Southbank Centre

Our Saturday Sessions are a perfect place to start the weekend, with different performances and creative activities for children and their adults each week – all for free. Watch a new performance, make something with artists and come together to create and play with other little performers, makers and creators. Relaxed Sessions are our adapted version for children and families who would benefit from a sensory adapted space and a smaller group. September’s Relaxed Session is led by Bollyqueer, a Bollywood dance space that encourages joy through the magic of Bollywood, and reminds us what dance is really about – self-expression! It was founded to empower and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. Every month, we bring together brilliant artists and London’s children to experience top quality work in a playful setting. Saturday Sessions welcome everyone into the Southbank Centre to make, do and create. Come on down and discover the inner artist in us all.

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Join us for storytelling and colourful art to celebrate Diwali in our beautiful Roof Garden, in a more relaxed environment. Come along to listen to stories and take part in drop-in artist-led activities. This is a quieter time for anyone who might want a little more space or adjustments for sensory sensitivities. This is a Relaxed event. This Relaxed Hour event is designed to be more accessible and inclusive for audiences with sensory sensitivities. This may include children, young people and adults with neurodivergence such as autism, learning difficulties or other sensory or communication needs. There is a relaxed approach to noise and movement in the space, and you are free to enter and exit during the event. Noise-cancelling headphones for both adults and children are available and there is a chill-out space in the Queen Elizabeth Hall. The capacity for this event is lower with a maximum of 50 people in the space. We know that some audiences like to know what to expect in the performance and a Social Story will be available to all bookers in advance to help you prepare for your visit.

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A very famous, very colourful, patchwork elephant is turning 35 this year, and everyone is invited to a special birthday party to celebrate. Dress up in your most colourful outfits and come along to enjoy drop-in craft activities, party games and music with a live DJ to wish Elmer a happy birthday. Pop by for crafts on Level 2 of the Royal Festival Hall from 10.30am – 2.30pm, and join the party in The Clore Ballroom, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall from 12.30pm.

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Come along to a special, free London Literature Festival edition of Rug Rhymes, the National Poetry Library’s song and rhyme session for under-5s. Join us for a welcoming, playful session led by a special guest performer, perfect for introducing under-5s to a love of stories and poems. This event is a Relaxed Performance (RP). Relaxed Performances have a relaxed approach to noise and movement in the space, and you are free to enter and exit during the performances. A chill-out space and noise-cancelling headphones are available for children and adults. There are no adjustments to sound and lighting for these events and this event will feature amplified sound and minimal lighting effects.

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Celebrate Diwali with us with stories, art, community and colour in our beautiful Roof Garden before it closes for the winter. Take part in drop-in artist-led activities and watch storytelling performances themed around light and colour in celebration of Diwali. Activities are designed to take place in all weathers so please come prepared to participate whatever the weather.

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Our Saturday Sessions are a perfect place to start the weekend, with different performances and creative activities for children and their adults each week – all for free. Watch a new performance, make something with artists and come together to create and play with other little performers, makers and creators. The day ends with a Ballroom boogie where we encourage everyone to move, dance and shake it out with the people you came with and the friends you’ve made throughout the session. Every month, we bring together brilliant artists and London’s children to experience top quality work in a playful setting. Saturday Sessions welcomes everyone into the Southbank Centre to make, do and create. Come on down and discover the inner artist in us all.

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Bring all the family down for craft workshops using recycled and scrap materials to create something beautiful. Create your own winter fun by upcycling old and waste materials into amazing creations, accompanied by uplifting songs and a giant festive sing-a-long from one of London’s best choirs. Schedule: Craft workshops: from 11am Choir performance: 1pm Sing-a-long: 2pm Winter Reimagined aims to use only reused or waste materials throughout the day, partnering with scrap projects and getting inventive to make use of scraps and salvaged materials.

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A big, bold and delectable surprise awaits children and their families in a brilliant, interactive installation celebrating the language of food. Join us in the Clore Ballroom this October half-term to be part of an evolving art installation for all the family, created by A Line Art. Simply turn up, pick up a giant spoon, take it to the giant bowl and fish out your favourite words to create a truly delicious sentence celebrating London’s vibrant, diverse culture. Anticipate the names of both real and imaginary foods, encounter ludicrous words you’d never expect in a cookbook, and find descriptive words engaging the senses. A Line Art are artist Anna Bruder and poet Arji Manuelpilla. Together and with other collaborators they create immersive theatre performances and art events for children, young people and their families. Alphabet Soup is a Southbank Centre original commission.

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Come along for an inclusive, adapted version of Saturday Sessions, where A Line Art lead a workshop for families in a relaxed environment. Our Saturday Sessions are a perfect place to start the weekend, with different performances and creative activities for children and their adults each week – all for free. Watch a new performance, make something with artists and come together to create and play with other little performers, makers and creators. Relaxed Sessions are our adapted version for children and families who would benefit from a sensory adapted space and a smaller group. This Relaxed Session is led by A Line Art as part of London Literature Festival. The day ends with a Ballroom boogie where we encourage everyone to move, dance and shake it out with the people you came with and the friends you’ve made throughout the session. Every month, we bring together brilliant artists and London’s children to experience top quality work in a playful setting. Saturday Sessions welcomes everyone into the Southbank Centre to make, do and create. Come on down and discover the inner artist in us all.

https://loopla-images.loopla.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=520,f=auto/c0e5cf9f9575/6078d97478eaf164dc4f75ccac9d67dee7554924.png

Our Saturday Sessions are a perfect place to start the weekend, with different performances and creative activities for children and their adults each week – all for free. Watch a new performance, make something with artists and come together to create and play with other little performers, makers and creators. Relaxed Sessions are our adapted version for children and families who would benefit from a sensory adapted space and a smaller group. Every month, we bring together brilliant artists and London’s children to experience top quality work in a playful setting. Come on down and discover the inner artist in us all.

https://loopla-images.loopla.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=520,f=auto/c0e5cf9f9575/a14a8f6a14c97864ba596629af0fe903110eeb55.png

Think outside the box with a wacky and wonderful interactive workshop for 5 – 11 year olds, led by A Line Art, where you can let your creative side shine. Our Saturday Sessions are a perfect place to start the weekend, with different performances and creative activities for children and their adults each week – all for free. Watch a new performance, make something with artists and come together to create and play with other little performers, makers and creators. This Saturday Session is led by A Line Art as part of London Literature Festival. The day ends with a Ballroom boogie where we encourage everyone to move, dance and shake it out with the people you came with and the friends you’ve made throughout the session. Every month, we bring together brilliant artists and London’s children to experience top quality work in a playful setting. Saturday Sessions welcomes everyone into the Southbank Centre to make, do and create. Come on down and discover the inner artist in us all.

https://loopla-images.loopla.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=520,f=auto/c0e5cf9f9575/26fcbcc2acab47484d1b29c45e86035ce2b768df.png