Ideas for Alternative Nights Out in London

Tired of the same old nights out that leave you feeling drained and regretful? A recent survey by The Deltic Group has revealed a startling truth...

I mean, the average night out at a bar in London costs £69.64. That could add up to nearly £280 a month if you enjoy weekly outings. The high costs come from drinks, entry fees, and overpriced snacks.

While evenings out might sometimes be fun, they often end with headaches and lighter wallets. What if there was a way to enjoy your nights that is more fulfilling and enriching?

The Financial Reality of a Night Out

So here's where that £69.64 actually goes on a standard night out, and it's a bit grim when you lay it out properly.

Around £40 evaporates on cocktails or pints before you've even really got started.

Another £20 disappears at the door of whatever venue everyone's queuing outside.

And then there's the obligatory £9.64 on nachos that somehow cost the same as a sit-down meal. All in, nearly seventy quid gone, and what's actually there to show for it the next morning besides a headache and a slightly embarrassing bank notification.

Here's the thing though. That same money, spent differently, goes a lot further than people think....

A Night Out That's Actually Worth Talking About

Art Play London does a Bottomless Prosecco Sip and Paint night for £56.

That's less than the average night out, there's unlimited prosecco involved, zero experience needed, and everyone goes home with a painting they actually made themselves. Not a receipt. Not a vague memory of a crowded bar. An actual piece of artwork.

The vibe is relaxed, the prosecco keeps flowing, and the whole point is just to enjoy the process without any pressure to be good at it. It's the kind of night that's genuinely fun in the moment and also gives you something to hang on your wall afterwards, which is more than can be said for most Friday nights out.

Sip & Paint: Bottomless Prosecco Delight

Swap that busy bar for our Bottomless Prosecco Sip & Paint night at Art Play London. For just £52, enjoy unlimited prosecco while you paint. No experience required. It’s a time to relax and let your creativity flow. Plus, instead of another hangover, you'll leave with your very own masterpiece.

A vibrant display of colors for painting creativity

Freeflow Unguided Painting: Explore at Your Own Pace

But what if you're not in the mood for drinking? No problem...

You can do Freeflow Unguided Painting sessions start from just £12. You select a ceramic pot or canvas and spend as long as you like creating something meaningful. It’s an enjoyable, mindful journey that enhances your well-being and is even more budget-friendly than a standard night out.

A creative space filled with art supplies ready for exploration

What is the Value of a Creative Night Out?

There's something good that happens when people get creative together. It's not just fun in the moment, though it absolutely is that. Painting and other creative activities have been shown to lower stress and build confidence in ways that a crowded bar just doesn't. Every finished piece is proof of something, a reminder that the ability to make something was there all along even if it didn't feel like it walking in. That's worth quite a lot more than a cocktail that's gone in four sips.

There's also something to be said for the conversations that happen around a creative activity. The laughter, the "mine looks nothing like yours", the shared experience of being a beginner at something together. Those are the stories people actually retell. Not "remember that bar we went to."

Come and See What Art Play London Is About

Art Play London runs two sessions that are worth knowing about. The Bottomless Prosecco Sip and Paint is exactly what it sounds like: unlimited prosecco, a guided painting session, a relaxed atmosphere, and a finished artwork to take home at the end of it. The Freeflow Unguided Painting session is for anyone who wants to just show up, pick up a brush, and see what happens with no brief and no pressure.

Both are affordable. Both are genuinely good fun. And both leave people with something to show for the evening, which is more than can be said for most nights out in this city.

London has enough bars. Come and make something instead.

What to Expect at Art Play London

Walking into Art Play, the first thing that hits is how different the atmosphere feels from what most people expect. It's not a stuffy art class. It's not intimidating. There are no easels lined up in silence with everyone nervously glancing at each other's work. It's bright, relaxed, and genuinely welcoming in a way that makes even the most self-declared "I can't draw a straight line" person feel immediately at ease.

For the Sip and Paint sessions, everything is set up and ready on arrival. Paints, brushes, canvas, prosecco. A proper artist guides the group through the painting step by step, which means nobody gets lost or left behind, but there's also plenty of room to go off-script and make it personal. The pace is relaxed, the music is good, and by the end of the session the room is full of people genuinely surprised by what they managed to create.

For Freeflow Unguided Painting, it's even more open. Pick a ceramic pot or a canvas, pick some colours, and just see what happens. No brief, no instructions, no pressure. It's the kind of creative freedom most people haven't had since primary school and it turns out it feels just as good as it did back then.

Art Play suits pretty much everyone: first dates, groups of friends, colleagues who've already done every escape room in London, solo visitors who just fancy doing something different on a weekday evening. The age range is wide, the vibe is inclusive, and nobody leaves wishing they'd just gone to a bar instead.

Why Creative Socialising Is Having a Moment

There's a broader shift happening in how people want to spend their evenings, and it's been building for a while. The idea that a good night out has to mean loud music, overpriced drinks, and a queue to get in is losing its grip, particularly among people in their twenties and thirties who've done that circuit enough times to know what the morning after looks like.

Creative socialising, which covers everything from pottery evenings to life drawing classes to paint and sip nights, has been growing steadily because it delivers something a standard bar night rarely does: a genuine shared experience with something to show for it at the end. People aren't just looking for entertainment anymore. They want connection, they want to learn something, and increasingly they want a hobby that also functions as a social life. Art Play sits right at the centre of all of that.

Join us today for a truly memorable artistic experience!

A vibrant artwork reflects creativity and personal expression

Explore, create and enjoy a night out that fills your heart and your walls with beauty!

Explore our Workshops

FAQs

Do I need any artistic experience to attend?

Absolutely not. The sessions are specifically designed for people who've never picked up a paintbrush since school, and the artists leading them are brilliant at making everyone feel capable from the first five minutes.

How many people can attend?

Art Play handles both small groups and larger private bookings, making it a solid option for anything from a date night to a full team outing.

Is the prosecco actually bottomless?

Yes, genuinely bottomless for the duration of the Sip and Paint session.

Can the sessions be booked privately?

Yes. Private bookings are available for groups who want the whole space to themselves, which is a popular option for birthdays, hen parties, and corporate events.

Where is Art Play located?

There are two London locations: Shoreditch and Chelsea. Both are easy to get to and the kind of neighbourhoods worth making an evening of.