Southbank Centre

03/05/2024

It’s our birthday so of course we had to get a big S cake made 💅

On this day 73 years ago the Royal Festival Hall opened its doors 🥳🎂

We enjoyed a very normal day at the office when our super-talented colleague Holly baked the most delicious cake for us!

02/05/2024

Bringing globally renowned Irish theatre company Brokentalkers to London for the first time, Masterclass is a hilarious performance putting gender and privilege under the spotlight.

Here are 5 things you need to know about the ★★★★★ show!

Discover Brokentalkers, an internationally renowned theatre company from Dublin, with a track record of unusual yet powerful performances

01/05/2024

🎶 Summertime and the livin’ is easy... 🎶

Well, at least it will be once you’ve found a way to entertain the little ones...

Check out our must-go-to list of family friendly performances and activities at the Southbank Centre throughout the summer half term holiday:

Entertain your little ones at the Southbank Centre this summer half-term with shows, performances, dance and activities inside and out

29/04/2024

Thinking about our fabulous evening with Rough Trade Records 💫

The counter-cultural publishing house, Rough Trade Books, presented an evening of eclectic authors, artists and musicians, including Jarvis Cocker, Sheena Patel, Musa Okwonga and many more.

Hosted brilliantly by our very own Lily Blacksell, the energy in the room was unmatched! Where else but the Southbank Centre would you find such an exciting combination of literature, music and art?

📸 Pete Woodhead

26/04/2024

What happens when you combine an iconic trip-hop album with a 32-piece orchestra? ✨🎹

This time last week Nightmares on Wax celebrated the 25th anniversary of their record Carboot Soul by performing it like never before with the Outlook Orchestra.

What’s your favourite track from this defining chill-out record?

📸 Pete Woodhead

26/04/2024

Aged 18-40? Love the arts, but never been to a classical music concert?

Then we need you for our new research project (and you could earn up to £200 in high street vouchers for your time!). Help us shape the future of music at the Southbank Centre by completing online tasks, attending concerts for FREE and joining focus groups.

👉 Express your interest here: https://southbankc.re/3WjQefU

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

25/04/2024

Did you get it right? Wait till the end to see which piece pianist Tiffany P**n is performing a section from...

The piece sums up the Baroque mastery in its technicality and emotion. It remains a musical treasure, celebrated among pianists and theorists alike, thanks to its complex melodic lines and sophisticated harmonic progressions 👏

ANSWER: Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude and Fugue No.2 in C minor 🎹

Tiffany P**n takes to the Queen Elizabeth Hall stage in her much anticipated London Debut on Sun 26 May, presenting a programme of Schumann, Ravel, Bach and Chopin, concluding with Chopin’s intricate 24 Preludes.

More information and ticket: https://southbankc.re/3QhxrOz

25/04/2024

ANNOUNCING | Southbank Centre’s summer season of events: You Belong Here.

Bursting with spectacular and thought-provoking performance, art, conversations, music and family fun. The season is inspired by the unsung stories and forgotten trailblazers celebrated in our Hayward Gallery exhibition Tavares Strachan: There Is Light Somewhere

Seasonal events run from Saturday 29 June – Sunday 8 Sep 2024. For more information and to book tickets visit: https://southbankc.re/3WhwaL8

24/04/2024

On Wednesdays we...
✅ wear pink
✅ get excited for Chaka Khan's Meltdown

You never know what you'll find when you roll up to Meltdown! Not only do we have an expertly curated lineup of unbelievable artists, but non-stop free events including yoga, line-dancing, dance workshops and all-day DJs... to name just a few!

Full lineup and tickets: https://southbankc.re/3PWP8CO

See ya there! 👋

17/04/2024

Ever wondered what’s in a musician's case on performance day? Because it’s a lot more than just their instrument! 🎻

Composer and violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja shares the contents of her ‘chaos’ case with us!

Catch Patricia Kopatchinskaja: Everyday Non-sense (Wed 24 Apr), a concert-theatre experience created by the trailblazing violinist which transforms the stage into a living room, animated by works by Mozart, Ligeti and Cage. Link in bio for more info + tickets 🎼

15/04/2024

No one does it like Chaka Khan 🤩 The full line-up for her Meltdown festival has dropped and it is nothing short of iconic!

From chart-topping singers to an unbelievable FREE lineup of DJs, dancing and so much more…

In Chaka’s words, ‘The summer nights and days will flow with our world family, friends and a whole lotta love’ ☀️

JUST ANNOUNCED
Emeli Sandé
Reuben James
Adonis & Friends
Bruce Hornsby
Norman Jay MBE & Friends
anaiis
Master Peace
WAR THE BAND
Big Joanie
SIPHO.
Q***R BRUK & Friends
Les Amazones d'Afrique
Peng Femme Jam
Trevor Nelson | supports Chaka Khan 14 Jun
Cardinal Black | supports Morcheeba

And SO many more - full line up: https://southbankc.re/3PWP8CO

15/04/2024

Happy World Art Day 🎨 💛

Make sure to tag us in your pictures at the Hayward Gallery - we love to see and share them!

Thanks to everyone who shared their pics with us...
📸 1 IG - lisakinglondon
📸 2 IG - nadinepersaud
📸 3 IG - kristina_wrld
📸 4 IG - chiaph
📸 5 IG - fleurlee.uk
📸 6 IG - lisakinglondon

14/04/2024

The first picture is the face we made when we saw RuPaul in person 😮 🤩

Pop culture icon and international drag superstar RuPaul () blessed us with his presence last week in the Royal Festival Hall!

The icon of drag celebrated the release of his highly anticipated memoir by speaking on the value of chosen family, the importance of harnessing what makes you different, and the transformational power of facing yourself fearlessly.

What an inspiration 💛

📸 Pete Woodhead

12/04/2024

When you spot the yellow stairs, you know you’re in the right place 💛 We’ve been loving looking at all of your stunning pictures taken at our site and just had to share a few...

Visiting us this weekend? Tag us in your photos so we can share!

Thanks to everyone who sent us their fabulous pics:
📸 1 Andrew Heeley Photography
📸 2 IG - j.sushaa
📸 3 IG - clairemmadz
📸 4 Pete Woodhead
📸 5 IG - vdurango
📸 6 Glen Wilson

11/04/2024

In anticipation of BAFTA Games Awards () taking over our building tonight, we asked AI to turn the Southbank Centre into a location from a video game. Which one gets your vote? 🎮

05/04/2024

Our Summer Literature Season is now on sale 📚

🖋️ Featuring Gillian Anderson, Richard Ayoade, Neneh Cherry, James Comey and many more!

FULL LINEUP + BOOKING: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/literature-poetry-events?from=2024-06-01&to=2024-10-01&type=literature-poetry&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social

25/03/2024

We are saddened to hear of the passing of one of the most outstanding musicians of our time, Maurizio Pollini

We've looked back into our Southbank Centre archive to explore his unbelievable six decade-long career:

Maurizio Pollini first appeared at Royal Festival Hall in 1963. We take a look back through our Southbank Centre archives at some of his notable performances

24/03/2024

Happy 70th birthday to the marvellous Royal Festival Hall organ!

Here are some fun facts to celebrate...

💡 The organ boasts 7,866 pipes which range in length from being smaller than a baby’s little finger to a spectacular 32 feet

💡 On this day in 1954, the organ was officially opened with a giant programme with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

💡 The organ was constructed between 1950 - 1954 to the specifications of our first Organ Curator Ralph Downes (pic 3!). The design had both Italian and Scandinavian influences.

Read the full history of the Royal Festival Hall organ here on our blog: https://southbankc.re/3x8AORi

📸 Image 1: Pete Woodhead
📸 Image 2: Courtesy of the Southbank Centre Archive

22/03/2024

Do you remember your first visit to an art gallery? 🎨

With £10,000 of matched funding to unlock, your gift to Hayward Schools as part of the Big Give will have double its impact until 26 March!

Make your gift now and help us continue our work with children, young people and their teachers, building key skills and fostering a life-long enjoyment of art: https://southbankc.re/499qxRU

21/03/2024

Happy World Poetry Day! To celebrate, enjoy this reading from Carol Ann Duffy from 2014.

This was a landmark year for British poetry as it was the first time in history that all five poet laureates, or equivalent roles, across the UK and Republic of Ireland were women.

Carol Ann Duffy reads poems including:
✏️ Head of English
✏️ The Counties
✏️ Virgil’s Bees
✏️ Liverpool

WATCH HERE:

Take a look back at special night of poetry at WOW 2014

20/03/2024

Spring has officially arrived 🌷What’s your favourite season to visit the Southbank Centre?

Travel through the seasons on our iconic stretch of the River Thames with these gorgeous posters, designed and printed in the UK by Red Gate Arts

🌱 Spring, summer, autumn or winter? Pick your fave or collect them all! SHOP HERE: https://southbankc.re/3TERNmV

18/03/2024

Let the good times roll 👏 🎶 From a homemade sound system at the 1980 Notting Hill Carnival to becoming one of the most respected DJs in the world today... hear all about the amazing musical journey of Norman Jay MBE

📽️ Watch the full video now on our YouTube channel: https://southbankc.re/3wRH1AM

Norman Jay's Good Times Band is coming to the Southbank Centre to play the tracks that shaped UK music alongside other icons of dance music
📅 Fri 29 Mar, 7.30pm
🎟️ Tickets: https://southbankc.re/3wY6wk5

Norman Jay tells us about his musical journey, from a homemade sound system at the 1980 Notting Hill Carnival to becoming one of the most respected DJs in th...

11/03/2024

Line-up reveal 👀✨ She’s an icon, she’s a legend and she is the moment… the first acts that Chaka Khan has curated for Meltdown festival 2024 are here!

INCLUDING
Todrick Hall
Speakers Corner Quartet
Incognito
Lady Blackbird
Morcheeba
Balimaya Project
Rahsaan Patterson Music
Mica Paris
Judi Jackson
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
House Gospel Choir
Nu Civilisation Orchestra

Tickets coming very soon…
📅 MEMBERS PRESALE | Wednesday 13 March (10am)
📅 GENERAL ON SALE | Friday 15 March (10am)

MORE INFO: https://southbankc.re/3MrMmnT

08/03/2024

Happy International Women’s Day! We’re celebrating with this playlist of some of our most incredible talks by inspiring women. Hear from...

🙋‍♀️ Gillian Anderson on how forming female friendships and supporting each other can get you through the tough times

🙋‍♀️ Vivienne Westwood on human rights and using fashion to speak out about what matters

🙋‍♀️ Angela Davis on the effectiveness of conversations on race within the context of activism
..and many more! WATCH HERE: https://southbankc.re/3Packx0

Celebrate International Women's Day with a range of incredible talks by inspiring women

06/03/2024

Happy 50th Birthday Guy Garvey! 🎂

To celebrate we're reliving Guy Garvey's 2016 Meltdown! Watch the video featuring highlights of the festival which featured Femi Kuti, Laura Marling, Garvey himself and many more

🎶 What's your favourite Guy Garvey song?!
https://southbankc.re/3TlEd7U

Guy Garvey introduces us to his Meltdown festival, which took place in the summer of 2016 at the Southbank Centre, in this video featuring highlights from the festival

02/03/2024

With The BRIT Awards taking place tonight, we're looking back at this years nominees who've been at the Southbank Centre 🤩

🎵 Jungle performed at Nile Rodgers Meltdown in 2019
🎵 Young Fathers performed at MIA Meltdown in 2017
🎵 Arlo Parks chatted about her book The Magic Border in 2023
🎵 Casisdead performed in our Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer in 2022

Want to know more? Click the link below to find out which BRIT-winning musicians have performed here ⬇️

https://southbankc.re/3wHOOAZ

📸 Victor Frankowski
📸 Mike Massaro
📸 Pete Woodhead

26/02/2024

Ahead of South Asian Sounds festival (7 – 10 March 2024) we take a look back at a long history of South Asian music, here at the Southbank Centre... Beginning in October 1958 with a sold out Royal Festival Hall performance by globally renowned Ravi Shankar. Read more...

Ravi Shankar, Zair Hussain, Vilayat Khan, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Abida Parveen and other South Asian musicians who have performed at the Southbank Centre

19/02/2024

About last night 🥂🎞️

We hosted the 77th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) yesterday. Our iconic Royal Festival Hall was transformed, as stars took to the red carpet, Sophie Ellis-Bextor performed on our stage and Best Director Award winner Christopher Nolan gave us a shout out 🎊

Did your favourite film win an award?

11/02/2024

Our writer finds the funny side of sculpture at an unsettling new show called When Forms Come Alive – which features orbs, sacs, satellites, peduncles, piles of gloop and even a pink rollercoaster

10/02/2024

Happy Lunar New Year 🎆
2024 is the year of the dragon, with those born under this Zodiac considered to be tenacious, courageous and smart. Here's a few artists we've worked with over the years born under the dragon:

🐉 David Byrne curated Meltdown Fest in 2015.

🐉 Andy Warhol who's work was exhibited in the Hayward Gallery at Southbank Centre in 2008.

🐉 Tracey Emin took over the Hayward Gallery in 2011 with her exhibition, Love is What You Want.

🐉 Michelle Obama visited us in 2018 to chat about her book, Becoming.

🐉 Composer Karlheinz Stockhausen compositions are regularly performed in our Royal Festival Hall.

07/02/2024

ANNOUNCEMENT | International Performance & Dance programme for 2024-2025

FEATURING
Hofesh Shechter Company: Shechter II | Adrienne Truscott & Brokentalkers | Cliff Cardinal | Nadia Beugré | Crazy Smooth | Qudus Onikeku | Forced Entertainment | CHUNKY MOVE | Łukasz Twarkowski

ALREADY ANNOUNCED
LA HORDE presents Ballet national de Marseille

🔗 More information and booking: https://southbankc.re/48aGZkx

Aaron Wright, Head of Performance & Dance at the Southbank Centre, says: “Over the coming year some extraordinary companies and artists from across the world will grace the stages of the Southbank Centre as part of this major Performance & Dance programme. We're continuing our love affair with dance, presenting highly physical and visually unique performances that will appeal to both new and committed dance audiences alike. Following our groundbreaking 2023 season, headlined by the Marina Abramović Institute Takeover of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, we continue to present daring works that demonstrate theatre to be a vital, contemporary artform and are certain to get people talking.”

02/02/2024

What’s it like to be a musician who performs predominantly for children and families? And what leads musicians down this path? 🤔🎶

These are the questions that come up during Imagine Children's Festival, and who better to answer them than David Gibb?! A musician, theatre maker and author, Gibb has been working with children and families for over a decade.

👇 Read the full interview to find out how many instruments David has, the weirdest thing to happen to him on stage and so much more:
https://southbankc.re/4bknDMI

Musician David Gibb explains what it's like to make music for children and families, and why he does so, in this interview ahead of Imagine Children's Festival