This weekend’s highlights include MoMa’s PS1 Warm Up concert series, a new Taiwanese abstract art exhibition in Taipei and the latest by album by Dirty Projectors.

1. PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL: ARLES

—Les Rencontres d’Arles

Every year, since summer 1970, this celebrated festival brings together the best of international photography. Spread across heritage sites in the city of Arles in the south of France, it is a meeting point for leading artists, prominent collectors and deep-down photography enthusiasts. Apart from over 60 galleries of exhibitions, the opening week will feature evening screenings, discussions, book signings and one-of-a-kind workshops.

From 2 July until 23 September (opening week: 2 July to 8 July). Open daily from 10.00-20.00 at over 20 different sites
rencontres-arles.com

2. MUSIC: NEW YORK

—MoMa PS1 Warm Up

With temperatures in New York climbing through the roof just now, it seems somehow appropriate that we recommend the MoMA PS1 concert series aptly titled Warm Up. Now in it’s 15th year, the annual summer series opens this weekend at MoMA PS1 museum in Long Island City with a live performance by veteran house producer Todd Terry. Warm Up, which runs each Saturday until 8 September, features a wide range of experimental musicians, performers and DJs. Held in the museum’s open-air courtyard, it also features a temporary urban landscape from New York architects HWKN and catering from the celebrated restaurateurs behind M Wells.

22-25 Jackson Avenue at 46th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. Until 8 September
momaps1.org/warmup

3. EXHIBITION: TAIPEI

—Formless Form: Taiwanese Abstract Art

The Taipei Fine Arts Museum is the preeminent centre for contemporary art in the Taiwanese capital. The weekend the museum launches its latest abstract art exhibition, Formless Form. Celebrating Taiwanese masters such as Lee Chun-shan and Liu Sheng-rong who have made works from the 1960s up until today. It traces Taiwan’s take on emotive and also rational abstract art and sculptures.

181, ZhongShan N Road, Sec 3. Open Tuesday to Sunday 9.30−17.30; Saturday 9.30−20.30; Closed on Monday. Until 2 September 2012
tfam.museum

4. CRAFT: TOKYO

—Circle Factory: The Works of George Peterson

If in Tokyo this weekend, stop by Landscape Products’ Playmountain shop in Shibuya to check out Californian woodwork artist George Peterson’s first exhibition in Japan. A variety of Peterson’s wood pieces are on display including some of his bespoke bowls and stools, plus a sample of the latest Lingo series of carved and painted skateboards. The exhibit is named after the self-taught artist’s atelier Circle Factory in north Carolina.

Sendagaya 3-52-5, Shibuya-ku. Open 12.00-20.00. Until 09 July
landscape-products.net/PM_index.html

5. MUSIC: GLOBAL

—Dirty Projectors: Swing Lo Magellan

This New York collective built around songsmith David Longstreth have had a healthy disrespect for genre since coming together around the mid-2000s. Longstreth’s playful conceptual angles run from straight-up heartfelt pop to making an album of Black Flag covers from memory, having not heard the source material in 15 years. Whereas in the past those creative cul-de-sacs may have led to enjoyable dead ends, there’s a real sense that Swing Lo Magellan’s embracing of a more accessible sound will open up a few new doors for Dirty Projectors. But let’s hope the world isn’t ever quite ready for Longstreth’s next move.

Dirty Projectors’ Swing Lo Magellan is released on Monday
dirtyprojectors.net