Quentin Blake brings a Southbank procession to life across the Royal Festival Hall

From Tuesday 14 April 2026, a new installation by Quentin Blake has opened across the Southbank Centre in London, turning the Royal Festival Hall and its surrounding spaces into a moving celebration of performance, culture and everyday city life.

Titled The Southbank Parade, the installation forms part of the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary programme, reflecting on its origins in the Festival of Britain while bringing that legacy into the present day.

Blake’s illustrations are spread throughout the site, inviting visitors to encounter them gradually rather than in a single gallery space. Inside the Royal Festival Hall, characters appear across multiple levels, from dancers and opera singers to poets and actors. Outside, a larger procession unfolds, with figures including musicians, skaters and performers placed along the riverside.

What stands out is the way the installation mirrors the rhythm of the South Bank itself. Rather than presenting culture as something fixed or contained, the work reflects how people move through the space, from formal performances inside to informal activity along the riverfront.

The project draws on the Southbank Centre’s history as a public cultural space open to a wide mix of audiences, a role it has held since its post-war beginnings, as outlined by the .

The installation runs through to Sunday 8 November 2026, with artworks located across foyers, staircases and outdoor areas, encouraging visitors to explore the building in a different way.

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[Image Credit | Quentin Blake: Southbank Parade]

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