Free South Bank art in September 2026: what is on now
Three current, free installations can be combined around Royal Festival Hall and Riverside Terrace from Wednesday 9 September, with no ticket required.
BY LONNOW EDITORIALUPDATED 9 SEPTEMBER 20261 MIN READ
Gift to the Future runs 9–27 September, Quentin Blake’s site-wide Southbank Parade continues to 8 November and Luke Jerram’s Stepping Out continues to 30 September. All three are listed as free with no ticket required.
02
A route that avoids backtracking
Begin inside Royal Festival Hall with Quentin Blake’s characters, follow Gift to the Future through the wider site, then move to Riverside Terrace for Luke Jerram’s interactive musical work.
03
How much time to allow
A focused circuit can work in 60–90 minutes. Keep the route flexible around busy public spaces, temporary building activity and the time a group wants to spend activating Stepping Out.
04
Access and weather
Royal Festival Hall offers indoor shelter while Riverside Terrace is exposed. Check Southbank Centre’s live access information and TfL before travelling to Waterloo, Embankment or another nearby station.
05
Freshness rule
Dates were rechecked on 9 September 2026 against the dedicated organiser pages. LONNOW corrected earlier opening-date summaries rather than carrying an inaccurate snapshot forward.
