What's on in London: this month's best art and design events for the whole family, including installations and performances

Be inspired by London's lively arts scene with performance art and creative conversations.

From Alice Anderson's performative sculptures in Mayfair, to the National Gallery's magic carpet ride for children, there's plenty of arty events to discover this month.

Be prepared for surprises when you enter Alice Anderson’s show at Waddington Custot gallery in Mayfair next week.

There will be the sound of drums on your arrival, and dancers performing alongside the artist at various points throughout the evening.

This London-based performance artist takes inspiration from technology and ancient ritual alike, combining these forces to explore —as well as to remind us — what makes us human.

The main galleries will feature Anderson’s performative sculptures “memorised” as she calls it, or wrapped in copper-coloured wire, which reference the importance of the digital world.

She likes to focus on objects she believes will become defunct in our lifetime, such as keys, a plug and even a wide-screen TV. Though the artist incorporates so much of the digital world, there’s also a meditative quality to her art.

There are few married couples we wish we could eavesdrop on more than Mr and Mrs Grayson Perry and now the Royal Academy’s Festival of Ideas season is letting us listen in on a conversation between the Royal Academician and his psychotherapist wife, Philippa.

The couple will discuss the relationship between art and psychotherapy.

Given that his work revolves around class, politics, sex and religion, and that she has found recent fame as a love adviser on​ E4’s Celebs Go Dating, this is one conversation you don’t want to miss.

The National Gallery has a wonderful way to introduce children to art — via a magic carpet ride.

They can “fly away” on this magic carpet as they listen for half an hour to the stories that inspire the paintings in front of them in the galleries.

Aimed at two- to five-year olds, it happens every Sunday, starting at 10.30am. Places are allocated 30 minutes beforehand and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Why did portraits of man’s best friend fall out of favour? After all, they were practically the Instagram trend of the 19th century.

Dr Xavier Bray, director of The Wallace Collection, will be taking a closer look this month at two of the best-loved paintings in the collection that feature dogs.

Brief Encounters short talks are a regular afternoon delight at the museum. Stop by to hear more about Sir Edwin Landseer’s Doubtful Crumbs and Rosa Bonheur’s Brizo.

Unfortunately, any four-legged companions will have to wait for you outside.