Royal Festival Hall at 75

London's south bank of the River Thames has been the capital's entertainment centre for centuries. After WWII, it was redeveloped and the centrepiece is the Grade I listed Royal Festival Hall; a beacon for arts and culture for over 70 years. The 2,700 capacity auditorium fast became one of the world’s landmark performance venues when it opened and the building is now open daily, free for anyone to visit and enjoy its light spacious interior. It is used for graduation ceremonies and hosts a poetry library and award-winning restaurant, Skylon.

As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations is an art display by much-loved illustrator/author Sir Quentin Blake which pays tribute to some of the many legends who have performed here. His works also honour the Londoners of all backgrounds who visit and use the iconic Thames frontage. Discover musicians, ballet dancers, authors, skaters, parkour athletes, modern poets and jazz singers!

Illustrations of Blake's characters can currently be seen in the hall until November 2026 10am – 11pm (closed Mondays), whilst there will be an outdoor display from May 2026.