Southbank Centre
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London's hub of cultural arts, The Southbank Centre announced in March 2013 that it's set for a £100 million revamp that will see the 1960s design finally move into the 21st century with a proposal that includes a floating glass pavilion, two more roof gardens, a space for riverside arts and a large pedestrian area. Currently, the centre is a classic example of brutal 60s concrete architecture. Everyone has an opinion (usually negative) on its distinctive design - famous detractors include Prince Charles, who once described it as looking like a "nuclear power station". Yet, if the The West End is the centre of popular culture in London, it is the Southbank Centre that is the centre of true excellence in the arts. Comprising the Royal Festival Hall and the Hayward Gallery, the complex consistently produces classical and world music events and fine art exhibitions of high renown. Over 150,000 hours of music have been performed at the Royal Festival Hall - the largest venue in the Southbank Centre - since its completion in 1951. Welcoming over three million visitors a year, the Royal Festival Hall is primarily a classical music venue. It benefits from the residency of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonia and four associate ensembles. The programme also includes events from opera to the London Jazz Festival. The Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Purcell Room host regular recitals, dance performances and choral concerts. Free lunchtime concerts held in the foyer offer a more relaxed musical experience. The Hayward Gallery has been the originator or host of influential exhibitions since 1968. The colossal Poetry Library houses the Arts Council modern collection, while the BFI Southbank (previously the National Film Theatre) shows 2,000 films (art house and classics) a year alongside many film festivals and director-led seasons. A happy architectural accident has also made this complex the best spot for skateboarding and BMXing in the capital, meaning it is loved by London's counter-culture as much as by its highbrow elite. In the last ten years, the building of Tate Modern and the London Eye adjacent to the centre has been the final step in making the South Bank of the Thames into the beating heart of a thousand years of British culture.
Southbank Centre events
Concrete Dreams ExhibitionConcrete Dreams ExhibitionTake an immersive audio-visual backstage journey with Concrete Dreams, a free tour which marks the reopening of Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and includes previously unseen archives of The Hayward Gallery. Follow in the footsteps of the legendary artists who performed here including David Bowie and Pink Floyd. Poetry recordings, film footage a2018-04-26T00:00:00+01002018-04-29T00:00:00+0100
Where:
event > Clubbing and Nightlife
PRICING Free ticketed
DATES 10th to 29th April 2018
VENUE Southbank Centre: Queen Elizabeth Hall
Take an immersive audio-visual backstage journey with Concrete Dreams, a free tour which marks the reopening of Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and includes previously unseen archives of The Hayward Gallery. Follow in the footsteps of the legendary artists who performed here including David Bowie and Pink Floyd. Poetry recordings, film footage a... More about this event
ABBA: Super TroupersABBA: Super TroupersCreated in association with ABBA The Museum in Stockholm, the Southbank Centre presents ABBA: Super Troupers, an immersive 60 minute tour which brings to life the world of the chart-topping 1970's Swedish pop sensation. Original costumes, handwritten notes and sketches, personal photographs, music, album artwork and more take visitors on a journey 2018-04-26T00:00:00+01002018-07-29T00:00:00+0100
Where:
event > Exhibitions > Lifestyle - Shows
PRICING £25, £20, £15
DATES 14th December 2017 to 29th July 2018
Created in association with ABBA The Museum in Stockholm, the Southbank Centre presents ABBA: Super Troupers, an immersive 60 minute tour which brings to life the world of the chart-topping 1970's Swedish pop sensation. Original costumes, handwritten notes and sketches, personal photographs, music, album artwork and more take visitors on a journey ... More about this event
Concrete Dreams WeekendConcrete Dreams WeekendThe culmination of the Concrete Dreams exhibition, this special three day weekend showcases performances by artists who share a history with Southbank Centre. Every inch of the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room will be filled with music, dance, workshops and talks celebrating the history of the 1960's buildings. Free events include a '60s Big S2018-04-27T00:00:00+01002018-04-29T00:00:00+0100
Where:
event > Exhibitions > Art exhibitions - Modern and Contemporary Art
PRICING Various, most Free | Sam Lee's Singing with Nightingales £20
DATES 27th, 28th and 29th April 2018
VENUE Southbank Centre: Queen Elizabeth Hall
The culmination of the Concrete Dreams exhibition, this special three day weekend showcases performances by artists who share a history with Southbank Centre. Every inch of the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room will be filled with music, dance, workshops and talks celebrating the history of the 1960's buildings. Free events include a '60s Big S... More about this event
KERB Does AlchemyKERB Does AlchemyKERB, the London street food specialists, are back at the Southbank Centre this May to add some spice to this year's Alchemy festival. Running for five days across the bank holiday weekend, the festival will see KERB's star traders put their own twist on the Alchemy theme, with dishes such as Indian fish and chips from The English Indian, hash brow2018-05-03T00:00:00+01002018-05-07T00:00:00+0100
Where:
event > Foodie Events > Festivals & Exhibitions
DATES 3rd to 7th May 2018
KERB, the London street food specialists, are back at the Southbank Centre this May to add some spice to this year's Alchemy festival. Running for five days across the bank holiday weekend, the festival will see KERB's star traders put their own twist on the Alchemy theme, with dishes such as Indian fish and chips from The English Indian, hash brow... More about this event
Nigel KennedyNigel KennedyNever one to shy away from breaking boundaries, violinist Nigel Kennedy has previously released an album of Jimi Hendrix-inspired compositions, he's tried his hand in Polish Klezmer music and now he performs new interpretations of George Gershwin. For someone whose violin is worth £2 million it's rather apt that the Gordon Ramsay of classical musi2018-05-19T00:00:00+01002018-05-19T00:00:00+0100
Where:
event > Concerts > Jazz, Blues, Country and Folk - Jazz
PRICING £95, £50, £40, £30, £27.50
DATES Saturday 19th May 2018
VENUE Southbank Centre: Royal Festival Hall
Never one to shy away from breaking boundaries, violinist Nigel Kennedy has previously released an album of Jimi Hendrix-inspired compositions, he's tried his hand in Polish Klezmer music and now he performs new interpretations of George Gershwin. For someone whose violin is worth £2 million it's rather apt that the Gordon Ramsay of classical musi... More about this event
Lee Bul: Wayward WanderLee Bul: Wayward WanderThe Southbank Centre's Hayward Gallery hosts a mid-career survey of the work of acclaimed South Korean artist Lee Bul. The first retrospective of the artist in London, Wayward Wander explores the artist's extensive investigation into the body and its relationship to architectural space. Lee Bul has explored questions of intimacy, gender, technology2018-05-30T00:00:00+01002018-08-19T00:00:00+0100
Where:
event > Exhibitions > Art exhibitions
DATES 30th May to 19th August 2018
VENUE The Hayward Gallery
The Southbank Centre's Hayward Gallery hosts a mid-career survey of the work of acclaimed South Korean artist Lee Bul. The first retrospective of the artist in London, Wayward Wander explores the artist's extensive investigation into the body and its relationship to architectural space. Lee Bul has explored questions of intimacy, gender, technology... More about this event
event > Dance > Traditional dance - Ballroom
PRICING £16.50-£49.50
DATES Saturday 9th June 2018 - 2.30pm
Strictly Come Dancing professionals and husband-and-wife duo Kevin and Karen Clifton perform the waltz, cha cha, fox trot, tango and salsa, with a supporting cast of dancers and a 12-piece band.
Meltdown Festival 2018Meltdown Festival 2018The Cure frontman Robert Smith, "the first to lay bare the hidden fragility of the male condition" (The Guardian) curates this year's Meltdown festival. In its 25th year, the Southbank Centre festival will bring more than 30 of Smith's all time favourite artists to the ten-night summer extravaganza. When you realise he has played guitar with Siouxs2018-06-15T00:00:00+01002018-06-24T00:00:00+0100
Where:
event > Concerts > Festivals & seasons
PRICING Various
DATES 15th to 24th June 2018
The Cure frontman Robert Smith, "the first to lay bare the hidden fragility of the male condition" (The Guardian) curates this year's Meltdown festival. In its 25th year, the Southbank Centre festival will bring more than 30 of Smith's all time favourite artists to the ten-night summer extravaganza. When you realise he has played guitar with Siouxs... More about this event
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London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel from £93 30% off
1 Addington Street, SE1 | 6 minutes from Southbank Centre
Close to Waterloo, the 4 star Park Plaza is - as the name suggests - just behind County Hall. Near to the Thames, it's also convenient ... More
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel from £117 30% off
2 Whitehall Court, SW1A | 6 minutes from Southbank Centre
Emulating the style of a French chateau, this grand Victorian residence, built in 1884, occupies a prime location within Westminster. It's worth staying at the Grade ... More
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel from £244 42% off
Whitehall Place, SW1A | 6 minutes from Southbank Centre
With 294 bedrooms, multi-level penthouse suites and terraces offering spectacular views of the River Thames, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall - the £300 million restoration of the ... More
London > Entertainment > Arts Centres
Strand, Covent Garden, London WC2R | 7 minutes from Southbank Centre
Somerset House, once the site of a spectacular Tudor palace, now includes a magnificent 18th century art gallery housing celebrated collections belonging to the Courtauld Institute ... More
London > Entertainment > Arts Centres
44 Lambeth High Street, Albert Embankment, SE1 | 17 minutes from Southbank Centre
Once the fire engine workshops of the London Fire Brigade, The Workshop on Albert Embankment in Lambeth is opening its doors once again, as a temporary ... More
London > Entertainment > Arts Centres
Elephant Road, Elephant and Castle, London SE17 | 23 minutes from Southbank Centre
Repositioning refurbished shipping containers as retail spaces and offices for creative startups, The Artworks Elephant turns Elephant and Castle into "the new Shoreditch", according to the ... More
London > Entertainment > Classical Music
Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
Housed in the same modernist block as the Royal Festival Hall and sandwiched between it and the Hayward Gallery, the Purcell Room has a 372-seat auditorium, ... More
London > Entertainment > Live Music
Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
Located by the River Thames, with sweeping views of the capital from the London Eye to St Paul's Cathedral, the Southbank Centre is a unique metropolitan ... More
London > Entertainment > Theatres
Jubilee Gardens, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
Each summer, from May to September, a Speigeltent (from the Dutch for 'mirror tent') is set up in the shadow of the Southbank Centre, to host ... More
London > Events > Exhibitions Dates: 10th to 29th April 2018
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
Take an immersive audio-visual backstage journey with Concrete Dreams, a free tour which marks the reopening of Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and includes previously unseen ...More
London > Events > Sporting Events Dates: 4th to 28th April 2018
Southbank Centre, 10 Leake Street, SE1 | 5 minutes from Southbank Centre
After the success of the Social Bingo Academy in Camden, the same pioneering bingo team are taking over the Vaults underneath Waterloo with the Underground Bingo ...More
London > Events > Theatre Dates: 19th November 2016 to 25th September 2018
Southbank Centre, Savoy Court, Strand, WC2R | 7 minutes from Southbank Centre
A multi-award winning hit on Broadway and a 2006 film starring Beyonce, Dreamgirls returns thirty-five years after the original 1981Tony Award-winningmusical was first staged.The story, based ...More
Sights and Attractions near Southbank Centre
London > Attractions > Museums
Level 5, Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
The most comprehensive and accessible collection of poetry from 1914 in Britain, The Poetry Library within the Southbank Centre contains 90,000 items and is still growing. ... More
London > Attractions >
South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
This stretch along the Thames is one of the cultural and social hubs of London with the Southbank Centre - which includes Royal Festival Hall, Queen ... More
London > Attractions > Art Galleries
Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | 1 minute from Southbank Centre
The Hayward Gallery has been the originator or host of influential exhibitions since 1968. It mounts temporary exhibitions of contemporary and historical art. The gallery, named ... More
London > Shopping > Books
Riverside, Level 1, Royal Festival Hall, South Bank Centre, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
The family-run Foyles book shop has been in the book selling business since 1906. Around 30,000 books are stocked at this branch on a broad range ... More
London > Shopping > Delicatessens
22 Cornwall Road, South Bank, London SE1 | 6 minutes from Southbank Centre
Konditor & Cook specialise in the creation of amazingly tasty cakes which are also sold on to some of the finest restaurants in the city. This, ... More
London > Shopping > Markets
Lower Marsh, South Bank, London SE1 | 7 minutes from Southbank Centre
On weekdays a street food market runs along Lower Marsh displaying a diverse range of global food for all tastes, from Italian ... More
Restaurants near Southbank Centre
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
South Bank Centre, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
Food to go in its simplest form. Freeshly baked bread for hand-made made sandwhiches; home made soups; simple salads. Another high street option for fresh. fast ... More
London > Restaurants > Italian restaurants
Unit 6, Royal Festival Hall Riverside, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
Strada has started something of a pizza revolution. The chain has blossomed thanks largely to its focus on fresh, high quality ingredients, and efficient, friendly service. ... More
London > Restaurants > International restaurants
Unit 1, Royal Festival Hall Riverside, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
If you happen to be with the kids on the South Bank this summer this is a great little eatery in which to recharge their batteries. ... More
London > Education > Arts and Drama
Somerset House, Covent Garden, London WC2R | 7 minutes from Southbank Centre
The Courtauld is one of the most prestigious art schools in the country, affiliated with the Oxbridge system and boasting a huge private location and prime ... More
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
1 Sheffield Street, Holborn, London WC2A | 12 minutes from Southbank Centre
The award-winning Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, designed by Irish architects O'Donnell + Tuomey and awarded the RIBA London Building of the Year Award in 2014, ... More
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
24 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, WC2H | 13 minutes from Southbank Centre
The London Film School is the oldest-established international school of film technique in the world. The school has contributed significantly to ... More
Leisure near Southbank Centre
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
Westminster Bridge Road, South Bank, London SE1 | 4 minutes from Southbank Centre
Fancy detoxing in the building where the Greater London Council used to run the city? The Spa at the London Marriott County ... More
London > Leisure > Parks and Gardens
3 Belvedere Road, South Bank, South Bank, London SE1 | 4 minutes from Southbank Centre
The concrete promenade along the South Bank greatly benefits from this large patch of green grass for striders, strollers and sightseers to relax on. Not ... More
London > Leisure > Parks and Gardens
Upper Ground, South Bank, South Bank, London SE1 | 6 minutes from Southbank Centre
Located between Oxo Tower Wharf and Gabriel's Wharf, Bernie Spain Gardens is a pleasant green space to stop off on a riverside walk along the South ... More
London > Nightlife > Pubs
25 Roupell Street, South Bank, London SE1 | 6 minutes from Southbank Centre
A short walk from the South Bank Centre, The Old Vic and The National Theatre this traditional old watering hole is a good place to have ... More
London > Nightlife > Pubs
10 Northumberland Street, Covent Garden, London WC2N | 7 minutes from Southbank Centre
Thirsty Sherlock Holmes fans look no further than this homage to the great detective himself and to original Victorian pubs. While you indulge in a soothing ... More
London > Nightlife > Pubs
62 Stamford Street, South Bank, London SE1 | 8 minutes from Southbank Centre
If you're the kind of drinker who gets thirsty, very thirsty, and you don't have the time or patience to queue for at a very busy ... More
Nightlife near Southbank Centre
London > Nightlife > Bars
Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
Designed by the Eden Project, the Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden is the place to be on a summer's evening for stunning sundown views over the ... More
London > Nightlife > Bars
Corinthia Hotel London, Whitehall Place, Westminster, London SW1A | 6 minutes from Southbank Centre
The cocktails in the Bassoon Bar are very good, expensive, yes, but very, very good. Not only that but the bar has a piano which is ... More
London > Nightlife > Wine Bars
47 Villiers Street, Covent Garden, London WC2N | 6 minutes from Southbank Centre
Home to Samuel Pepys in the 1680s, the building housing Gordon’s is now home to a regular, thriving crowd of drinkers of all ages and all ... More
Meeting venue hire near Southbank Centre
London > Business > Venue Hire
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall's refurbishment has done away with 'The People's Palace', the marvellously 1950s restaurant that used to occupy this space, and replaced it with ... More
London > Business > Venue Hire
Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | Same location as Southbank Centre
Located by the River Thames, with sweeping views of the capital from the London Eye to St Paul's Cathedral, the Southbank Centre is a unique metropolitan ... More
London > Business > Venue Hire
South Bank, South Bank, London SE1 | 3 minutes from Southbank Centre
The Deck is a modern roof-top venue with stunning views over the Thames, available for hire at the National Theatre, part of the Southbank Centre which ... More
Also in Belvedere Road
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Hotels Near Southbank Centre What's On Today Near Southbank Centre  Concrete Dreams Exhibition Exhibitions | Until 29th April 2018 Southbank Centre: Queen Elizabeth Hall Take an immersive audio-visual backstage journey with Concrete Dreams, a free tour which marks the reopening of Queen Elizabeth Hall, ...More  Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams Theatre | Until 20th May 2018 Circus Abyssinia, an African acrobatic spectacular from Ethiopia, makes its London premiere at the Underbelly Festival but if you saw ...More  Underbelly Festival Theatre | Until 30th September 2018 The unrivalled Underbelly Festival returns to South Bank, between the Southbank Centre and London Eye, from April 2018 and they're ...More  Macbeth Theatre | Until 23rd June 2018 National Theatre: Olivier Theatre 2 minutes walk from Southbank Centre Rory Kinnear and Anne-Marie Duff play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in this revival of Shakespeare's intense and terrifying tragedy, directed ...More  The National Theatre at The Old Vic 1963-1976 Exhibitions | Until 23rd June 2018 National Theatre 3 minutes walk from Southbank Centre The National Theatre celebrates The Old Vic's 200th birthday with a new exhibition this spring. The historic Lambeth theatre first ...More  Nine Night Theatre | Until 26th May 2018 National Theatre: Dorfman 3 minutes walk from Southbank Centre When Gloria passes away after a prolonged illness, her children and grandchildren mark her passing with a traditional Jamaican Nine ...More  Absolute Hell Theatre | Until 16th June 2018 National Theatre: Lyttelton Theatre 3 minutes walk from Southbank Centre Thirty years after the rediscovery of Absolute Hell Joe Hill-Gibbins returns to the National Theatre to direct Rodney Ackland's plunge ...More  Rainforest Adventure: SEA LIFE London Exhibitions | Until 24th March 2019 Sea Life London Aquarium 4 minutes walk from Southbank Centre Opening to the public on 24th March 2018, just in time for the Easter holidays, Rainforest Adventure brings the UK's ...More  Witness For The Prosecution Theatre | Until 16th September 2018 The Debating Chamber, County Hall 4 minutes walk from Southbank Centre Set the Debating Chamber of London's County Hall - a room which resembles a courtroom in every way - Lucy ...More  Underground Bingo Academy Sporting Events | Until 28th April 2018 The Vaults, Arch 233 5 minutes walk from Southbank Centre After the success of the Social Bingo Academy in Camden, the same pioneering bingo team are taking over the Vaults ...More New on LondonTown  The Jones Family Kitchen Dining The Jones Family Kitchen, in Eccleston Yards, is an all day restaurant on an historical ...More  Alpes Dining Above the main entrance of Pop Brixton, Alpes is the first permanent site from street ...More  temper Covent Garden Dining With this third branch of temper, in Covent Garden, Neil Rankin has further cemented his ...More  Sin Gusano Foodie Events | From 3rd May Taking over popular Haggerston cafe and bar space Curio Cabal, on Thursday to Saturday evenings, ...More Curio Cabal Drinking Opened in the summer of 2013 Curio Cabal in Haggerston is supported by its brother company, Creative Blocks, a co-working / studio space based in the same building....More  Andina Picanteria Dining Martin Morales's 40 cover Andina Picanteria is an ode to the Peruvian picanterias, the family-run, ...More  Andina Panaderia Shopping Pioneer of Peruvian cooking Martin Morales is behind this Peruvian bakery and the forty cover ...More  Home, I'm Darling Theatre | From 24th July Katherine Parkinson (whose role as Jen in the IT Crowd "brought her something close to ...More  An Octoroon Theatre | From 7th June In 1859, white Irish playwright Dion Boucicault writes a hit play about America. Today, a ...More  Cora Pearl Dining With double-height windows opening onto the 'Actors' Church', this Covent Garden restaurant from the team ...More  Scarlett Green Dining Bondi meets Soho at this Antipodean-inspired restaurant from the Daisy Green Collection, serving bottomless brunch ...More  Fayre Share Dining Classic British dishes like roasted beer chicken and Arctic roll with jelly are on the ...More  London Celebrates 250 Years of the Circus Article In 2018 London celebrates the 250th anniversary ...More The Queen of Hoxton Summer Rooftop: The Lost Vegas Foodie Events | From 3rd May The Queen of Hoxton has been given a makeover once again, transforming into The Lost Vegas Rooftop just in time for summer. One of east London's most popular ...More  Cafe de Paris: Royal Wedding Show Clubbing and Nightlife | On 19th May Not one the 2,640 members of the public ...More  Portobello Live! Concerts | From 6th May Portobello Live! Various Venues Now an established fixture in the festival calendar, Portobello Live! returns on Sunday and Monday ...More  Building The Wall Theatre | From 2nd May Jez Bond directs the UK premiere staging of Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan's gripping political ...More  Midsummer Terrace at Mondrian London Seasonal | From 2nd May Popping-up at Mondrian London this summer, the floral ...More  Best Summer Terraces in London Article Picture perfect petals and gorgeous floral blooms make ...More  November in London 2018 Article There's an explosion of fireworks on the 5th, Star Wars gets the full orchestra treatment ...More November in London 2018 Article There's an explosion of fireworks on the 5th, Star Wars gets the full orchestra treatment at the Royal Albert Hall and Gainsborough's Family Album opens at the National Portrait Gallery, it's all in London in ...More  Dorsett City Article Next to Aldgate tube, Dorsett City is an Asian owned four star hotel with ...More Best West End Shows in London for Kids Article Whether it's an all-singing, all-dancing musical or ...More 
Hotels near Southbank Centre
From cheap budget accommodation to luxury 5 star suites see our deals for Southbank Centre hotels, including Corinthia Hotel London from 97% off. |
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