paintings, etchings, ceramics, textiles, sculpture and video.

Some of the historical works include a watercolour by Sarah Biffin who won a medal from the Society of Arts, after she was born with no arms and learned to paint with her mouth. She was commissioned for her works by the Royal Family and spent her final years in Liverpool.

A linen smock joins the work on display, which was worn by the artist Gluck in the 1930s. The artist adopted a gender-neutral name with no prefix, suffix or quotes. Born Hannah Gluckstein in 1895, dressed in menswear and having their hair cut at a barber in Bond Street, they created one of the most famous same-sex paintings titled Medallion, an iconic double portrait of themselves and their lover Nesta Obermer, painted in 1936.

Charlotte Keenan, Head of Walker Art Gallery, said: “Everyone has a lived experience of gender, and this exhibition creates space for visitors to reflect on their own while hearing from others. Working with communities across Liverpool has been central to bringing Gender Stories to the Walker, and we hope it will be a place for honest conversation and genuine connection.”

Gender Stories is part of MAGNET (Museums and Galleries Network for Exhibition Touring), a network of 12 museums and galleries sharing their collections with regional audiences. The exhibition toured to Bristol Museum & Art Gallery in 2025 and Brighton Museum and Art Gallery earlier in 2026 before arriving in Liverpool.

Gender Stories opens at Walker Art Gallery on 16 May 2026 and runs until 31 August 2026.

For more information visit liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/genderstories

Flight delays and cancellations because of the current situation in the Middle East have drawn travellers to book different destinations, particularly focusing on the Caribbean.

Tour operators such as British Airways Holidays, have recognised searches for the Caribbean have gone up by fifty percent and St Lucia is one of the islands featured in this search.

Rapidly becoming a holiday hotspot, Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences offers six swimming pools, seven signature restaurants and bars, the Serene Spa, a fitness centre, water sports and a well-equipped kids club.

After this recent travel change, British Airways have announced that they will increase their seat capacity for visitors to St Lucia from October 2026. This change allows holiday makers to have more choice on travel dates, as the airline will be providing an additional 51,000 seats in both directions from its flights from London Gatwick.

Situated in the Eastern part of the Caribbean Sea, the island has lush rainforests and beautiful pristine beaches. The Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences is a Mediterranean resort that delivers luxury to its guests in this location.

There are 220 guest rooms and villas set in different landscapes from waterfront villas to charming hillside rooms. There are exceptional views across Labrelotte Bay.

The resort is a five-star destination and has undergone a $4o million refurbishment over the last few years, making it a premium location set in the heart of this glorious island.

In addition to the hotel, the resort also has a ten bedroom villa La Belle Hélène which is fully staffed with a butler, chef and housekeeper. Among the amenities in the villa, there is a basketball court, and a lagoon style pool.

Windjammer provides an ultra-destination for those looking for a year-round opulent retreat, with flights increasing capacity within the winter season.

Windjammer Landing Resort and Residences (www.windjammer-landing.com) offers Hilltop 1 Bedroom villas rates starting from $972/night USD on a B&B basis or starting at $1321/night USD – for a premium all-inclusive (kids 11 and under eat for free). For more information and reservations, visit www.windjammer-landing.com.

The V&A East Museum has just unveiled London based artist Thomas J Price’s tallest work to date, before the Museum opens to the public next month.

The 18-foot sculpture titled A Place Beyond sits outside the museum on the East Bank in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Park and will be there upon its opening on 18^th April 2026.

Welcoming guests to the museum, the artwork has been created in the form of a fictionalised young person in casual dress, with phone in hand, looking out to a horizon full of possibilities.

A narrative derived from observation and 3 scans; the statue has been crafted in bronze with a combination of digital technology and ancient techniques.

Celebrating the diversity in the East London area, the V&A East Youth Collective were consulted in the build, as the piece is designed to bring the visitors own thoughts into the interpretation of the work, as the theme rejects social or racial profiling.

Thomas J Price, said: “Being based in east London, it means so much to have my public work, A Place Beyond, on display at V&A East Museum. I want this sculpture to become an extension of the people who inhabit the museum, and the spaces around it. This commission is especially meaningful to me as I was taken to the V&A as a child with my mother and it has shaped much of my critique of museum collections. I’m excited to be part of the next chapter in the V&A’s evolution in east London.”

Thomas J Price is one of the most important contemporary artists of his generation. Having studied at Chelsea College of Art, he completed his MA at the Royal College of Art. This V&A sculpture is not the first work in east London by Thomas J Price: Warm Shoes was one of his works that was commissioned by Hackney Council to celebrate the Windrush generation and their descendants in the UK, it was unveiled in June 2022 and is a permanent work of art.

V&A East Museum is FREE to all and opens on Saturday 18 April 2026. Opening hours are 10:00-18:00, seven-days-a-week, with late night openings to 22:00 every Thursday and Saturday.

This season InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has announced its exclusive line up of experiences and headline acts for its festival Seachella 2.0.

After unprecedented success of the inaugural event in 2025, this year’s rerun will commence on Saturday 4 April on Maamunagau Island.

Oyster bars, Champagne trolleys, Easter themed tasting menus are just some of the delights on offer at the event that includes DJ acts, sound healing experiences and Easter egg hunts.

Junior participants will be entertained at the resort’s Planet Trekkers kids club, with face-painting, kids movie nights on the beach, treasure bottle hunts and Easter themed art classes.

In the evening there is a headline act from Ashley Roberts  of The Pussycat Dolls, who will be DJ-ing the night away.

This extravagant grand finale, will feature an elaborate gala dinner under the stars, hand-crafted cocktails and free-flowing champagne.

For the younger generation there are activities to partake in on the Sunday with InterContinental Maldives’ ‘Planet Trekkers’ programme, for ages 4-12, which will showcase the wonders of the Indian Ocean through arts, crafts and mini-expeditions.

The hotel runs a  ‘Teen Programme’ including culinary classes for promising chefs, boho body art sessions, blue water adventures in the crystal clear lagoon, private movie screenings under the stars, football matches, mocktail masterclasses, and a selection of spa treatments expertly tailored for teens.

Rates starting from USD 1,445++ per night in an Overwater Pool Villa, including breakfast and dinner for two. For Two-Bedroom Family Villas, rates start from USD 3,655++ per night, including breakfast and dinner. For more information, please visit www.maldives.intercontinental.com or email  reservations.icmaldives@ihg.com.

Currently in its tenth decade the opera house has a renowned reputation for providing fifteen weeks of splendour with over seventy performances between May and August.

With benefits for under thirties and under forties, membership opportunities have never looked better.

Stephen Langridge, Artistic Director of Glyndebourne, said: “Festival 2026 presents masterpieces from three-and-a-half centuries of opera, ranging from Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo in 1607 (arguably the first masterpiece of the form) to Britten’s Billy Budd in 1951. Our new L’Orfeo brings William Kentridge, Jonathan Cohen and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment together, while Billy Budd unleashes the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nicolas Carter, and Allan Clayton singing his first Captain Vere in Michael Grandage’s extraordinary production. In between them you can find Mozart, Rossini, Puccini and Strauss. We are excited and proud to have assembled outstanding international artists – singers, directors, designers, conductors – to bring these great works of music theatre to life in a packed summer of opera at Glyndebourne.”

Between shows, audiences may take a picnic or dine in one of the site’s fine dining restaurants. For this is the year to enjoy a timetable of glorious festival newcomer highlights like:

Giacomo Puccini – Tosca 21 May – 22 June 2026 4 – 30 August 2026

With Director Ted Huffman making his mainstage debut, this Puccini classic has Music Director Robin Ticciati, who will conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the first of two performance runs. Cast for the first run includes Caitlin Gotimer as Floria Tosca, cast for the second run includes Natalya Romaniw as Floria Tosca, Atalla Ayan as Mario Cavaradossi and Alfred Walker as Baron Scarpia

Claudio Monteverdi – L’Orfeo 14 June – 25 July 2026

This new production for the 2026 Festival will be directed by William Kentridge, while Jonathan Cohen conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. There is a cast including Krystian Adam as Orfeo, Francesca Aspromonte as La Musica/Euridice, Leia Lensing as Proserpina, Callum Thorpe as Caronte and Davide Giangregorio as Plutone.

Richard Strauss – Ariadne auf Naxos 19 July – 29 August 2026

A new production for the 2026 Festival directed by Laurent Pelly. Robin Ticciati conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Cast includes Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Ariadne, Samantha Hankey as Composer, David Butt Philip as Bacchus and Alina Wunderlin as Zerbinetta.

Glyndebourne Festival 2026 runs from 21 May to 30 August. Public booking will open in March 2026. Glyndebourne Members enjoy priority access to tickets – get one step closer to your must-see productions by joining the family at Membership and Support – Glyndebourne

The daughter of the late artist and designer William Morris was May Morris one of the most pioneering talents of the Arts and Crafts movement.

From 25^th April to 1^st November 2026, The Lady Lever Art Gallery will display around 50 objects from museums and private collections across the UK, including from the Victoria and Albert Museum and the William Morris Gallery.

May Morris was a designer, maker, tutor, lecturer, editor and writer and she was a socialist much ahead of her time.

Embroideries, wallpapers, designs, sketches, books, costume and jewellery will be displayed in this exhibition that has been developed in partnership with the William Morris Society.

The younger daughter of William Morris and Jane Burden, May’s childhood was spent with her family friends in the crafts industries, including those associated with the family interior design business Morris & Co. Some of William Morris’ textiles and wallpapers were sold in Liberty.

As time went on May would be introduced to needlework by her mother and aunt, she then went on to study embroidery at the National Art Training School, South Kensington.

By 1885, aged 23, May had become manager of Morris & Co.’s professional embroidery workroom. She provided apprenticeships for working class girls from a school in London.

Fiona Slattery Clark, Curator of Decorative Art at National Museums Liverpool, said: “May led an intriguing life, throughout which her ardent socialist beliefs influenced her actions. From the forward-thinking career opportunities that she offered to other women, to her dedication for advocating the importance of women’s artistic practices, May’s influence is fascinating – and remains relevant to this day.”

For tickets to the exhibition visit: May Morris: Crafting a Legacy | National Museums Liverpool

From 27^th February until 31^st August 2026 there is a major tribute to the iconic treasure of expression, featuring her work through ninety pieces of art in an exhibition titled A Second Life at The Tate Modern.

There has been a calling to exhibit this conception that features painting, video, textile, neon, sculpture and installation created by Dame Tracey Emin (b.1963).

Displaying over forty years of a career that has been shaped by the prolific life of the artist, this exhibition explores what has contributed to her works as a major voice in the art world.

Storytelling by Emin reflects on her life before and after her studies in London at the Royal College of Art in 1987, through to her continuous relationship with her hometown Margate where she now resides, close to her free studio-based art school. Works of such are apparent in Mad Tracey from Margate: Everybody’s Been There 1997, which are depicted through handstitched phrases, letters and drawings.

Throughout spouts of pain and trauma, Emin produces the addressment of sexual assault, abortion and other factual matters in the mix of a difficult life. These works are reflected in her creativity taken from I Could Have Loved my Innocence 2007 through to How it Feels 1996, an account of an abortion that went wrong.

Classics such as My Bed 1998 will be on display and need no introduction, as this was the first marker of when Emin established herself in the creation of her art. All accounts are taken from her first life right through until her second life, post illness and surgery.

Dame Tracey Emin said “I’m very excited about having a show at Tate Modern. For me, it’s one of the greatest international contemporary art museums in the world and it’s here in London. I feel this show, titled ‘A second Life’, will be a bench mark for me. A moment in my life when I look back and go forward. A true celebration of living”.

To book tickets visit: Tracey Emin | Tate Modern

From 24^th to 27^th March 2026 InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort launches the Manta Retreat.

This marks the time that the manta rays can be found in the resort’s lagoon, seconds away from the shore.

InterContinental Maldives has partnered with one of the world’s manta ray organisations, Manta Trust, to co-host the retreat and give guests the experience of living like a marine biologist.

Given the opportunity to understand about manta rays and their natural habitats, guests can also enjoy guided reef snorkelling tours, manta excursions by the Manta Trust, coral restoration and planting workshops.

Visitors of this retreat will additionally be invited to adopt and name their own manta, alongside taking part in educational workshops.

Starting the partnership in 2019, this activity has continued to thrive in every year since its launch. The Manta Trust’s base leader, Meral Hafeez said “No matter how many times I’m lucky enough to encounter these animals, each interaction feels like I’m seeing them for the first time – the sense of awe never diminishes. The ocean is full of surprises, and I can’t wait for everyone to get to experience their first manta ray and the wonders of the deep”.

Since 2023, the Maamunagau Lagoon has been recognised as an Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA), marking the first step in identifying it as a vital habitat for manta rays and a conservation priority.

How to Book: The participation fee for the Manta Retreat is USD 1,550 per night, per room based on double occupancy, with a minimum of 4 nights stay per guest. This includes one manta ray research trip, guided house reef snorkelling, the chance to adopt a manta ray, several educational workshops, and a stay in a luxury villa or residence on a half board rate.

The 2026 Manta Retreat Brochure can be viewed here.