Purcell Room
Welcome to our most intimate auditorium
A 295-seat auditorium for music and performance, screenings, poetry readings and a variety of talks and debates, the Purcell Room offers you a real closeness to the arts.
Situated within our brutalist building complex, opened in 1967, the Purcell Room has become the perfect platform for new and emerging talent, but as also played host to some of the biggest names of the 20th century and beyond, including David Bowie, Daniel Barenboim, Marianne Faithfull and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood.
Southbank Centre Studio
Find out how the Purcell Room is helping a new generation of artists and performers develop their talent.
On now & coming up
Reimagining Shared Spaces: The Future of Housing
The Future of Images in a Post-Truth Era
Liane Moriarty: Big Little Truths
Steve Reich at 90: Triple Quartet + After Dark
Performers
Carducci Quartet
Ligeti Quartet
Solem Quartet
Repertoire
Steve Reich: Different trains arr. for string orchestra (UK premiere); WTC 9/11 for string quartet & pre-recorded tape; Triple Quartet vers. for 3 string quartets live
Brutal(ism) Love and Hate
ORII Presents feat. BXKS
Vikki Heywood & Francis Spufford: Hidden London
Emily St John Mandel: Exit Party
Making A Husband: Live
Forced Entertainment: Cold Sweat
K-Music Festival 2026: Korean Games in Concert
Iconic Women of the Hayward Gallery
Nussaibah Younis: Fundamentally
Zubin Kanga: Ghost in the Machine + After Dark
Performers
Zubin Kanga piano, keyboards, electronics, interactive technologies
Repertoire
Nwando Ebizie: I Will Fix Myself (Just Circles)
Alex Paxton: Selection from Cuddley Wuddley (UK premiere)
George Lewis: Blombos Playground (World premiere)
Ben Nobuto: The Art of Sinking (London premiere)
Hernan Diaz: Ply
View more events in What’s on
For your visit
Purcell Room Southbank Centre
The Purcell Room is located in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Purcell Room is an auditorium located within our Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.
Play a part in every performance
Name a seat in our Purcell Room and help support the next generation of artists and musicians.
While you’re with us
Eating & drinking
Get the lowdown on the best places to eat and drink at Southbank Centre.
Shopping
Find inspiring products for all in our shops here at our venues and online.
Related spaces
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Home to our second-largest auditorium and a world-class venue for gigs, concerts, talks and more.
Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden
Experience our very own secret garden, nestled on top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall.