Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle is set to curate a landmark celebration of British youth culture at London’s Southbank Centre during the May Day bank holiday weekend in 2026. Marking the venue’s 75th anniversary, the event—titled You Are Here—will explore seven and a half decades of music, fashion, and rebellious politics, inviting thousands of participants to engage with the site in a completely original way. Boyle, working with noted collaborators including Gareth Pugh, Carson McColl, and Paulette Randall, aims to transform the familiar spaces of the Southbank Centre into an immersive adventure, encouraging visitors—particularly first-timers—to experience the cultural landmark in vibrant new dimensions.
This programme forms a key component of the Southbank Centre’s wider 2026 season, which celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain, a pivotal post-war event that catalysed regeneration of the South Bank and led to the creation of the centre itself as the only permanent cultural building from that festival. Celebrations will include a major exhibition by sculptor Anish Kapoor, who returns to the Southbank Centre to mark the milestone 28 years after his first major UK show there in 1998. Kapoor expressed enthusiasm about the exhibition and the opportunity to contribute to commemorating the venue’s rich cultural history.
The season will also feature vibrant live recordings by Goalhanger, the podcast production company co-founded by former footballer and broadcaster Gary Lineker. Goalhanger’s Southbank Takeover will bring together popular podcasts such as The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics, and The Rest Is Entertainment, turning the centre into a dynamic festival of ideas and conversations. Lineker reflected on the company’s growth from humble beginnings to taking over a major arts venue, describing the event as a significant milestone.
Beyond Boyle’s curation and the Kapoor exhibition, the 2026 celebrations encompass a broad spectrum of arts and culture, including a tribute to celebrated singer Dame Shirley Bassey and an innovative mixed reality experience ‘Playing with Fire’ by pianist Yuja Wang. The centre is also planning its largest-ever sleepover event, led by children’s author Jacqueline Wilson. Renowned poet Lemn Sissay will spearhead Imagine the Future, a national poetry and creative writing initiative engaging more than 3,500 schoolchildren, while young dancers from the London School of Contemporary Dance will perform a piece called Colossus.
The Southbank Centre, now the UK’s fifth most visited attraction with over 3.7 million visitors in the previous year, remains a beacon for accessible culture. Elaine Bedell, chief executive, emphasised that the 75th anniversary season embodies the spirit of the Festival of Britain—hopeful, inclusive, and driven by the conviction that culture belongs to everyone. Artistic director Mark Ball highlighted how the energy and optimism ignited in 1951 continue to inspire the centre’s programming, aiming to unite audiences in a celebration of art, ideas, and technologies shaping the future.
Overall, the 2026 season promises an ambitious and multifaceted celebration of British cultural identity, history, and youthful creativity, inviting the public to rediscover the Southbank Centre in ways that reflect both its storied past and its evolving future.
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Source: Noah Wire Services