It's a vital week for Londoners with the Mayoral and local elections taking place. It's also a once in a generation year with the EU referendum this June. How do the arts and culture fit in to all this?

Our Guest Editor this week is Mark Ball, Artistic Director of the London International Festival of Theatre. It launches on 1 June and runs for a month at various locations across the capital. The festival strapline reads: 'Performance. Politics. Pop culture.' But there's a theme that holds it all together: empathy.

In his interview with Run Riot he talks about changing communities, the EU, his festival highlights (from Japanese pop infused theatre; to a Falklands war tale; and a wonderful queer preacher who creates a narrative between music and the really important social movements in the US) and what makes LIFT a love letter to London.

In our Magazine section you'll see our friends at You, Me Bum Bum Train are taking down their epic theatre set in the west end, packing it up and getting ready to transport it to Calais where it'll be used to build shelters. If you're available to volunteer this week - please do get in touch. There are also jobs going at The Culture Diary (via the Mayors office) and the Donmar Warehouse.

For competitions - browse our Offers page. As for the Best of the rest - rummage through our genre-bending pages where you'll find plenty of haut happenings!

Here's to wishing you week of adventures, empathy - and making the most of your vote on 5 May! Bottoms up! RRxx