London's music scene: highlights and news

Explore the latest music news unfolding in London, from festival announcements and classical music programmes to venue updates.

French electro pioneers Justice announced as headliners for Field Day 2024

The Chemical Brothers. Field Day 2022. Photo by Eric Aydin Barberini.

Electro legends Justice have been announced as headliners for Field Day Festival's 17th edition, alongside PinkPantheress, Charlotte DeWitte. Due to take place in Victoria Park in August 2024, the iconic festival event promises a diverse lineup spanning electronic genres.
Date: 24th August 2024. Location: Victoria Park, East London. Price: Early birds from £50. Book now. Instagram: @fielddayfestivals

La Linea Festival Announces Second Wave of Artists

La Linea London Latin Music Festival. Ana Tijoux.

La Linea, London's Latin Music Festival, unveils its second wave of shows for the 24th edition in April. The festival will feature specially curated performances across the capital. Highlights include Desta French & Friends at the Jazz Café, Domenico Lancellotti and Ricardo Dias Gomes at Cafe Oto, and Nacao Zumbi at the Jazz Café.
Date: 12 - 22 April 2024. Website: la-linea. Instagram: @lalineafestival.

Brand New All-Dayer Event Set to Take Place at Crystal Palace Bowl

Grace Jones . Photo by Lawrence Watson.

Get ready for an electrifying addition to the summer festival calendar with Love Motion, a brand new all-dayer event set to ignite Crystal Palace Bowl on 26 July, as part of the South Facing festival. Headlining this exhilarating affair is the legendary Grace Jones, alongside Irish sensation Róisín Murphy, disco icons Horse Meat Disco, and a stellar lineup of DJs including Dimitri from Paris, Oli Keens, and J-Felix. With its historic setting and vibrant lineup, Love Motion promises to be a highlight of the season, offering a day filled with infectious beats, incredible performances, and unforgettable memories.

Date: Friday 26 July 2024. Location: Crystal Palace Bowl. Price: from £43.70. Book now.

Chaka Khan to Curate Meltdown 2024 Festival at Southbank Centre

Chaka Khan. © Jo Metson Scott.

Iconic musician Chaka Khan has been announced as the curator for the upcoming Meltdown 2024 festival, hosted by the Southbank Centre. Celebrating her legendary 50-year career, Khan will infuse the 10-day summer event with her incredible voice and global influence, promising a celebration like no other in  June.

Date: 14 - 23 June 2024. Location: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Website: southbankcentre.co.uk.


Cassie Kinoshi's will celebrate Women in Music at the Barbican

Casse Kinoshi. © Aurore Fouchez.

Cassie Kinoshi will present her largest show yet at the Barbican in March, in celebration of International Women’s Day. Joined by her ensemble seed, turntablist NikNak, and the London Contemporary Orchestra, Kinoshi will revisit her acclaimed 2023 piece 'gratitude' and premiere a new composition inspired by women's role in British music history.

Date: 7 March 2024. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Barbican Centre. Price: £10-£15. Book now.

Featured
Turner Prize 2026 Shortlist revealed by Tate Britain
Turner Prize 2026 Shortlist revealed by Tate Britain

The prestigious Turner Prize continues its tradition of spotlighting groundbreaking creativity with the announcement of its 2026 shortlist. Revealed by Tate Britain, this year’s nominees, Simeon Barclay, Kira Freije, Marguerite Humeau, and Tanoa Sasraku…

Earth Day reflections on our environmental impact with the meditative paintings of Onya McCausland
Earth Day reflections on our environmental impact with the meditative paintings of Onya McCausland

Onya McCausland is a contemporary artist whose practice combines studio paintings, wall installations, and collaborative, site-specific projects. Her paintings are stunning and deceptive…

Polygon to open Soho listening room with spatial audio programme
Polygon to open Soho listening room with spatial audio programme

Polygon Productions will open Polygon Portal on 7 May 2026 at Dean Street in Soho, introducing a new London venue dedicated to spatial audio presentation, live performance and curated listening sessions…

National Art Pass announces 2026 Museum of the Year Finalists
National Art Pass announces 2026 Museum of the Year Finalists

Five institutions have been announced as finalists for the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2026, the world’s largest museum prize, which recognises excellence and innovation across the museum sector…

What’s on in London this week: 20 - 26 April 2026
What’s on in London this week: 20 - 26 April 2026

This week in London sees the return of several festivals, new exhibition openings and major live shows across the city, including the Little Venice Film Festival and Brick Lane Jazz Festival. Tate Modern Lates also takes place, alongside theatre and dance at Sadler’s Wells East and the National Theatre, and…

Things to do in London this summer 2026
Things to do in London this summer 2026

London in the summer is packed with major events that bring together art, sport, music, and outdoor culture. From long-standing traditions like Wimbledon and the Chelsea Flower Show to large exhibitions and evening cultural programmes, the city offers a wide range of experiences across different neighbourhoods. Below is a more detailed guide to key events in 2026…

Hong Kong art week: how to see an art fair
Hong Kong art week: how to see an art fair

This year at Art Central, I decided to try something different. I slowed down. I sat down with the curator and an artist from the fair and asked them how they see a fair, and what they said really touched me and reminded me why we do the work we do…

In conversation with Orange Terry
In conversation with Orange Terry

I saw local artist Orange Terry's new commission Found Faith: a chapel-like prayer pod on industrial wheels with no entrance. A work about seeking serenity in chaotic times. When I first saw it, I felt that it was asking me to slow down, to look closer, to question, to find a way in….

In conversation with Enoch Cheng
In conversation with Enoch Cheng

Enoch is a local curator who is also an artist, who joined Art Central three years ago, right as the city reopened. When we met, he was in a very colourful suit, and his tie matched my top: golden yellow. We hadn't even said hello yet, and already we clicked on colour…

Peter Blake exhibition to open at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Peter Blake exhibition to open at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery

A major exhibition will celebrate the life and work of Sir Peter Blake, one of the most influential figures in British Pop Art, at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery. The exhibition will present highlights from his seven-decade career, including paintings, collages, prints, sculpture, and works on paper…

London’s must-see art exhibitions opening in May 2026
London’s must-see art exhibitions opening in May 2026

Delcy Morelos’ Origo at the Barbican transforms the Sculpture Court with earth, clay and scent, while the Design Museum stages a major survey of NIGO’s influence on global streetwear and design. Francisco de Zurbarán receives a landmark presentation at the National Gallery, and Tate Britain turns to James McNeill Whistler for a major retrospective of his work…

What’s on in London this week: 13 - 20 April 2026
What’s on in London this week: 13 - 20 April 2026

London’s cultural scene this week (13–20 April) features a range of festivals, exhibitions and live events. These include experimental film at the Open City Documentary Festival, cross-disciplinary performances at Multitudes, and the opening of the V&A East Museum…

Vue London celebrates iconic film anniversaries this spring
Vue London celebrates iconic film anniversaries this spring

Vue London is marking the arrival of spring with a celebratory anniversary season that brings some of Hollywood’s most cherished films back to cinemas…

Where to watch films in London this summer
Where to watch films in London this summer

London’s cinema scene thrives with independent venues, festivals and outdoor screenings. Here is our guide to where to get your film fix this summer…

Must-see art galleries and museums in Ghana
Must-see art galleries and museums in Ghana

Cities across the country host a wide range of galleries and museums that present the work of both established and emerging talent. Here is our guide to art galleries and museums you must see whilst in Ghana…

What’s on in London this week: 6 - 12 April 2026
What’s on in London this week: 6 - 12 April 2026

Discover what’s on in London from 6–12 April 2026, including the much-anticipated opening of the V&A East Museum, the London Soundtrack Festival, the Alternative Book Fair, and late-night jazz at Ronnie Scott’s…

Amelia Dimoldenberg, Ash Sarkar and Olly Alexander to Lead ‘Letters To The Future’ at Southbank Centre
Amelia Dimoldenberg, Ash Sarkar and Olly Alexander to Lead ‘Letters To The Future’ at Southbank Centre

The Southbank Centre is launching a new weekend festival, Letters To The Future,  celebrating youthful perspectives on the biggest challenges of our time. The programme brings together writers, activists, and performers, including Amelia Dimoldenberg, Ash Sarkar, Olly Alexander, Mya-Rose Craig, and Rebecca F. Kuang…

Gabrielle Goliath to independently present the cancelled South Africa Pavilion show in Venice
Gabrielle Goliath to independently present the cancelled South Africa Pavilion show in Venice

In response to the unexpected cancellation of the South African Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, Gabrielle Goliath will independently present her acclaimed performance project Elegy, coinciding with the Biennale…

Konrad Mägi, Dulwich Picture Gallery review
Konrad Mägi, Dulwich Picture Gallery review

This is probably one of Dulwich Picture Gallery’s best exhibitions in recent years. The partnerships with Estonia’s core repositories of Konrad Mägi’s works have resulted in a retrospective featuring his finest paintings in terms of quality and historical importance…

Dua Lipa to curate 2026 London Literature Festival for Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary
Dua Lipa to curate 2026 London Literature Festival for Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary

Grammy and Brit Award-winning global superstar Dua Lipa has been announced as the curator of the 2026 London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre in October 2026…

Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 sees strong sales and growing global influence
Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 sees strong sales and growing global influence

Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 has concluded with strong sales, high international attendance, and expanding institutional participation, cementing the city’s role as a major hub in Asia’s art market…

10+ art exhibitions opening in London this summer 2026
10+ art exhibitions opening in London this summer 2026

From a major exhibition on Marilyn Monroe at the National Portrait Gallery to presentations by Ranti Bam and Paulo Nimer Pjota at South London Gallery, as well as large-scale shows including Anish Kapoor at the Hayward Gallery, Frida Kahlo at Tate Modern, and Project a Black Planet at the Barbican…

Things to do in London in April 2026
Things to do in London in April 2026

April is shaping up to be an exciting month in London, with a packed calendar of music, literature, film, theatre, and cultural events. From a celebration of the city’s thriving jazz scene at the Brick Lane Jazz Festival to literary highlights at the North London Book Festival, and from the Little Venice Film Festival to the much-anticipated opening of V&A East…

Tate unveils plans for its first garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Tate unveils plans for its first garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Tate has announced the full details of its inaugural show garden at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Named The Tate Britain Garden, the installation promises to present an innovative vision for the intersection of art, nature, and community…

Review: Hammershøi: The Eye that Listens, Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza
Review: Hammershøi: The Eye that Listens, Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza

A new retrospective of Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864-1916) at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid reveals a radical side to the Scandinavian master, whose impressive body of work and unique style merits wider recognition….

Review: While They Were Waiting, Upstairs at the Gatehouse
Review: While They Were Waiting, Upstairs at the Gatehouse

‘While They Were Waiting’ is the playwriting debut of veteran entertainer Gary Wilmot, best known for his work presenting children’s TV shows in the 1980s and performing myriad roles across the West End. A clever, funny and sentimental two-hander, ‘While They Were Waiting’ explores…

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