The Southbank Centre is a classic example of brutal 60s concrete architecture. Everyone has an opinion (usually negative) on its distinctive design - famous detractors include Prince Charles, who once described it as looking like a "nuclear power station". Yet, if the The West End is the centre of popular culture in London, it is the Southbank Centre that is the centre of true excellence in the arts. Comprising the Royal Festival Hall and the Hayward Gallery, the complex consistently produces classical and world music events and fine art exhibitions of high renown. Over 150,000 hours of music have been performed at the Royal Festival Hall - the largest venue in the Southbank Centre - since its completion in 1951. Welcoming over three million visitors a year, the Royal Festival Hall is primarily a classical music venue. It benefits from the residency of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonia and four associate ensembles. The programme also includes events from opera to the London Jazz Festival. The Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Purcell Room host regular recitals, dance performances and choral concerts. Free lunchtime concerts held in the foyer offer a more relaxed musical experience. The Hayward Gallery has been the originator or host of influential exhibitions since 1968. The colossal Poetry Library houses the Arts Council modern collection, while the BFI Southbank (previously the National Film Theatre) shows 2,000 films (art house and classics) a year alongside many film festivals and director-led seasons. A happy architectural accident has also made this complex the best spot for skateboarding and BMXing in the capital, meaning it is loved by London's counter-culture as much as by its highbrow elite. In the last ten years, the building of Tate Modern and the London Eye adjacent to the centre has been the final step in making the South Bank of the Thames into the beating heart of a thousand years of British culture.
Sandi Toksvig's Christmas Cracker
Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX
15th - 24th December 2009
Comedienne Sandi Toksvig hosts a seasonal Christmas Cracker at the Southbank... More
London Marriott County Hall
London County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB
Overlooking the London Eye and directly across the river from Big... More
Southbank Cologne Christmas Market
Queen's Walk, SE1 8XX
21st November - 23rd December 2008
This Christmas the Southbank Centre hosts two Christmas markets - the successful... More
Southbank Centre - Voicelab Welcomes: The Voicelab Carols Sing-In
Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
08716 632500 | Waterloo Tube/Rail
Sunday 21st December 2008
One of a number of festive events... More
London International Mime Festival
Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX
10th January 2009 - 25th January 2009
For something a little bit different this January, the 'London International Mime Festival'... More
A simply unbeatable location for anyone who loves to keep themselves busy. London's County Hall is at the heart of the South Bank, surrounded by ... More
In French, the expression "Violon d'Ingres" refers to a hidden talent or consuming hobby - named so after the Neoclassical painter Ingres's musical adeptness with ...More
The Takacs Quartet begin their complete cycle of Beethoven's string quartets with two concerts in November at Queen Elizabeth Hall. This is the first of ...More
Level 5,
Royal Festival Hall,Belvedere Road,South Bank,
London,
SE1Map
The most comprehensive and accessible collection of poetry from 1914 in Britain, The Poetry Library within the Southbank Centre contains 90,000 items and is still ... More
The Hayward Gallery has been the originator or host of influential exhibitions since 1968. It mounts temporary exhibitions of contemporary and historical art. The gallery, ... More
Stocking a wide range of yarns, needles, patterns and accessories, I Knit London started as a knitting community in Vauxhall in January 2006, meeting at ... More
The menu here reads like a comforting childhood reminiscence with some sophisticated bunting thrown on top. Devilled kidneys on toast, followed by an excellent slow-roast ... More
The concrete promenade along the South Bank greatly benefits from this large patch of green grass for striders, strollers and sightseers to relax on. ...More
Located on the South Bank, in the heart of one of London's prettiest thoroughfares, The London Bicycle Tour Company is ideally placed for a spot ... More
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In French, the expression "Violon d'Ingres" refers to a hidden talent or consuming hobby - named so after the Neoclassical painter Ingres's musical adeptness with ...More
The Kinetika Bloco, a 100-strong group of carnivalesque performers will appear in a free concert at the Royal Festival Hall's Clore Ballroom for the London ...More
The Cologne Christmas Market returns to the Southbank Centre as chalet style stalls are set up, running along the riverside stretch from the London Eye ...More
Comedienne Sandi Toksvig hosts a seasonal Christmas Cracker at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall, a fun filled variety show featuring special guests including Ronnie ...More
Los Angeles based artist Ed Ruscha, regarded as one of the most influential and pioneering American artists, coming to prominence as one of the pioneers ...More
Highly respected Brazilian concert pianist Cristina Ortiz performs an evening of Debussy and Villa-Lobos at Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of the International Piano Series. ...More
The Takacs Quartet begin their complete cycle of Beethoven's string quartets with two concerts in November at Queen Elizabeth Hall. This is the first of ...More
ZooNation's award-winning interpretation of Sondheim's musical Into The Woods presents a contemporary and urban twist on the 1980s Broadway hit. One of the UK's finest ...More
Following a sold-out debut at Royal Festival Hall earlier this year, this stunningly beautiful rendition of Peter & the Wolf returns to Southbank Centre this ... More
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The Southbank Centre is a classic example of brutal 60s concrete architecture. Everyone has an opinion (usually negative) on its distinctive design - famous detractors include Prince Charles, who once described it as looking like a "nuclear power station". Yet, if the 
