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A lady in a beige jumper with her hair up resting her head on one hand.

Letters to the Future

Fri 18 – Sun 20 Sep 2026

Join the conversation shaping tomorrow

Address the pivotal issues of today through a weekend of talks and interactive debates driven by the leading thinkers of tomorrow.

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Friday 18 September

futuretense x Letters to the Future
Abstract image of layered glowing triangles and stripes in neon blue, purple, and pink over a dark structure.

futuretense x Letters to the Future

Gigs
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Free
Amelia Dimoldenberg: The Future of Digital Media
A lady in a beige jumper with her hair up resting her head on one hand.

Amelia Dimoldenberg: The Future of Digital Media

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Royal Festival Hall
Multi-buy
Future Sounds: RAP Party x Out-Spoken
An audience watching a poet with a DJ off to one side, in a studio theatre with multi-coloured lighting

Future Sounds: RAP Party x Out-Spoken

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy

Saturday 19 September

Rebecca F Kuang: The Future of Education
Rebecca F Kuang sat at a table in a restaurant, resting her head on her hand with a glass of water next to her.

Rebecca F Kuang: The Future of Education

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
Reimagining Shared Spaces: The Future of Housing
A photograph of a 70s block of flats with balconies.

Reimagining Shared Spaces: The Future of Housing

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Multi-buy
Olly Alexander: The Future of Queer Storytelling
A man with short curly hair wearing a flower-patterned green suit

Olly Alexander: The Future of Queer Storytelling

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
BUMPAH x Future Rhythms
An architectural light installation featuring concentric neon triangles glowing in blue, purple, and pink on a dark wall.

BUMPAH x Future Rhythms

Gigs
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Free

Sunday 20 September

Mya-Rose Craig: Beyond the Climate Crisis
A black-and-white photo of a woman with long dark hair wearing a turtleneck jumper and big hoop earrings

Mya-Rose Craig: Beyond the Climate Crisis

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
Future Rhythms DJ Takeover
Low-angle view of a geometric ceiling with wood slats, purple neon lighting, and yellow and blue light panels.

Future Rhythms DJ Takeover

Gigs
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Free
The Future of Images in a Post-Truth Era
A piece of abstract artwork depicting the bust of a young boy in a collage style.

The Future of Images in a Post-Truth Era

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Multi-buy
Letters to My Younger/Future Self
A woman in a white shirt stands in the centre of a theatre balcony, while the rest of the audience reach out towards here holding letters

Letters to My Younger/Future Self

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Royal Festival Hall
Multi-buy
Ash Sarkar: The Future of Relationships
A woman with long dark hair and red lipstick poses in a pinstripe blazer and gold hamsa necklace against a gray wall.

Ash Sarkar: The Future of Relationships

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy

While you're with us

Jeppe Hein: Appearing Rooms
People enjoying the Jeppe Hein Fountain at the Southbank Centre

Jeppe Hein: Appearing Rooms

A summer favourite returns to our site with water fountains to splash around and cool down in

Shopping
Wooden displays in the Southbank centre shop, featuring books, plushies, and colourful merchandise

Shopping

A vibrant range of inspiring books, homeware, prints, accessories and more.

Klaus Weber: Thinking Fountains
Two statues; a green human body with water spouting from its neck and another of human legs with water pouring down from above displayed outdoors

Thinking
Fountains

Water cascades and spouts over Klaus Weber’s bronze figures.

Modified Social Benches
Two children eating ice cream on a red cirrcular bench

Modified Social Benches

Benches that challenge the space and distance we place between one another.

William Pye's Zemran
A photograph showing Riverside Terrace at Southbank Centre, with the metal sculpture Zemran in the foreground, next to Queen Elizabeth Hall

William Pye's Zemran

Pye’s beautiful stainless steel sculpture sits overlooking the Thames.

Natura Nostra Forest
Bright sunlight bursts through green leaves with a lens flare, set against a blue sky and a textured concrete building.

Natura Nostra Forest

Our growing pocket forest creating a natural oasis.