Jane Austen and beyond – a year of celebration

It is that time of the year when we all gaze out of the window, take note of the gloomy grey skies, and start pondering our next escape to brighter horizons. But what of a sojourn on domestic shores? Britain will be a bubble of celebrations, anniversaries and events in the next 12 months. And if you are thinking of staying at home next time you go away, the following options may prove enticing.

Join the culture club in Yorkshire

With not a whiff of disrespect intended, it is not often that Hull has the chance to stand on the podium and declare itself to be the focus of all things artistic in Britain. But 2017 is the year that the dot on the map officially known as Kingston upon Hull strides into the spotlight as the UK City of Culture. If this title has a ring of unfamiliarity about it, this is because it is relatively new – it only comes around every four years, and has been bestowed just once before (on Derry-Londonderry in 2013). None the less, the next 12 months in Hull promise a feast of exciting endeavours. Exhibitions will include The Transglobal Art of Mark Wigan (April 6-23 at the Museum of Club Culture) – a celebration of the work of a graphic artist who studied in the city. Events will include Digital Dystopias (February 10-14, Middleton Hall) – a “cyber film festival” which will dissect what it means to be human in the modern age. See hull2017.co.uk.

Find your inner Darcy inHampshire

There is always something slightly odd about “celebrating” the anniversary of someone’s death, but 2017 makes it an exact two centuries since Jane Austen departed for the great library in the sky (on July 18 1817) – and her romantic genius will be remembered again with a year of events in her native county. Jane Austen 200 ( janeausten200.co. uk) will be a Hampshire-wide flurry of exhibitions, talks and performances. The Mysterious Miss Austen (May 13July 24 at Winchester Discovery Centre) will look at the author’s life via an array of first editions, items from her wardrobe, personal letters and portraits. Winchester Cathedral (winchestercathedral.org.uk), where she is buried, will be running regular Austen-themed guided tours of the church. And Jane Austen’s House Museum ( janeaustens-house-museum.org.uk), in the village of Chawton – where she lived and worked for her final eight years – will be a focal point, its red-brick facades still redolent of the early 19th century.

Shake an leg in London or Edinburgh…

Some anniversaries are more obscure than others. And John Weaver would surely never have guessed that his actions on March 2 1717 would have any later significance. But it was on that day that this dancer and choreographer staged what is now deemed to have been the first ballet performance in Britain – a rendition of The Loves of Mars and Venus. The cradle in question was London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane – an institution that ranks as the oldest British theatre still in continuous use. While this capital-city landmark will not be tipping its hat to this rather under-the-radar tricentennial, there are plenty of other places where you can glimpse this most elevated art form. The English National Ballet (ballet.org.uk) pirouettes across 10 different UK venues, and will be putting on versions of Romeo And Juliet and TheNutcracker this year. The Scottish Ballet (scottishballet. co.uk) will provide an all-dancing take on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel later this year.

… and linger in the Scottish capital for the best of the fests

Edinburgh’s festival season (edinburghfestivalcity.com) turns 70 this year. This noble birthday will bestow an extra glitter onto the big guns – the Fringe Festival (August 4-28; edfringe.com) and the International Film Festival (June 21-July 2; edfilmfest.org. uk) – and bring a little extra profile to “lesser lights” like the International Science Festival (April 1-16; sciencefestival. co.uk) and the International

Chris Leadbeater reveals why now is the perfect time to plan a holiday on home turf

‘The Nutcracker’ will be performed by the English National Ballet, above, around Britain; and an exhibit from the Museum of Club Culture in Hull, below