Culture Agenda: The best things to do, hear, see or watch in Europe this week

Anything you tin deliberation of, we stake it has a time dedicated to it. For example, coming is —checks notes — National Blueberry Cheesecake Day and World Dracula Day. Indeed, astir are dubious successful root and officialdom — but admittedly rather useful if you've been looking for an excuse to eat cheesecake successful a cape.

They're besides a bully excuse to stock immoderate themed suggestions, and though World Goth Day and International Museum Day person now passed, angsty creation and zany curations unrecorded connected forever.

And speaking of zany — this week's Agenda is markedly so, pinch a UK food rolling title taking spot today, and Wes Anderson's caller movie The Phoenician Scheme opening its ain rollout crossed cinemas. Providing equilibrium is nan wistful photography of filmmaker Wim Wenders, and a rousing group accumulation successful London that explores memory, belonging and place.

But if you're conscionable present to party, Lyon is calling pinch its umph umph umph yearly electro takeover astatine Nuits Sonores. Unfortunately, we're not that cool — truthful will apt beryllium watching And conscionable Like That... while pretending it's World Eat A Large Pizza In Bed Day, aliases something.

Lastly, if you're still debating seeing Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, cheque retired our latest culture catch-up for professional David Mouriquand's thoughts.* (spoiler: He hated it.)

Here are this week's highlights.

Exhibitions

Wim Wenders: Nearby and Far Away. Photography

Where: Galerie Bastian (Berlin, Germany) 

When: Until 26 July 2025

The German filmmaker down classics for illustration Paris, Texas and Wings of Desire, Wim Wenders has ever had an unthinkable expertise to seizure nan echoing expanse of quality dreams. Richly metaphorical and softly revelatory, his films toggle shape group and places into moving poetry. It’s a value that’s visible successful his photography, too. On show astatine Berlin’s Galerie Bastian, his bid of snapshots taken crossed China picture nan sweeping shapes and fixed figures of distant landscapes. For fans of Wenders’ work, it’s a must-see — pinch a awesome retrospective of his photography group to travel astatine nan Bundeskunsthalle successful August 2025.  

Finding My Blue Sky (A group show curated by Dr Omar Kholeif)

Where: Lisson Gallery (London, UK)

When: 30 May – 26 July 2025 

Ahead of London Gallery Weekend (6-8 June), nan prestigious Lisson Gallery is bringing complete 20 artists together for a awesome caller multimedia group exhibition, which spans some its Bell Street and Lisson Street spaces. Those progressive see British creator Lubaina Himid, Nigerian ocular creator Otobong Nkanga, and Lebanese creator and sculptor, Huguette Caland. Together, they person created a divers and emotive ode to London that explores individual entwinements pinch places — really we style them, and they, successful turn, style us. 

Bonus head's up: British virtual set Gorillaz person announced a new immersive exhibition titled 'House of Kong', group to unfastened successful August successful London. Tickets are disposable now and apt to waste accelerated — don't beryllium near On Melancholy Hill!

Events

Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling Festival 

Where: Cooper's Hill (Gloucestershire, UK)

When: 26 May 2025 

A full time dedicated to food rolling? You’d feta judge it! Although nan food of prime is really a chunky instrumentality of Double Gloucester. This kooky yearly event has been taking spot since astir 1826 — though nan nonstop origins are murky and thought to day backmost moreover further. Hosted connected Coopers Hill successful nan English region of Gloucestershire, participants must title to drawback their cheeses — nary easy feat erstwhile nan wheels tin scope speeds of up to 70mph. The first title originates astatine 12pm BST (1pm CEST), and to each those rolling pinch their homies: Gouda luck.

Nuits Sonores ‘Nights of Sound’ Festival 

Where: Lyon, France

When: 28 May - 1 June 2025 

One of nan biggest electro-music events successful France, Nuits Sonores takes spot crossed nan vibrant metropolis of Lyon for 5 days each year. From English travel hoppers Massive Attack, to American DJ Honey Dijon, to French electro duo Cassius and techno icon Jeff Mills — nan line-up is good and genuinely stacked. Most of nan awesome events will beryllium held astatine Les Grandes Locos successful nan day, and La Sucrière astatine night, some erstwhile business spaces-turned taste beacons. Grab your bucket hats and move yourself a beardown java — it’s gonna beryllium a precocious one. 

Movies

The Phoenician Scheme

Where: UK cinemas 

When: 30 May (with a wider theatrical merchandise 6 June)

Fresh disconnected nan Cannes Film Festival circuit is Wes Anderson’s latest confection, starring (as usual) an all-star ensemble that includes regulars Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray and Benedict Cumberbatch. Set successful nan 1950s, we travel suave businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro) and his trainee nun daughter, Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton) arsenic they effort to unafraid investments for a fictional spot called Phoenicia — each while dodging a set of eccentric tycoons. Lots of pastel, perfectly poised mischief ensues successful this frenetic family adventure, which will either delight Anderson fans — aliases exhaust them. 

Television

And Just Like That… (Season 3)

Where: Sky and NOW

When: 30 May 2025 

As a caller play of nan Sex and nan City spin-off returns, I couldn’t thief but wonder: Why? That’s a lie, really — cringeworthy arsenic nan show is, it’s besides frustratingly addictive. Continuing to travel nan lives of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) arsenic they navigate their 50s alongside a big of caller characters, it’s sewage astir arsenic overmuch constituent arsenic a Manolo Blahnik shoe. But fans cognize what they’re successful for here. And moreover if we’re still reeling complete that stupid play 2 ending successful which Aidan asked Carrie to hold 5 years for him (as if!), nan show’s acquainted template and superficial sheen promote your encephalon to happily melt. 

Music

Miley Cyrus: Something Beautiful

When: 30 May 2025 

In nan astir 20 years since her breakout domiciled arsenic teen popular idol Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus has done everything to break free from her Disneyfication. Giant wrecking balls were straddled, and twerking routines performed. But done nan struggle of increasing up successful nan limelight, Miley emerged arsenic an creator whose spot is successful perpetually evolving — and those powerhouse vocals. Following ‘Endless Summer Vacation’, from which ‘Flowers’ became Spotify's most-streamed opus of 2023, she returns pinch her eighth output: ‘Something Beautiful’. Inspired by Pink Floyd's groundbreaking conception medium 'The Wall', Miley has besides produced and directed a companion film, group to beryllium released immoderate clip successful June.