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

Welcome back for another week of cultural recommendations.

From a spotlight on the works of Salvador Dalí, to a retrospective of Jacques-Louis David and the return of Blumhouse horror Black Phone, there's an enticing mixture of educational and increasingly eerie things to see and do.

Grab a warm cup of something, get cosy, and start marking your calendars!

Exhibitions

Jacques‑Louis David retrospective

When: 15 October - 26 January

Where: Louvre (Paris, France)

The Neoclassical works of Jacques‑Louis David are not only breathtaking, but also deeply embedded in our cultural consciousness; images that define the French Revolution and Napoleonic Empire. Having served as a political figure, his paintings were often imbued with imperial melodrama and captured the societal nuances of 18th century France. To mark the bicentennial of his death, the Louvre, which is home to the largest existing collection of David's works, is hosting a comprehensive new exhibition that spans his career and political contributions. There will also be 100 works displayed on loan, including the original of his masterpiece 'Death of Marat'.

Dalí. Revolution and Tradition

When: 17 October - 1 February 2026

Where: Museo del Corso (Rome, Italy)

A vast new exhibition at Rome's Museo del Corso brings together over 60 works by the renowned Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí. Tracing his career from beginning to end, it casts a magnifying glass on his works' oscillating themes of revolution and tradition - the latter captured by his passion for great masters like Vermeer and Raphael. A similar dichotomy is explored through Dalí's conflicting admiration and rivalry with Pablo Picasso.

Edward George: Black Atlas

When: Until 17 January 2026

Where: The Warburg Institute (London, UK)

In the late 1990s, London's Warburg Institute was given the 'Image of the Black' archive. Featuring over 30,000 photographs of art and artefacts that feature figures of African descent, it remains a profoundly important documentation of cultural history - and one that helped shape Edward George's latest work. The multidisciplinary artist and founder of Black Audio Film Collective is sharing his film Black Atlas, which utilises imagery from the Warburg's archives to question their potential for warping time and perception.

Bonus highlight: The first ever solo show in Italy dedicated to surrealist Leonora Carrington is currently on at Milan's Palazzo Reale until 11 January 2026.

Events

Cheltenham Literature Festival

When: 10-19 October

Where: Cheltenham, UK

The world's oldest literature festival is back with more than 400 events, including appearances from Dame Joanna Lumley and cyclist Mark Cavendish, both of whom have new books coming out. Taking place at various venues across Cheltenham, visitors will also find poetry workshops, readings, and comedy and music performances. Alongside literature, everything from sport to cinema to politics is covered, with fascinating speakers from every walk of life. Just like finishing a good book, you’ll leave feeling inspired, learned - and quite possibly with an armful of new reads.

Movies

Black Phone 2

Where: European cinemas

When: 17 October

Ring ring, ring ring - jump scares calling. A sequel to the 2021 Blumhouse original, it stars Ethan Hawke as the grabber, a child killer that dons a terrifying wide-smiled and toothy mask. The titular black phone is how his past victims contact those in danger, with 15-year-old Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) the latest recipient. Plagued by disturbing visions, she travels to a camp with her brother (Mason Thames) in search of answers - and spoiler alert: bad things await.

Bonus highlights: Good Boy, a horror movie from the perspective of a dog (every ‘does the dog die’ Googler’s worst nightmare), is out in select cinemas now. Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is also screening in select UK cinemas from 17 October. And as if that wasn’t enough spookiness for one week, there’s Radu Jude's Dracula: A Love Tale out in France on 15 October.

TV series

Mr. Scorsese

Where: Apple TV+

When: 17 October

Did you know that Martin Scorsese has a lifelong phobia of the number 11? He also wanted to become a priest before falling in love with filmmaking. In fact, the life and career of the acclaimed director are full of fascinating insights, many of which are revealed in a new five-part docuseries. While originally conceived as a feature length documentary, it was later expanded due to there being so much to explore - from his very first movie in 1967, Who's That Knocking at My Door, to 2023’s Oscar-nominated Killers of the Flower Moon. For fans, it offers a thrilling behind the scenes glimpse like never before, and lots of big-name cameos: Robert De Niro, Steven Spielberg and Mick Jagger, to name a few!

Bonus highlight: The Diplomat, which follows the professional and personal tumults of a United Kingdom ambassador, returns for season 3 on Netflix, 16 October.

Music

Tame Impala: Deadbeat

When: 17 October

Tame Impala, the psychedelic pop rock project by Australian musician Kevin Parker, returns with a fifth studio album. Reportedly inspired by Western Australian rave culture and Parker's experiences of fatherhood, its title plays on anxieties around self-worth and meeting expectations. There's also an aptly Halloweeny title for single Dracula, which is full of sombre synths and haunting harmonising. An ideal soundtrack for dancing your fears away.

Bonus highlight: An expanded edition of Bruce Springsteen’s 1982 album Nebraska is being released on 17 October. It will include solo outtakes, a new filmed performance of 'Nebraska' and The E Street Band's 'Electric Nebraska' sessions.