Interesting and unusual things to do for a fiver or less this week.
The Alibi Film Club in Dalston has free screenings every Monday. See details below.
Monday 17 February
BLACK & WHITE: Photo Noir is the new photographic exhibition on display at The National Theatre. It’s dedicated to Cornel Lucas, the only stills photographer to be awarded a BAFTA for his service to the British Film Industry. Free, until 29 March
CHINESE NEW YEAR: To belatedly celebrate Chinese new year of the horse, the Dragon Cafe in Borough offers a full programme of free activities and workshops focused on creativity throughout the day. Free, just turn up, from 12pm
DRAWING WORKSHOP: The Campaign For Drawing hosts a Family Drawing Workshop at Two Temple Place. Draw your favourite object or invent a new one. Free, just turn up, 12pm
HISTORICAL MEMORY: A debate about the First World War on its centenary takes place at the British Library, led by experts and historians. £5/£3, prebook, 6.30pm
TALK: Multi-award winning cartoonist and writer Martin Rowson talks about cartoons, satire and ethics in relationship to his life, at Conway Hall, Holborn. £5/£2, prebook, 7.30pm
CINEMA: The Alibi Film Club in Dalston presents free screenings every Monday. This week’s choice is Machete Kills, released in 2013. Free, just turn up, 8pm
MUSIC: Penny Police & George Wilding play together for a ‘double bill’ at the Phoenix Artist Club in Charing Cross Road. Free, prebook by email, 6.15pm
Tuesday 18 February
LISTEN TO IT: Ambit New Voices is an evening of Spoken Word at The Sun and 13 Cantons pub in Soho. Readers: Eli Goldstone, Dan Duggan, Lisa Kelly, Martin Monahan and Huw Laurence. £5, just turn up, 7pm
CINEMA: The Book Club in Leonard Street presents Crap Film Club. Miami Connection will be on screen, straight from the 80s, accompanied by comedic commentary. £3.50, prebook, 7pm
MORE CINEMA: London Life is the theme of Short Sighted Cinema‘s evening at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton. There will be screenings from emerging filmmakers, with Q&A, booze and banter. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm
PUB QUIZ: You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat is the itinerant pub quiz about films and cinema, settling down for a one-evening event at the Hackney Attic. Free, just turn up, from 7.30pm
Wednesday 19 February
TALK ART: Artist and sculptor Richard Fleischner discusses his current exhibition and his way of making art with curator and writer Ben Tufnell at the South London Gallery in Peckham. £5/£3, prebook, 7pm
LGBT: The Ivy House in Nunhead hosts Queer Tales, an evening of music-themed readings that celebrates LGBT history month, featuring different writers and authors. Donations welcome. Free, just turn up, 7.45pm
Thursday 20 February
BRITISH LIBRARY: Beautiful Science is a new exhibition on display at the British Library that explores the different types of scientific data representation. Free, until 26 April
ON THE THAMES: National Theatre Bookshop has recently started a new season of live pop-up music on Thursdays, this week is the turn of guitarist and singer Andrew Page. Free, just turn up, 5pm
TALK FILM: Hackney-based author and screenwriter Matt Thorne talks about the new British indie film 8 Minutes Idle based on his novel, at The Alibi Film Club in Dalston. Free, prebook by email, 7pm
SPOKEN WORD: Write it: Mic it is an evening of spoken work organised by Poleroid Theatre, taking place at the Picturehouse in Hackney. Featuring monologues, duologues, poetry and prose. £4, prebook, 7.30pm
ORCHESTRA: Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall hosts a concert of orchestral music written by Ivan Fedele, internationally known as Director of the Venice Biennale. Organised by Royal College of Music. Free, prebook, 7.30pm
GIGS: The band August and After plays at the Paper Dress Vintage shop in Shoreditch (£5/£4, prebook, 7.30pm) while These Ghosts perform at The Monarch in Camden (Free, just turn up, 7.30pm)
Friday 21 February
ART: Town and Country is the new David Heffer’s exhibition at Flowers Gallery in Dalston. The painter, known for his architecturally-inspired works rediscovers himself as a landscape painter. Free, until 29 March
THEATRE IN A LIBRARY: Marelle is the title of the contemporary theatre short-play on at Canada Water Culture Space. A journey into the city’s many different life stories, donations welcome. Free, prebook, 7.30pm
JAZZ: The Tea Box in Richmond hosts a night of jazz featuring the London-based vocalist Alex MacLaine who will be joined by jazz guitarist Nora Bite from Riga. £5, prebook, 7.30pm
TOP SECRET: Join London Dreamtime and Nigel of Bermondsey in a secret location near Deptford Bridge for some nighttime storytelling and music. Meeting place is Greenwich DLR, the venue is to be discovered. £3, prebook by email, 8pm
Saturday 22 February
DICKENS: Starting from John Harvard Library in Borough, this guided walk led by historian Nigel of Bermondsey (him again), covers many of the sites familiar to Charles Dickens who knew the area as a child thanks to his father’s incarceration in the Marshalsea prison. Free, just turn up, 1.30pm
CHANGE IT: Tired of your wardrobe? Then, swap the clothes you don’t want anymore: head to St Paul’s Church in Whinchmore Hill for this recycling-friendly swishing event. Free, just turn up, from 12.30pm
AT THE PUB: Drunken Night is the live performance event to launch new emerging London artists’ careers and get people drunk — eventually. The venue is The Bell in Aldgate. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm
Sunday 23 February
LAST CHANCE: Today’s the last chance to see ‘Bus Stops’, the photographic exhibition organised by Transport for London for the Year of the Bus and London Fashion Week. Ten of Juergen Teller‘s images are on display on ten bus stops along Strand.
FLAMENCO: A late afternoon in Brick Lane at The Old Truman Brewery, with flamenco-themed film screenings, dance & percussion workshops and dance. Donations are welcome to support the workshop. Free, just fur up, 5pm
MUSEUM EXPLORED: Learn all about the exhibits at the Museum of London with this family-oriented tour, and take part in hands-on activities. Free, just turn up, 12pm
HAVE A LAUGH: The Amused Moose Laugh Off Heats 1 & 2 is an evening of comedy taking place at The Albany’s comedy cellar next to Warren Street. There will be two laughing sessions. £5, just turn up, 6pm & 8pm
Check out our map of free things to do in London for more frugal fun. Or pop over to BrokeInLondon.com who also have plenty of great ideas.