Southbank Centre's 2027 season is a manifesto for live experience
FKA twigs curates Meltdown, Chris Ofili gets a Hayward show, and a new platform tackles youth mental health through creativity.
The Big Idea: in a world of polarisation and isolation, shared live culture is the remedy.
It's a callback to the 1951 Festival of Britain — a "tonic for the nation" that drew 8 million people. After its 75th anniversary, the centre argues that civic cultural spaces are wellbeing infrastructure, not nice-to-haves.
"When we gather together to experience great culture, we build community," says Artistic Director Mark Ball.
FKA twigs × Meltdown
FKA twigs will curate and headline Meltdown, 10–20 June 2027, spanning genres and art forms. Past curators: Bowie, Grace Jones, Patti Smith, Yoko Ono, Harry Styles, Little Simz.
Her statement is a love letter to London's cultural collision: "Where cultures, sounds, stories and traditions meet, collide and transform one another."
Ombri
Ombri is a digital referral platform connecting 11–25-year-olds in South London to free creative activity — music, poetry, art — via self-referral, parents, teachers, GPs or NHS link workers. Built with Mortar Works and co-developed with Youth Collectives and Black Thrive. Target: 1,000 young people in year one.
Highlights
- Chris Ofili gets his largest London solo show since 2010 at the Hayward (Sep 2027 – Jan 2028).
- Philip Glass's 90th birthday brings Music in 12 Parts and the UK premiere of Symphony No. 15 with ENO and Davóne Tines.
- Lang Lang returns to the Royal Festival Hall for the first time since 2015.
- Patti Smith performs with Soundwalk Collective, and a William Blake bicentenary exhibition lands at the National Poetry Library.
Theatre & Dance
Romeo Castellucci returns for his first UK performances in 16 years with Bros. Dead Centre adapts Sontag's Illness as Metaphor with participants living with long-term illness, as part of Unlimited.
Dance delivers five UK premieres and one world premiere — including Holly Blakey's Cry, Heart (set design by Tai Shani), plus (LA)HORDE, Stephanie Lake, Faye Driscoll & Cullberg and Michael Keegan-Dolan.
Classical & Tech
Six resident orchestras, 200+ performances a year.
Highlights: the Philharmonia's Beethoven cycle for the 200th anniversary of his death, and Multitudes (22 Apr – 2 May), now touring to Gateshead, Birmingham and Bristol.
On tech: Small Revolutions, a VR experience exploring UK skateboarding history, and the second Creative Intelligence festival with a £50,000 artist award.
Beyond London
Hometown Meltdown takes the artist-curated model to grassroots venues in six towns — curated by Kelly Lee Owens, Stewart Lee, Jamie Cullum and more, with Music Venue Trust. At least 40% of events stay free, including Imagine's AR trail The Many and SideWays, a sensory playscape designed with disabled and neurodivergent children at its heart.
