Mum's the Word

Mother's Day! Last year we wrote at length about the position of the apostrophe. Funny, maybe, but not massively helpful. This year, we've compiled a whole section that'll help you show your love and gratitude to Mumsy.

Excitingly, we've also launched a brand new arts section. There's no better place to find out the best exhibitions in London – we've currently got the latest news, the most insightful reviews and, rather entertainingly, a nice wee chat with Grayson Perry, resplendent as a Victorian matriarch.

As if that weren't enough, London's cranking up the gears for festival season. Already! M.I.A, Simian Mobile Disco, and These New Puritans are all gracing our fair capital this summer. It's gonna be a bally belter.

Lastly, on the horizon is good old St Patrick's Day, which means more than just Guinness hats and green wigs. Our guide gives you some fascinating history, costume ideas, the best events, and helps you find the best Irish pubs in London. Mmmm pubs.

Thursday 11th

The Spring edition of the Affordable Art Fair hits Battersea Park this week with the usual range of art across all media on sale for between £50 and £3,000. There's a good combination of established names and emerging talent. As ever, this is a great place for collectors (from entry-level to experienced) and for any fan of art whatever you

Hardcore superstars Shai Hulud headline the Purple Turtle in Camden tonight. The Florida band are now into their 15th year, and are seen as pioneers of the 'metalcore' genre which fused elements of hardcore punk and trash metal in one giant cacophony of eardrum-splitting noise. Join them tonight for a rare London date.

Friday 12th

The mighty Together disapeared when Turnmills saw the wrong side of the wreckers ball. But now, praise be, the genre-blending effervescent party is back with a bang! They throw the first in a series of sixteen parties at the Coronet. Tonight, Mylo, Sub Focus and Zombie Nation fly their respective flags. Plus Durrr head honcho Rory Phillips

The Hyp! Hyp! Hyp! crew have pulled off a real coup. The legend that is Claude Von Stroke will be in session spinning out his best selection of bleeps and beats for a loving crowd. Strong support comes from label mate Julio Bashmore, Mumdance, Scratcha DVA and the Hyponik squad.

Saturday 13th

A frankly bizarre combination of weird instruments, percussion, found sound and audience participation, Lucky Dragon are somewhere between an art-house noise project and a play date for people who really like Gang Gang Dance. Playing not one but two shows/installations today at Auto-italia, it promises to be the most fun you've had with a loop

Created by Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui with the Shaolin Monks and performed in a set designed by sculptor Anthony Gormley, Sutra is a brand new piece of dance embodying the grace and power of kung fu.

Sunday 14th

The hugely popular Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair returns to town for its second outing this year. There's 40 exhibitors from the UK and Europe selling a range of jewellery, handbags, textiles, shoes, clothes, and hats from the 1800s to 1980s. The event, which attracted over 3000 shoppers in total last year, has a unique emphasis on the

Monday 15th

Ibsen's classic follows the head-strong Hedda, as she desperately attempts escape her boring marriage and save her husbands career.

Playing a ruthless but kind heroine well ahead of her time and ever so slightly unstable, Rosamund Pike (Pride and Prejudice, Fracture) will no doubt set the stage alight in this fast-paced adventure.

Tuesday 16th

Joining forces with the avant-garde Get Down Stay Down, soloist Thao delivers an experimental blend of folk and rock.

Experimental music fanatics will revel in this fearlessly ambitious performance.

Young, successful Vivie has the world at her feet, a Cambridge education under her belt, and her sights set on a career in Law, but how did her mysterious mother pay for it all?

Keeping family secrets is one thing, but keeping secrets from the family well that's just setting yourself up. A mother and daughter from different worlds collide but lovingly, if that's possible. Aloof Vivie is a bit of a prude and her mum definitely isn't and Vivie is about to find that out, along with the details of just how her education was financed.

Wednesday 17th

Rum Shebeen sounds faintly like it should be something disgusting that you should avoid drinking at all costs.

In this instance though, it's a salsa punk-gypsy band who are playing the Windmill in Brixton. And jolly good they are too.

Union throw massive student parties at Fabric. Tonight it's the Faithless Soundsystem, DnB heavyweight Sub Focus and the awesome Glitch hop trio Beat3.

These cats have brought the West Coast Californian sound to London dancefloors - expect their bass do real damage through the Fabric rig.

Thursday 18th

Roland Barthes equated photography with death, and, viewing Andrew Rafferty's work, it's not hard to see why. His are images throughout many of which the spectre of death looms large, and yet viewing Rafferty's work is not a miserable experience. There is hope here, and humour.

This March and April sees his 'Passion' series on display in the Crypt Gallery of St Pancras Church. These are fascinating images.

Funism? Literally the best sounding ism we've ever heard. Combined with "a side order of Stuckism", it sounds like a recipe for the a really rather delicious repast. Or, more accurately in this case, a rather wonderful exhibition.

Stuckists Ella Guru and Chris Yates are involved, as well as ex-Stuckist Sexton Ming, so expect a broad selection of punchy figurative painting.

Singer/songwriter Anna Page is also involved in some capacity. We just had a little listen to her on her myspace and she's completely brilliant.

Friday 19th

Charlie Smith London makes way for an exhibition of Gavin Nolan's brutally perverse, nighmarish portraits.

Typically darkly figurative with an accompanying torrid of drips and splodges, A King's Gambit Accepted concentrates predominantly on historical figures, particularly those who have committed suicide. Nolan's interest in power-wielding and personal and public histories forms the backbone of this exhibition.

Gruesome, repulsive yet strangely alluring.

In a smothering attempt to protect his family from being tainted by the folks below his top spot on a monsterous tower block, Hector Blavatsky rules with a loving iron fist.

But Hector won't be with us for long and his family are no longer retreating from the outside world. Their curiosity is further sparked when an outsider enters their miniature universe.

Saturday 20th

Like quilts? Then holy lord, you're in for one hell of a treat, as the V&A presents its first exhibition dedicated entirely to British quilts.

With quilts on show ranging from as far back as 1700 right up to modern day examples by the likes of Grayson Perry and Tracey Emin, this is the textile exhibition of the year.

The media are already all over it - blanket coverage you might say...

Bestival return with their annual warm-up at Koko.

Tonight, you can dress in any of the many themes that have occured at festivals gone by. For refernce thse are Cowboys and Indians, Under The Sea, Circus, Pirates, and Outer Space.

There's also be burlesque, weddings at the Big Love Inflatable Church, games from Lost and Found and tunes from a wealth of performers.

Sunday 21st

Acclaimed character comedian Nick Mohammed gives a sneak preview of his new Edinburgh show at the Hen and Chickens tonight.

Mohammed has previously appeared in ensemble BBC comedies Reggie Perrin and Horne & Corden, as well as starring in his own show for BBC Radio Four, Quarters.