This morning, the Royal Academy of Arts announced its exhibition programme for 2013. With such a remarkable year behind it, including the blockbuster David Hockney exhibition, expectations for the coming year’s exhibitions are high. So what can art lovers look forward to?

The 2013 programme will be a world tour of art, with exhibitions by artists from Japan, France, USA, Mexico  and Australia, as well as the UK. Upcoming exhibitions include:

• Constable, Gainsborough, Turner and the Making of Landscape: Explore the development of British landscape painting through work by three of the greatest British landscape painters. 8 Dec-17 Feb
• Mariko Mori: Rebirth: A solo exhibition of work by New York-based Japanese artist Mariko Mori, showing sequential work centred on the death and birth of a star. Includes photography, sound work, sculpture and immersive installations.13 Dec-17 Feb
• Manet: Portraying Life: A major exhibition of Edouard Manet’s portraiture, examining the relationship between his portrait painting and themes of modern life. 26 Jan-14 Apr
• George Bellows (1882-1925): The first ever retrospective of American realist painter George Bellows. Although not well known in the UK, at the time of his death he was considered to be one of the greatest American artists. 16 Mar- 9 Jun
• Mexico: A Revolution in Art, 1910-1940: An exhibition examining the intense 30 year period of artist creativity that took place in Mexico at the beginning of the 20th Century. 6 Jul-29 Sep
• Australia: A survey covering 200 years of Australian art, including more than 180 paintings, prints, drawings, watercolours, photographs and multimedia works. 21 Sep- 8 Dec

Find out more about the exhibitions

One of the smallest nations competing in London 2012, The Cook Islands in the South Pacific is named after British Royal Navy Captain and East London resident James Cook.

Originally settled in the 13th century by migrants from what is now French Polynesia and Samoa, the islands were surveyed and charted by Captain Cook in 1773 and 1777.

As well as The Cook Islands (known as the Hervey Islands until the 1820s), James Cook also charted New Zealand, Hawaii and the eastern coast of Australia.

Cook’s ship The Resolution encountered The Cook Islands archipelago in 1773 while searching for the mysterious “Terra Australis”. On his return to London, Cook was promoted to the rank of captain and offered honorary retirement from the Royal Navy as an officer in the Greenwich Hospital, sited at the Old Royal Naval College.

However, he returned to The Resolution on his third and final voyage and revisited The Cook Islands in 1777. He was murdered two years later in The Sandwich Islands, now Hawaii.

Cook has a firm place in the history of many Pacific nations, and his navigational skill and legendary voyages are marked in museums and statues across the region.

In addition to The Cook Islands, his name has been given to places in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Kiribati and most recently a crater on the moon.

In London, artefacts from Cook’s voyages can be found at the Royal Museums Greenwich, including a replica of the famous H4 Marine Chronometer and there’s a statue of Cook in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum.

You can also see blue commorative plaques at Cook’s former London homes at Shadwell (340 Highway marks the site of Cook’s house at 126 Upper Shadwell) and Mile End (89 Mile End Road marks the site of Cook’s house at 7 Assembly Row).

Do you know of any other London connections with The Cook Islands? Let us know using the comments section below.

Having just bought tickets for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, I was keen to find out more about the athletes involved.

Here Australian Paralympic Athletics champion Evan O’Hanlon discusses how he got into sport and how he’s preparing for the 2012 Games. 

I hope to see him break some records in September!

Book tickets for the Paralympic Games on the London 2012 website

Last week I unleashed my inner Aussie Drag Queen to watch Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical in the West End.

The show was pretty much everything I’d hoped it would be – great story, fabulous costumes, amazing props and an insanely catchy soundtrack.

For those not familiar with the tale, the story follows three of Sydney’s prime “gender illusionists” (drag queens) as they take their show on the road to the red centre of Australia – Alice Springs. Priscilla is the pink bus they travel in, and she’s a formidable stage presence, complete with a giant high-heel shoe on her roof.

On the way, the three main characters: Tick (aka Mitzi Mitosis), Adam (Felicia) and Bernadette confront the prejudices of outback Australia, while donning some awesome costumes and performing some real showstoppers. They sing themselves, and are also assisted by three big-haired chanteuses who belt out disco tunes with the best of them.

This is a pacy, feelgood show, infused with the spirit of the Aussie desert -harsh and tough but at the same time beautiful and beguiling. The same can be said of the characters, whose journey through the outback also leads to  discoveries of inner strength. Plus they learn the importance of friendship, a good mechanic (a solid gold cameo from Ray Meagher – Home & Away’s Alf Stewart) and a Kylie soundrack.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is currently booking until 28 May in London. Buy Priscilla tickets here.

When someone says “Australians in London” to me, it tends to conjure images of backpackers in their early 20s who enjoy nothing more than drinking beers at the Walkabout, listening to pub rock at The Church and dossing on their mate’s couches.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I’m not that way and nor are a lot of other Australians I know who live here.

I arrived in London during the freezing fog of Christmas 2006. I’d always wanted to live overseas and this was my second – thankfully successful – attempt to establish myself here. Like most of the people quoted below, for me London turned out to be more complex and challenging but also more exciting and rewarding than I ever could have expected. I really love it here now and feel incredibly lucky to live in London.

I asked around to see what drew some of my fellow countrypeople to London. Here’s what they said:

For many visitors travelling from Australia, London provides a fantastic base from which to explore Europe. Like many, I came for this reason, but found myself falling in love with the city itself. Constantly changing and always exciting, I find myself increasingly addicted to London’s lifestyle. While my European travels have slowed down, my love affair with London continues, and six years later I feel lucky to call it my home.
Rebecca, PR Manager, Uxbridge (ex-Sydney)

I moved to London since it’s an exciting city and, cause of cheap airlines, a great hub for the rest of Europe. I stay because the things I want to do seem easier to do here and more things happen all the time. Also the fried chicken. <– not really.
Jan, Graphic Novellist, Holloway (ex-Melbourne)

I moved to London because I was bored stiff of living somewhere where I’d not met anyone new in years and years, that never got any big bands or interesting theatre, and that was too damned hot (Perth). I’ve been here 10 years now and I love London for the culture, the huge number of things that are happening every evening, every weekend.  The variety of restaurants and bars.  But most of all, the sense that anything can happen, the possibilities, the buzz.
Julia, Web Developer, Walthamstow (ex-Perth)

I came to have a change from Sydney, to get some overseas experience and to travel Europe as much as I can. I stayed for the weather.
Ari, IT Contractor, Kentish Town (ex-Sydney)

I moved to London in 2002 in search of brighter horizons and new experiences. My choice to leave Australia was a good one; I fell in love, not only with the close proximity of the world, but also with a beautiful English boy with gentle ways. Not to mention a beautiful city where each season greets you in turn with typically English ways — Pimm’s and bikinis in the park at the merest hint of sun in summer; turning, falling leaves of magnificent plane trees in the autumn; if you’re very lucky, snow and work-free days in the winter; and daffodils and tulips in the spring.
Robyn, Office Manager, Earslfield (Ex-Brisbane)

I didn’t give much thought to why when I decided to pack up and go – it was simply a new frontier, and something to do that could offer a great launch pad for more travel. Since I’ve been here I have realised that London offers so much opportunity, from work to entertainment and everything else that is on the cards with a big city full of a vibrant mix of people. Having been here for 3-and-a-half years, I still have no plans to return.
Penny, Journalist, Dalston (ex-Sydney/Brisbane)

There are so many people in London, and that means that there is a wide range of art, music, architecture, sport, dining, hobbies and activities… It gives London an exciting urgency and cultural awareness that no other city in the world can match.
John, Project Manager, Holloway Road, (ex-Hobart)

Moved to London for work, didn’t want to come. Felt at home from day one. I love how there is always something new to discover or a new place to visit in London; unfamiliar parts of London make you think you’re in a completely different city. And the English’s amazing appreciation of good weather.
Georgie, Banker, Islington, (ex-Sydney)

I moved to London by accident. Leaving Sydney four years ago in search of adventure, the last thing I thought I wanted was to end up in London, which seemed the safe and drab option. I’ve surprised myself by the extent to which I’ve fallen for this city – I’ve even bought a house here! All of life is here, as they say, and I’m proud to be part of it.
Iain, Editor, Tottenham (ex-Perth/Sydney)

Are you an Australian in London? Tell us about it!

Last night, The O2 hosted a stunning, closely fought netball match between England and Australia.

The 10,000-strong crowd hollered and cheered on the two teams, and England spent much of the game in the lead. Every point was greeted with whoops and cheers from the fans; many were young girls with faces painted in St George’s crosses, fancy dress or matching outfits on. (Which made a really refreshing change from the usual crowd at sports matches!)

Netball is a really quick game to watch; both teams showed incredible changes of pace and skill throughout the court. It was amazing to see the physical body barging and (near!) fighting that goes on between players: netball at this level really is a contact sport!

At half time (or after two quarters, as Netball goes), England were leading 23-17. Strong in defence, their shooters were also playing really well, and racking up the points. In the 3rd quarter, England started to make little mistakes, but still maintained the lead at 35-29.

A change of goal keeper for Australia in the last quarter sadly changed the tone of the match. Laura Geitz’s skills at keeping the England shooters away from the ball really proved pivotal to the end result. Suddenly, the scores were level at 39-39. With five minutes left, the Australian fans in the crowd (so shy before!) started to make themselves heard. Australia took the lead, and then pulled away as England continued to make tiny, significant mistakes. The final score was a nail-biting 43-45.

Speaking afterwards, Sue Hawkins, England’s Head Coach said it was a missed opportunity. “When we were nine goals up, we should have built from that margin,” she said. “Our error count went up and especially when it got tight in that last five minutes. So when the pressure goes on we need to practice like that.”

Karen Atkinson, England’s co-captain was gutted. “[It was] incredibly disappointing because I think this is the first time that the whole squad have really believed that we can take Australia.”

I asked her what it felt to play at The O2, one of London’s Olympic venues. “The crowd was awesome. But it was really disappointing not to be able to carry that through.”

Despite the team’s obvious disappointment, I really enjoyed watching the match at The O2. It’s a great venue for watching sport; hopefully lots of the school kids there agreed and will continue to do so for many years to come!

Read our interview with Sonia Mkoloma, England’s other co-captain