London to become an open-air gallery for the fifth edition of London Sculpture Week

London Sculpture Week returns for its fifth edition from 19 to 27 September 2026, bringing together some of the capital’s leading public art programmes across a series of free and ticketed events.

The week connects The Fourth Plinth, Frieze Sculpture, East Bank, Sculpture in the City and The Line, giving audiences the chance to discover major works in parks, squares, streets and waterways, as well as meet artists and curators behind the projects.

The Line. Thomson And Craighead, Here, 2013. Image Credit Luis Veloso.

A key event will be the London Sculpture Week symposium at The Warburg Institute on Friday 25 September. Bringing together leading voices in public art, ‘Reframing Monumentality’ will examine the changing social role of contemporary public art and ask how ideas of monuments can be reconsidered today.

The Fourth Plinth

The newest Fourth Plinth commission, Lady in Blue (2026) by New York-based artist Tschabalala Self, will be unveiled in Trafalgar Square on 10 September and will remain there until summer 2028.

Tschabalala Self, Maquette of Lady in Blue, 2024. Photo GLA, James O Jenkins.

The 16th commission for the landmark site, the bronze figure presents a contemporary ‘everywoman’ dressed in a striking blue gown. Her accessories draw on the appearance of lapis lazuli, the rare blue pigment used since antiquity.

Frieze Sculpture

At The Regent’s Park, Frieze Sculpture runs from 16 September to 1 November, with 11 international artists presenting works throughout the English Gardens.

Catriona Robertson, WYRM, 2026. Photo Saatchi Gallery Garden, RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Photography Stephen Studd. Courtesy of the artist and The Muse Gallery.

Curated by Fatoş Üstek, the 14th edition explores the theme of hybridity, bringing together artists including Carolina Aguirre, Ivana Bašić, Matyáš Chochola, Özlem Günyol and Mustafa Kunt, Elena Nemkova, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Angel Otero, Catriona Robertson, Tarini Sethi, Conrad Shawcross and Douglas White.

East Bank

An East Bank walking tour will explore the public sculpture of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, looking at works commissioned for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the area’s continuing artistic development.

Thomas J Price, A Place Beyond, 2026. © Photo by David Perry for Victoria and Albert Museum London

The tour will also feature more recent commissions, including Trēow of Time by Larry Achiampong and David Blandy and A Place Beyond by Thomas J. Price.

Sculpture in the City

Sculpture in the City takes a more sensory approach with A Taste of Sculpture in the City. Led by Stella Ioannou, Artistic Director of Sculpture in the City, with Sam Bompas of Bompas & Parr, the event pairs sculpture with food through canapés inspired by works in the programme.

Jane and Louise Wilson, Dendrophiles, 2025. Copyright Jane and Louise Wilson, Courtesy of Maureen Paley, London and 303 Gallery New York. Photo © Nick Turpin.

Artists represented include Ai Weiwei, Julian Opie, Jane and Louise Wilson, Maya Rose Edwards and Oliver Bragg.

The Line

East London’s The Line connects Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with The O2 along waterways and the Greenwich Meridian. Its 7.5-mile route features 24 outdoor installations, bringing together art, nature and heritage.

During London Sculpture Week, visitors can join a free wellbeing walk, attend a film screening with Zineb Sedira and take part in activities inspired by works by artists including Rasheed Araeen, Helen Cammock, Madge Gill, Antony Gormley, Carsten Höller, Yinka Ilori, and Eva Rothschild.

The Line. Antony Gormley, Quantum Cloud 2000. Image credit Emily Lovell

At a time when cities are continually being reshaped, London Sculpture Week brings public art into the conversation. Its 2026 programme brings together established landmarks and newer commissions, offering an opportunity to consider not only what sculpture looks like in public spaces, but what it can contribute to them.

London Sculpture Week 2026 runs from 19–27 September. The full programme of free and ticketed events is available through Bloomberg Connects, the official digital guide, and at londonsculptureweek.org.