What to expect at the Barbican Centre in 2025
The Barbican Centre has announced a thrilling lineup of performances and exhibitions for early 2025, covering a diverse range of artistic disciplines. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect across theatre, dance, art, music, and cinema.
The Barbican Centre has announced a thrilling lineup of performances and exhibitions for early 2025.
Theatre and Dance
From 14 January to 3 May 2025, the Barbican Centre’s theatre and dance season promises a series of exciting productions that will engage, inspire, and challenge audiences. The season will open with the world premiere of THE SEAGULL, starring Cate Blanchett and Tom Burke. Directed by Thomas Ostermeier, this new adaptation, co-written with Duncan Macmillan, promises to breathe fresh life into Chekhov’s classic.
Other major highlights include collaborations with UK-based companies and international premieres. At the forefront is the UK premiere of KS6: Small Forward, an evocative piece from the Belarus Free Theatre based on the life of Belarusian Olympic basketball player Katsiaryna Snytsina. London’s thriving Grime scene will be spotlighted in HighRise Entertainment’s Lil.Miss.Lady, an immersive, multimedia experience featuring the iconic MC Lady Lykez.
The Barbican also welcomes MimeLondon in January with performances that use puppetry, masks, and micro-cinema to reimagine classic tales and futuristic visions.
Visual Arts
The Barbican Art Gallery will host a range of compelling exhibitions in early 2025. Of particular note is the largest-ever retrospective of Noah Davis, running from 6 February to 11 May. This exhibition will showcase over 50 works, offering a comprehensive look at Davis’ career as both a painter and a curator.
Indonesian artist Citra Sasmita will make her UK debut with Into Eternal Land at The Curve from 30 January to 20 April. Her work, which spans painting, sculpture, and installation, will invite visitors into a multi-sensory exploration of ancestral memory and migration.
Noah Davis at work, Los Angeles, 2009, Photo by Patrick O'Brien-Smith.
Cinema
Film enthusiasts can look forward to the Chronic Youth Film Festival, returning on 26-27 April 2025. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this youth-led event will showcase innovative films curated by the Barbican Young Film Programmers. This festival is the culmination of a six-month talent development programme, offering a fresh and dynamic perspective on contemporary cinema.
In addition, the Barbican will collaborate with the Queer East festival for a UK premiere of When the Cloud Catches Colours, a powerful new work by Singaporean theatre maker Chng Yi Kai, exploring themes of identity and belonging.
Classical Music
The Barbican’s spring and summer classical music season is set to highlight the stories of underrepresented figures in history. Davóne Tines will present a moving portrait of Paul Robeson, the African American singer and activist, on 15 February. On 27 May, Cassie Kinoshi will offer a tribute to Caribbean artist Boscoe Holder, while on 20 February, Nadine Benjamin will perform Shirley J. Thompson’s homage to the women of the Windrush generation.
For early music enthusiasts, Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI will journey through the life of the legendary traveller Ibn Battuta on 17 March. Additionally, the Barbican Resident Orchestra will present the UK premiere of Luke Styles’ No Friend but the Mountains on 19 June, a powerful symphonic work inspired by Kurdish-Iranian writer Behrouz Boochani.
Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI will journey through the life of the legendary traveller Ibn Battuta on 17 March 2025.
Contemporary Music
Among the key events in the contemporary music scene, Polish pianist and composer Hania Rani will make her Barbican debut, performing her critically acclaimed album Ghosts. This immersive performance, scheduled for 2025, will feature a large ensemble and innovative light design, capturing the album’s orchestral complexity and emotional depth.
Rani’s performance is set to be a major highlight of the year, drawing on her versatile background and long-term collaborations with other musicians.
Head to barbican.org.uk for more on their diverse and ambitious programme for 2025.
