On again for summer right now is The Serpentine Gallery’s epic Park Nights series, comprising a bunch of killer artist-led events in Hyde Park until mid October. In partnership with COS for a third year in a row, the program heralds fresh talent in the art world spanning from paint, architecture, music, film, poetry, performance and dance.

The selection criteria is all about self-enhancement and creative engagement. Imaginative thought and artistic exploration can be rarely sought in mainstream culture, replaced, instead, with mind-numbing gossip-culture and reality-TV stars – the Serpentine’s Park Nights acts more as a refreshing arts initiative than just a collective display, encouraging perceptive thought and self-awareness to inhibit said entrenched cultural habits. Plus, art goodness in the great outdoors – it doesn’t get much better than that.

“We tend to choose other emerging artists, writers, and musicians who we think are making interesting work and who could come up with an exciting and urgent live work for the space” – Hans-Ulrich Obrist and Julia Peyton-Jones, co-directors, Serpentine Galleries

With a neat slew of events happening in the coming weeks we decided to round up a digestible hit list of what to catch this year. Check it out and get on down.

Every year, Serpentine Gallery selects one prolific artist or artist collective to craft Park Nights space in Hyde Park. This year, they looked to architect duo Selgas Cano.

José Selgas and Lucía Cano specialise in part-submerged buildings, a subversive – and distinctive – architectural technique amalgamating a structure’s surrounding environment. Undeniably modern. Inexpensive, too, with previous designs using off-the-shelf materials like plastic sheeting and corrugated aluminium. All about clean design, no gimmicks here. The pavilion’s resulting atmosphere enhances visitors’ imaginative juices and produces a completely compelling, creative cocoon.

“Part of the brief for the architects is to think long-term how the pavilion will be dismantled and continue its life elsewhere,” says Karin Gustaffsson, head of COS’ design team. “I like the excitement of the different expressions of the pavilions and how they give the public a chance to experience contemporary architecture.”

Up first (tonight) is ‘Blue Roses’ by artist Marianna Simnett. Simnett explorative performance will focus on the human condition, with notions of sexuality, innocence, corruption and bodily integrity. Her recent film, The Udder, Blood and Blue Roses, will be clipped into bursts of footage aimed to accompany this dissection of said themes. Get down quick, this is a visceral performance not to miss.

‘Blue Roses’ by Marianna Simnett takes place 21st August, 8pm. Check website for details

Artist Jesse Darling will be presenting a version of Antigone, the tragic, Grecian play circling the tumultuous relationship between Antigone, Polynices, Oedipus and Jacosta. The performance will be immersive and symbolic, drawing themes like remembrance and empire from the story in aim of invoking conscious thought about purpose and behaviour.

‘Antigone’ by Jesse Darling takes place 11th September, 8pm

The next event is titled ‘Discourse’ – and you can expect exactly that. This lecture-reading conducted by Christodoulos Panayiotou will explore the nature of hierarchical death, and its various meanings from literal and symbolic perspectives; as well as addressing the concept of irony through mediums of moving image and choreography performed by Jean Capeille.

‘Dying on Stage’ by Christodoulos Panayiotou takes place 18th September, 8pm

For the second last night in this year’s line up, Serpentine enlists legendary composer Christian Wolff to tackle the subject Sound and Performance. Wolff joins forces with Apartment House – a group aimed at experimenting with music, both recorded and live – to perform pieces without constraint and all about the avant-garde. Music heads, this is a special event that will challenge your ears in all the right ways.

Christian Wolff and Apartment House perform at Park Nights 25th September, 8pm

Mette Ingvartsen is a Danish choreographer whose practice encompasses various forms of performance and its prior stages (researching, writing and performing). ‘Speculations’ addressees artificial nature and the autonomy of objects, energising spectator’s imagination and speculative thought.

‘Spectulations’ by Mette Ingvartsen takes place 16th October, 8pm

The Serpentine Gallery Park Nights Series runs until 16th October. Details of dates, times and performers can be found at the website