CULTURE
Duckie: Why Do Benders Love Divas?
Duckie gathers artists and writers to ask why women singers and cultural icons hold such a powerful place in queer life, memory and performance.
The essentials, in one place
Choose your date, check your ticket and plan the journey.
- Date
- 20 Sept 2026
- Venue
- Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall South Bank
- What time does it start?
- 14:00 London local time. A door opening time is not a stage time.
- Tickets
- Free; check current capacity Availability and prices can change.
Access, line-up and the journey home
- Access
- Level 2 venue; check current step-free route and lift status
- Finish and running time
- A finish time has not been confirmed here. Check the venue programme before arranging your journey home.
- Return journey
- Use your actual departure date and time in the journey planner, especially if you expect to leave after midnight.
- Date
- Sunday 20 September 2026
- Start
- 14:00
- Runtime
- Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes
- Place
- Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall
- Price
- Free; check current capacity
What to expect
This is a live cultural discussion rather than a concert. Southbank Centre lists Travis Alabanza, Neil Bartlett, Sadie Lee, David McAlmont and Rupert Smith among the contributors, using music, memory and queer history as the starting point.
Timing and admission
The official listing gives Sunday 20 September at 14:00 with an approximate 90-minute runtime. It is free, but free does not always mean unlimited entry; check the live organiser page for current capacity or booking status before travel.
Who it suits
A strong choice for visitors interested in queer culture, popular music, performance and social history. Families and groups should read the organiser’s current event guidance because the discussion is designed for an adult cultural context even though no age rule is reproduced here.
Venue and access
The Clore Ballroom is on Level 2 of Royal Festival Hall. Southbank Centre publishes building access and lift information; verify the route you need on the day, particularly if step-free access is essential.
Getting there
Waterloo is the main nearby rail and Underground interchange; Embankment is across the river. Check TfL before departure and use the Royal Festival Hall entrance instructions rather than relying only on a map pin.
Freshness and source
Checked against the direct Southbank Centre listing on 19 September 2026. It leaves active discovery after the event date; the organiser is the final source for changes, admission and accessibility.
