Culture

With new life in bloom this Spring, we’ve rounded up an unmissable season at The Southbank Centre.

The Roundhouse, an iconic music and arts venue nestled in the heart of Camden, London, is once again opening its doors to emerging musicians, poets, writers, and performers for its highly coveted Resident Artist Programme. This year-long initiative seeks to nurture the next generation of talent, offering bespoke creative and professional development opportunities to passionate creatives aged 18-25.

Amidst sequins and spandex, the multi-venue Body Movements festival attracted LGBTQI+ collectives from across the UK and beyond. With unapologetic vibrancy, the festival once again affirmed an undeniably major moment for queer club culture.

Beyond Face, a female-led team opening up opportunities for people of the Global Majority, have recently celebrated 8 years. We sat down to hear more about their creative offerings, their theatre youth companies, the importance of centering moments of joy and more.

Cave Live Lounge at The Roundhouse, London, became a symbol of hope - voices of women, people of faith, storytelling and cultural celebration became a radical act of connection.

At the London Premiere of Australia's Circa’s Humans 2.0, a full house eagerly awaited a symphony of circus, pulsating beats and a vision of light. We were not disappointed.

The Young Barbican Takeover was a jam-packed day of immersive events, live music and workshops around ‘Euphoric Futures’ - an inclusive celebration of hope. Artist Sam Winston offered renewed ways to visualise our relationship with our environments.

The first Visionaries Summit was held in Washington DC - a partnership between Hillary Clinton’s Vital Voices and Estée Lauder, created to support the next generation of leaders. Vicky Pasion reflects on her takeaways.

Briggs sat down with Madison McFerrin - an American singer, songwriter and producer. Madison delved into her influences, her relationship with music, how residing in different US states over time has influenced her journey and helped shape her community - as well as new video visuals for her single ‘God Herself’ off her debut album “I Hope You Can Forgive Me”.

To kick start Women’s History Month, Briggs sat down with Kara Jackson ahead of her debut album - Kara unravelled stories from her journey so far, including her sonic influences, how the creative scene in Chicago has inspired her growth and the healing experience of art in community.

“We all transition. It's what binds us, not what separates us.” An evening of truth, power and resilience - what began as a deconstruction of a deeply personal book filled with honesty and self empowerment, became an open discussion that applied to everyday life.

Nigerian-British Artist Joel Chidi Sydenham uncovers the connection between his art and nature, how painting becomes an act to reclaim one’s cultural identity, the importance of a creative community and his hopes for the next generation.

An intimate, multi-sensory series of conversation, sounds and food, honouring the depths of African identity, ancestry and migration. Hosted by DemiMa with guest Swiss, we’re taken on a journey through the lens of the Artist.

As we wind down the end of the year, we slow down to celebrate stories that soothe and inspire - like Dhayana Alejandrina - a Dominican writer, poet, and storyteller.

With a recent debut solo show at Centrespace Gallery, Bristol, Amber-Bardell draws inspiration from natural elements, intuitive dreamscapes and sonically meditative experiences in: ‘Art is Nourishment’.

We sat down with the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Excellence Theatre, Aaliyah Antoine, after the sold out success of Dear Black People Festival 2.0 at the Pleasance Theatre, London.

A bold weaving of traditional Indian folk tale and immersive storytelling at The Young Vic Theatre.

As part of The Last Word Festival at the Roundhouse, Resident Artist Esme Allman showcased ‘Delectably Red’ - a daring piece of new work that holds space for female sexuality, friendship and creativity.

From burlesque, to circus, to life-affirming music by Saraha Beck - it’s not too late to grab your tickets at the Southbank Centre.

In the self-published Agata, Bieke Depoorter delves into the complex relationship between photographer and subject through a collaborative working dynamic with her book’s subject, Agata Kay.

For a four week season, SAMSKARA is showing at The Yard Theatre, in Hackney. A powerful, visceral exploration of Black masculinity left us all on our feet. It’s a must see.

Anticipating a night of connection, we were immersed at ‘An Evening Of Purpose’ at The Barbican Centre, curated by We Are Parable and Jessica Huie. Like moths to a flame, we were drawn to the power of the arts and the potential of change.

As part of ‘Our Time on Earth’, an immersive exhibition at the Barbican, London, champions for change gathered together to discuss ‘Progress not Perfection: How To Be An Activist’.

The Last Word Poetry Slam Final has arrived: 10 of the most exciting voices in spoken word sit patiently on the stage, as they wait to brave their souls and share their most intimate thoughts with an auditorium of strangers…

Premiering in the UK this July, Bite Club is an entertainment extravaganza serving up camp-cabaret fantasy in a sensual showcase of outrageous fun.

Piece of Mind at Somerset House is a new exhibition getting up close and personal with our intimate domestic spaces.

We celebrated a decade of Out-Spoken at the Southbank Centre last night - it was a soulful reflection of poetic excellence, music and community.

We were invited to The Old Vic for a workshop, backstage tour, and to see The 47th, Mike Bartlett’s Shakespearean take on a dystopian return of Trump in the 2024 US presidential election.

The ICA has announced the seventh edition of its film festival, Frames of Representation, running from 5-12 May 2022. The opening night film, Dry Ground Burning, directed by Adirley Queirós and Joana Pimenta, is a definite must-see.

At Four Corners in Bethnal Green, you’ll find an archive that takes you through protest history. Photographing Protest: Resistance through a Feminist Lens is a must-see collection of protest images by feminist photographers from 1968 through to the present day.