Create and connect at Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival

The Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival (RAIF) kicks off this Friday, and we invite all residents and visitors to join us for two weeks of performances, talks, workshops and creative encounters across the borough.

This year’s RAIF brings together artists, thinkers, and communities to explore questions through art and culture. Under the theme of Cultural Reforesting, the programme asks: How can we renew our relationship with nature?

With over 60 events to choose from, here are a few highlights you won’t want to miss.

Explore Ham Lands’ ecology through art

This free exhibition runs from 13 June to 9 July at Ham Library. Explore a mini exhibition of new artworks inspired by plants and trees on Ham Lands nature reserve from local artists, including:

• A large charcoal drawing by Nicky Rolls
• Botanical sketchbooks and illustrations by Lucy T Smith
• A stone carving by Amanda Randall

On Monday 16 June, the artists will explain their approach to the exhibition’s theme ‘Interdependence’, and Friends of Ham Lands will share about the vital conservation work carried out by their volunteers.

You will have the chance to ask questions, chat informally with the artists, sign up to volunteer and to view Lucy’s sketchbooks outside of their glass case. You can book your Ham Lands tickets.

DiStorSion

Running from 13 to 15 June at OSO Art Centre, DiStorSion is a 90-minute immersive performance blending dance, live music, and multimedia to explore our evolving relationship with the natural world.

Inspired by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, the piece traces cycles of growth, decay, and renewal — reflecting the delicate balance between organic life and digital transformation.

You can find out more about DiStorSion.

Brushes and Tides: Exploring the Thames Exhibition

Running from 16 to 29 June at Teddington Library, this exhibition showcases a collaborative artwork created by participants in the Brushes and Tides: Exploring the Thames workshop.

Experience the River Thames through a different lens using Chinese ink drawing techniques that encourage personal reflection, creativity, and self-expression. Book your Brushes and Tides tickets.

The Script Room

Running from 18 to 19 June at Whitton Library, this special production of Optik Theatre's popular theatre writing series, The Script Room, invites writers to respond to RAIF’s theme of humans and the natural world. The result? Four new plays performed by a talented professional cast — expect surprises and a few laughs! Book tickets for the Script Room.