Returning to Berkeley Square for the ninth consecutive year this September, the LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair is gearing up for its 2017 edition. Alongside the exceptional works exhibited by over 110 dealers, LAPADA will be hosting a number of exciting talks and events across six days. All free to attend and offering an array of unique insights and activities, we've rounded up the best of the best and what to book now...

Sugar Sculpture Workshop with The Arts Society

Join award-winning food historian Tasha Marks for an immersive workshop that will offer a fascinating introduction to renaissance sugar sculpture. The renaissance dinner table was a feat of artistry in its own right, rivalling the painting and craft patronised by nobility, especially where dessert was concerned. At this time, precious sugar was considered ‘an artistic medium of tremendous flexibility’. During the workshop visitors will create their own sculpture using a 17th century sugar paste recipe, and learn about how individuals could assert power, politics and status through dessert. Friday 15th September 2017, 6pm & 7pm

Aboriginal Art with Rebecca Hossack

LAPADA Fair exhibitor Rebecca Hossack invites to you experience the colourful and fascinating history of Aboriginal art. Visitors will be taken on a journey through the origins of this art form in ancient ceremonial designs and shine a light on the emerging talent of contemporary Aboriginal artists, as exhibited at her stand. Delve into a rich culture of art and design and celebrate the uniqueness of Aboriginal stories and images. Sunday 17th September 2017, 11.30am

LAPADA Headline Lecture by the Ashmolean Museum

The Headline Lecture, presented by the Fair’s Cultural Partner, the Ashmolean Museum, will centre around the museum’s upcoming exhibition, Imagining the Divine: Art and the Rise of World Religions. Presented by the show’s lead curator, Stefanie Lenk, the talk will explore the art of the five world religions as they spread across the continents in the first millennium AD. This fascinating and detailed talk is not one to be missed. Monday 18th September 2017, 10am

Tea Tasting workshop with Newby Teas

Join our own expert tea taster at a very special tasting experience. We've partnered with LAPADA to offer 10 guests an exclusive look at the history and provenance of fine flavour. In this workshop, you'll learn how to recognise a truly fine tea and sample some of our most unique bespoke blends, as well as classics and traditional favourites. Hear about the history of tea and about the decorative arts and culture that continue to influence the Newby brand, making it what it is today. Monday 18th September 2017, 3pm

Undressing Antiques with Mark Hill

Meet antique dealer and broadcaster Mark Hill and discover the world of antiques buying, dealing and design. Undressing Antiques will showcase the ins and outs of how to spot, shop for and incorporate antiques into your home. Mark will discuss the current state of the market, the different ways we can attribute meaning to the word ‘value’ and what the future generation of collectors are now purchasing. This promises to be a very insightful session so don't miss it. Tuesday 19th September 2017, 6.30pm 

A History of Jewellery from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth Taylor

Rounding up 2017’s exciting events programme is writer, broadcaster and independent jewellery consultant, John Benjamin. If you love things that sparkle and shine, this is the talk for you. A History of Jewellery from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth Taylor explores 400 years of international jewellery design and runs through the changing styles, techniques, periods and genres that make up the UK's incredible jewellery heritage. Wednesday 20th September 2017, 11.30am   All the public talks are free of charge and can be booked by emailing [email protected]. www.lapadalondon.com/talks/