You Belong Here: things to do this summer at the Southbank Centre

At last, the summer has finally turned up. So dust off your sunglasses, dig out the suncream and get yourself down to the Southbank Centre for a season of fun.

We’ve got a huge amount going on this summer, so much that it’s spilling from our buildings and out onto the side of the River Thames. From thought-provoking talks and exhibitions, to family focussed shows; jazz jams to classical concerts with a difference; all your food and drink favourites and a host of free outdoor fun thrown in too.

Each year Refugee Week invites us to celebrate the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. We pick up that invite on 30 June with two events that not only do this, but also highlight how every refugee’s experience is unique. In the afternoon the Arab Film Club take up residency in our Purcell Room to present a series of short films by refugee filmmakers, each of which draws on the central theme of this year’s Refugee Week, ‘home’. The films are curated by actor and writer Sarah Agha who hosts a Q&A session with the filmmakers afterwards. Later that evening From the Lips to the Moon picks up the baton to present an immersive experience of improvised music, poetry and visuals led by electronic musician Pouya Ehsaei and writer-performer Tara Fatehi.

Home: Short Films Screening + Q&A

From the Lips to the Moon

You know it’s summer at the Southbank Centre when our outdoor stage takes shape on our Riverside Terrace. And rocking this stage over the summer months are a great number of artists, each of them offering something a little different, but united in delivering good vibes. There’s the carnival sounds of Just Vibez on 19 July, the promise of global transcultural house parties from AZEEMA on 26 – 28 July, a Latin American extravaganza courtesy of FLAWA on 2 – 4 August, the unstoppable energy of Kinetika Bloco on 23 August, and so much more in between and beyond. And best of all? Every single stage performance throughout the summer is completely free.

See the full outdoor music line-up

This summer’s Hayward Gallery exhibition is a mid-career survey of the New york-based Bahamian artist Tavares Strachan. Reflecting the artist’s own desire to constantly experiment with new materials the exhibition includes a remarkable breadth of pieces that are both playful and impactful, from huge new sculptural commissions to large-scale collages; mixed media installations to neon works including the huge ‘You Belong Here’ affixed to the outside of our Hayward Gallery from which of our summer programme takes its inspiration. Oh and yes, there really is a huge ship floating on a specially created lake on one of the gallery’s terraces.

Book now for Tavares Strachan

One of the themes of Strachan’s exhibition is the celebration of unsung trailblazers whose stories and histories have been hidden by bias. Drawing on a similar line of inspiration is our classical music series Sound Within Sound which uncovers the lives and works of lesser-known artists who pushed the boundaries of sound through four days of sensational musical experiences. Inspired by the book of the same name by BBC Radio 3 broadcaster Kate Molleson, Sound Within Sound, includes some unconventional performances, and opportunities to get hands on with the music and experience it in a completely new way.

More information on Sound Within Sound

Drawing further on the themes of Strachan’s exhibition, July sees us present a strand of insightful and thought-provoking literature talks and events in our venues. On Thursday 11 July historian and filmmaker David Olusoga joins Nesrine Malik in conversation in our Royal Festival Hall to chart the story of Black British history and bring to light overlooked narratives. On Saturday 20 July writers Jassa Ahluwalia, Xiaolu Guo and Tomiwa Owolade come together to engage with Britain’s past, wrestle with its present and offer us alternatives for the future as they discuss what constitutes British identity with chair Lara Pawson. And on Sunday 21 July we’ve a trio of events celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the 20th century’s most iconic writers, James Baldwin.

David Olusoga: Black British History and Belonging

You Belong Here: British Identity

Conversations with Baldwin

If you’re looking for an end of term treat for your little ones ahead of the summer holidays, then Anastasiia Liubchenko’s performance piece Home could be just the ticket. Featuring animated paintings and complementary music, Home follows Anastasiia and her dog Djonnik who have to look for a new home after theirs is swallowed up by a storm. They journey through different landscapes and meet all kinds of animals in their search to discover what makes a home. Home is inspired by Liubchenko’s own personal story having had to leave her house in Ukraine to find a new home in the Netherlands.

Book now for Home

We mentioned Tavares Strachan’s neon sculpture already, but his pink glowing ‘You Belong Here’ isn’t the only piece of public art available for you to enjoy at the Southbank Centre this summer. Adorning our buildings you’ll also be able to see works by artists including Florence Blanchard, Serena Brown, Artur Conka, Denman+Gould, Yinka Ilori, Suzie Larke and Hank Willis Thomas. And then there is the return of our ever-popular fountain sculpture with Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms trapping further rounds of unsuspecting visitors in its watery walls from 10am daily. Take a tour of our buildings and see if you can spot them all.

More about You Belong Here: Public Art

Ever wondered how the very natural process of ageing affects dancers? Well, Crazy Smooth: In My Body looks into exactly that, as bodies become dance battlegrounds in a performance about the highs and lows of ageing in hip-hop that draws on dancers’ personal stories. This UK premiere explores the hardship and heroism of ageing in street dancing, through the performance of an intergenerational group of nine dancers who enact and perform a battle against time.

Book now for Crazy Smooth

More music on 20 July as Jazz re:freshed take over a number of spaces across the Southbank Centre for the 11th edition of JAZZ RE:FEST. This celebration of all things jazz offers a platform for up-and-coming and underexposed performers, as well as giving you the opportunity to enjoy cutting edge live jazz in a welcoming space. It’s win-win. Among this year’s performers are KYRA, Summer-Pearl, Insxght, Sultan Stevenson and Knats, with plenty more to be added to the bill. Nice.

More about JAZZ RE:FEST

As the days get shorter and we edge beyond August you might expect our summer programme to slow down. However the return of Unlimited on the first weekend of September ensures there’s no danger of that happening. This multi-artform biennial festival showcases and celebrates the artistic vision and creativity of disabled artists through outstanding dance, performance, comedy, music, poetry and visual art. Among this year’s unlimited highlights are London premieres of Stopgap Dance Company’s Lived Fiction and Touretteshero’s Burnt Out in Biscuit Land, plus award-winning theatre company Flawbored’s It’s a Mother F**king Pleasure and a new commission by Abnormally Funny People.

See the full line-up for Unlimited

After all that you’re undoubtedly going to be feeling a bit peckish. Well, the good news is we’ve got you covered. The bad news is we might have you too covered. We’ve a huge range of food and drink options across our buildings, including branches of your favourite restaurant chains, and our own stylish in-house cafes and bars. From Friday to Sunday you can feast on fare from around the world at the Southbank Centre Food Market, and throughout the summer you can also indulge at our special seasonal pop-ups. From BBQ to beers, cookies to cocktails, there’s something for all tastebuds.

More about our summer pop-ups

See all the food and drink options available