The 17 best cultural events in Europe this summer

If only Vinted existed in the 1700s it could have meant a more tasteful end for the extravagant monarch nicknamed Madame Deficit. The UK’s first exhibition on Marie Antoinette’s fashion legacy posits glorious couture pieces against a broader question: was she a wild spender or simply a (stylish) victim of female vilification? From 20 September.

The largest ever exhibition from the Bradford-born artist, who turns 88 in July, displays more than 400 works – including A Bigger Splash, the pool scene popularised in many an art print, favourites borrowed from private collections, iPad drawings created during the pandemic and colourful self-portraits painted as recently as last year. Until 31 August.

The newest name in Venice’s buoyant cultural scene occupies a 16-gallery space inside the renovated 16th-century Procuratie Vecchie on St Mark’s Square. With the Architecture Biennale running through November, opening exhibitions are on brand: modern architect Harry Seidler and Korean landscape artist Jung Youngsun. Until 13 July. 

A busy summer in the German capital sees Yoko Ono’s solo show at Gropius Bau until the end of August, while Zasha Colah helms an all-female-curated edition of the contemporary arts biennale. Its theme is fugitivity, transience and urban life inspired, curiously, by the city’s foxes. Until 14 September.

A 50/50 gender-split line-up, merch made from second-hand clothing and a climate conference are the star eco acts at southwest Sweden’s sustainability-focused music fest. Charli XCX, Chappell Roan and Iggy Pop headline, before the festival disbands into smaller club venues around the city. 7-9 August.

A 20-minute train hop from Lyon, the Roman city of Vienne hosts (mostly free) evening jazz across four stages, including the acoustically blessed first-century théâtre antique. This year’s line-up brings Jamie Cullum, Avishai Cohen, Parov Stelar and Dianne Reeves. Until 11 July.

Part fashion show, part think piece, this exhibition digs into the correlation between what you wear and where you live – via the lens that, historically, women were often confined at home. There are contributions from Viktor & Rolf and Raf Simons, a recreation of Martin Margiela’s office, plus personal snaps from the houses of Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld. Until 3 August.

Ever since Bob Dylan strummed in the main square of this picturesque Tuscan city in 1988, it has lured musical greats that defy its diminutive 90,000-inhabitant stature. Within the mediaeval walls of Piazza Napoleone, catch Jennifer Lopez’s only Italian tour date, plus Pet Shop Boys, Nick Cave, Alanis Morissette and Bryan Adams. Until 27 July.

Unesco’s first City of Literature also hosts the world’s largest literary festival, where 800+ authors host readings and workshops. High-profile speakers include Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and fan-girlable writers Maggie O’Farrell, Ian McEwan, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and RF Kuang. 9-24 August.