Royal Festival Hall

It’s been 75 years since the Festival of Britain, an era-defining cultural event designed to boost national morale post-WW2, took place on London’s Southbank. There’s a whole host of events lined up throughout 2026 to commemorate the anniversary, from the You Are Here festival in May to a a celebration of the life and work of Benjamin Zephaniah in June. And to honour to the thousands of pioneers in dance, music, literature and art that have graced the Southbank Centre’s hallowed halls since 1951, legendary illustrator Quentin Blake has created thirty life-size characters who will be dotted around around the venue between now and November. Look out for dancers, skaters, parkour athletes, opera singers, a violinist and more. 

This hugely popular installation from British artist Luke Jerram has been on a global tour over the last eight years, visiting more than 30 countries since it was first displayed at Bluedot Festival back in 2018. An internally-lit, seven-metre-wide replica Earth made using detailed NASA imagery, the sculpture is supposed to give you a taste of the Overview Effect, the overwhelming sensation of connection to the planet and its inhabitants that astronomers describe when viewing our pale blue dot from outer space.  After previously visiting the Natural History Greenwich’s Painted Hall and Southwark Cathedral, it’s stopping off at Royal Festival Hall over the August bank holiday. Visitors can get up close to the sculpture suspended above the concert hall’s stage throughout the Saturday, or settle in for two atmospheric concerts. BBC Concert Orchestra’s ‘Sounds of the Earth’ (Friday August 28, 7.30pm) will feature heavenly works for strings, including pieces by Vaughan Williams and Oscar-winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, while Grammy winning American composer Eric Whitacre’s performance of the William Blake-inspired ‘Eternity in an Hour’ (Saturday August 29, 7.30pm) will feature choral voices alongside cello and electronic instruments.