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The Royal Festival Hall is closed to the public on Tuesday 16 June. It will reopen for Harry Styles & Jules Buckley Orchestra ticket holders only at 5pm.

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On now & coming up

More info for Harry Styles’ Meltdown
Harry Styles leans back in a chair, wearing a navy blue suit jacket, white shirt, brown silk tie and yellow shorts.

Harry Styles’ Meltdown

Thu 11 – Sun 21 Jun 2026
The culture-defining artist curates the 31st edition of Meltdown
More info for Anish Kapoor
Large red texture sculpture hanging down from the ceiling to the floor in a space with stone floors and pillars
Art & exhibitions

Anish Kapoor

Venture into a world of mystery through the artist’s awe-inspiring works at our major exhibition
Hayward Gallery
More info for London Parks: An Exhibition
A diverse group of twelve people pose playfully on and underneath a bright yellow external concrete staircase outdoors.
Art & exhibitions

London Parks: An Exhibition

See London’s green spaces anew in a photo exhibition created by young refugees and asylum seekers
Riverside Terrace
Tickets Free
More info for Quentin Blake: The Southbank Parade
A trio of illustrations by Quentin Blake depicting members of an orchestra; a woman in a long dress playing a violin, a person in a wheelchair plating the cymbals and a man in tails playing the flute
Art & exhibitions

Quentin Blake: The Southbank Parade

The much-loved illustrator and author celebrates the 1951 Festival of Britain for this installation
Site wide
Tickets Free
More info for Kulpreet Singh: Indelible Black Marks
From above, people in white run through a dry field trailing long white banners that are being consumed by fire.
Art & exhibitions

Kulpreet Singh: Indelible Black Marks

A meditation on the urgent link between climate change and agricultural crises
Hayward Gallery
Tickets Free

Recently announced

More info for Beginnings of Pan with Impact Steel Band
A young boy in a bright orange t-shirt focuses intently while playing a shiny chrome steel drum with two mallets.
Courses & workshops

Beginnings of Pan with Impact Steel Band

Major fun awaits! Learn simple scales, play your first song on pan and fill our terrace with music
Riverside Terrace
Tickets Free
More info for The Social Infrastructure of Steel
A woman in a memorial t-shirt sits with a young girl holding a Trinidad and Tobago flag, watching an indoor stage performance.
Literature & poetry

The Social Infrastructure of Steel

Examine how steel pan functions in our society at this panel discussion
Purcell Room
More info for Hot Hot Hot with New Generation
A musician playing a chrome steelpan on an outdoor stage decorated with Caribbean flags and a
Gigs

Hot Hot Hot with New Generation

Capture the groove of legendary tune ‘The Merrymen’ at a hands-on steel pan workshop
Riverside Terrace
Tickets Free
More info for Rhythm of History Exhibition
An archival display shelf featuring historical black and white photographs, concrete cylinders, and architectural signs.
Art & exhibitions

Rhythm of History Exhibition

Cast your eyes (and ears) back at an interactive exhibition about the steel pan’s incredible journey
Royal Festival Hall
Tickets Free
More info for Rhythms of Reggae with UFO Steelband
Close-up eye-level view of shiny steelpan drums on stands arranged across a stage in a modern, multi-story hall.
Courses & workshops

Rhythms of Reggae with UFO Steelband

Master the infectious skank and melodic drive of the all-time classic ‘Monkey Man’ on steel pan
The Clore Ballroom
Tickets Free
More info for Calypso Grooves with RASPO
Members of the RASPO steel orchestra perform outdoors in matching red shirts, playing chrome steelpans on a sunny day.
Courses & workshops

Calypso Grooves with RASPO

Pick up your sticks and learn to play like the pros with Reading All Steel Percussion Orchestra.
The Clore Ballroom
Tickets Free
More info for futuretense x South Asian Sounds: FIZA
A black and white profile portrait of a woman with curly hair looking left, framed by blurred leaves and wearing a checkered top.
Gigs

futuretense x South Asian Sounds: FIZA

Singer-songwriter FIZA’s irresistible harmonies light up this edition of our free gig series
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Tickets Free
More info for Defining the Modern Pannist
Close-up of a silver steelpan drum with hand-written musical notes and two wooden mallets resting inside.
Talks & debates

Defining the Modern Pannist

Join a vital talk on the education of steel pan and carving better paths to professional careers
Purcell Room

Festivals & series

View all festivals & series
More info for Harry Styles’ Meltdown
Harry Styles leans back in a chair, wearing a navy blue suit jacket, white shirt, brown silk tie and yellow shorts.

Harry Styles’ Meltdown

Thu 11 – Sun 21 Jun 2026
The culture-defining artist curates the 31st edition of Meltdown
More info for Classical Music
Pink, purple and yellow spirographs

Classical Music

Spring/Summer 2026
This is classical music in the 21st century
More info for Summer Time
A yellow sun with pink and orange zig zag rays

Summer Time

Until Mon 31 Aug
Dive in for art, performance, music, free events and outdoor fun this summer
More info for Riverside Sessions
A dense crowd dances at an outdoor Riverside Terrace Bar under a canopy of colorful hexagonal decorations.

Riverside Sessions

Thu 11 Jun – Mon 21 Sep 2026
Join our celebration of music, youth and summer joy, curated by young people for everyone.
More info for Performance & Dance
A dancer in a dark, dusty outfit is captured mid-air during a dynamic leap or fall on a stage, with a massive, textured black mound or cave-like structure dominating the background.

Performance & Dance

Spring/Summer 2026
Spotlighting cutting-edge new work from around the world
More info for Refugee Week
British-American woman wearing an orange top and a big blue ring

Refugee Week

Thu 25 – Sun 28 Jun 2026
Music, talks, film and public programming centred on this year's theme of 'courage'
More info for South Asian Sounds
A man with a mustache and beard in a yellow button-up stands clapping behind light-streak overlay reflections.

South Asian Sounds

Wed 1 – Sun 5 Jul 2026
Celebrating contemporary and classical music from India and Pakistan
More info for Poetry International Festival
Abstract digital art featuring overlapping, semi-transparent rectangles in red, green, blue, and orange on a purple background.

Poetry International Festival

Fri 10 – Sun 12 Jul 2026
Poetry International Festival is taking poetry off the page this summer

Free events

View all free events
More info for London Parks: An Exhibition
A diverse group of twelve people pose playfully on and underneath a bright yellow external concrete staircase outdoors.
Art & exhibitions

London Parks: An Exhibition

See London’s green spaces anew in a photo exhibition created by young refugees and asylum seekers
Riverside Terrace
Tickets Free
More info for Quentin Blake: The Southbank Parade
A trio of illustrations by Quentin Blake depicting members of an orchestra; a woman in a long dress playing a violin, a person in a wheelchair plating the cymbals and a man in tails playing the flute
Art & exhibitions

Quentin Blake: The Southbank Parade

The much-loved illustrator and author celebrates the 1951 Festival of Britain for this installation
Site wide
Tickets Free
More info for Luke Jerram: Stepping Out
A young boy jumps across large colorful dots painted on the ground at London\'s Southbank Centre on a sunny day.
Art & exhibitions

Luke Jerram: Stepping Out

Your feet make the music in an interactive installation by artist Luke Jerram and composer Dan Jones
Riverside Terrace
Tickets Free
More info for TONIC FLOW: A Communal Chorus in Colour and Sound
Two women jump in the air in front of a brightly colored, geometric mural on an outdoor basketball court.
Art & exhibitions

TONIC FLOW: A Communal Chorus in Colour and Sound

Imagine a future overflowing with hope through a collaborative sound and visual installation
Royal Festival Hall
Tickets Free
More info for Kulpreet Singh: Indelible Black Marks
From above, people in white run through a dry field trailing long white banners that are being consumed by fire.
Art & exhibitions

Kulpreet Singh: Indelible Black Marks

A meditation on the urgent link between climate change and agricultural crises
Hayward Gallery
Tickets Free
More info for Skate 50
A skater skates near the Undercroft Skate Space
Art & exhibitions

Skate 50

Our exhibition uncovers the story of London’s original skate space through imagery, audio and film
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Tickets Free
More info for Amex Unsigned
A blonde woman plays an acoustic guitar on stage, facing a massive outdoor festival crowd under a canopy of green trees.
Gigs

Amex Unsigned

A selection of emerging artists from the Amex Unsigned programme perform on our outdoor stage
Riverside Terrace
Tickets Free
More info for Members' Private View: Anish Kapoor
Photograph of man looking into hole in the floor, artwork title 'Descent into Limbo' by Anish Kapoor, 1992-2016
Art & exhibitions

Members' Private View: Anish Kapoor

Step into Anish Kapoor’s artistic world at a Members’ Private View at the Hayward Gallery
Hayward Gallery
Tickets Free

While you’re with us

Jeppe Hein: Appearing Rooms
People enjoying the Jeppe Hein Fountain at the Southbank Centre

Jeppe Hein: Appearing Rooms

A summer favourite returns to our site on Wednesday 17 June.

Shopping
Wooden displays in the Southbank centre shop, featuring books, plushies, and colourful merchandise

Shopping

A vibrant range of inspiring books, homeware, prints, accessories and more.

Klaus Weber: Thinking Fountains
Two statues; a green human body with water spouting from its neck and another of human legs with water pouring down from above displayed outdoors

Thinking
Fountains

Water cascades and spouts over Klaus Weber’s bronze figures.

Modified Social Benches
Two children eating ice cream on a red cirrcular bench

Modified Social Benches

Benches that challenge the space and distance we place between one another.

William Pye's Zemran
A photograph showing Riverside Terrace at Southbank Centre, with the metal sculpture Zemran in the foreground, next to Queen Elizabeth Hall

William Pye's Zemran

Pye’s beautiful stainless steel sculpture sits overlooking the Thames.

Natura Nostra Forest
Bright sunlight bursts through green leaves with a lens flare, set against a blue sky and a textured concrete building.

Natura Nostra Forest

Our growing pocket forest creating a natural oasis.

On tour

More info for Georgia O’Keeffe: Memories of Drawings
A black and white abstract drawing featuring organic, swirling shapes resembling twisted horns or shells.
Art & exhibitions

Georgia O’Keeffe: Memories of Drawings

An exhibition of exquisite photogravure prints from one of the 20th-century’s most important artists
Beverley, Birkenhead
More info for Matisse: Drawing with Scissors
Blue cut out artwork of a female figure
Art & exhibitions

Matisse: Drawing with Scissors

Matisse: Drawing with Scissors, features 35 lithographic prints of the famous cut-outs
Stockton-on-Tees
More info for Eduardo Paolozzi: General Dynamic F.U.N
Sex Crime Wave Rolling High Screenprint by Eduardo Paolozzi
Art & exhibitions

Eduardo Paolozzi: General Dynamic F.U.N

Wake up your eyes with 50 works by Pop Art master Paolozzi
Lincoln
More info for Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature
The artwork The Neverland (1992) by Paula Rego, a coloured etching and aquataint depicting a dark fantasy scene
Art & exhibitions

Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature

Explore the extraordinary imagination of one of the great artists, printmakers and storytellers of our time
Cheltenham, Petworth, Rugby
More info for Joan Miró: Painting and Poetry
Artwork with orange background and other shapes over the canvas including a large bird like creature in black
Art & exhibitions

Joan Miró: Painting and Poetry

An exhibition of 26 lithographs by Joan Miró which illustrate the work of poet Robert Desnos.
Penarth, Durham, Newcastle under Lyme, Dumfries, Woking
More info for To Improvise A Mountain: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye Curates
Four black and white sketchings of a man's profile
Art & exhibitions

To Improvise A Mountain: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye Curates

The celebrated figurative painter presents works that have been critical to her way of seeing and thinking.
Bexhill on Sea
Tickets Free
More info for Linder: Danger Came Smiling
Artwork of collaged images cut together including red and pink roses, painted nails, red lips and some animals like a gecko, an owl and a seagull layered together
Art & exhibitions

Linder: Danger Came Smiling

A touring retrospective, showcasing 50 years of the pioneering feminist artist’s work, dissecting our fascination with the body.
Blackpool
Tickets Free