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British-American woman wearing an orange top and a big blue ring

Refugee Week

Thu 25 – Sun 28 Jun 2026

Music, talks, film and public programming centred on this year’s theme of ‘courage’

A celebration of community, mutual care and the human ability to start again, bringing together artists from all over the world.

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Wednesday 10 June

Creative Encounters: Create with Courage
Linocut art prints of fruit and hearts hang from a twine clothesline with clothespins in front of a rustic window.

Creative Encounters: Create with Courage

Courses & workshops
A Relaxed Performance - A show adapted to be more comfortable and accessible for everyone.
The Clore Ballroom
Free

Friday 26 June

It Sounds Like Courage
British-American sitar player and musician Anoushka Shankar, wearing an orange top

It Sounds Like Courage

Gigs
Royal Festival Hall

Saturday 27 June

Counterpoints Lecture with Elif Shafak
A smiling lady sitting on a chair in front of a full bookcase

Counterpoints Lecture with Elif Shafak

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Our HeartBeats: Courage in Creativity
A man dj'ing in front of crowd on the Riverside Terrace

Our HeartBeats: Courage in Creativity

Gigs
Riverside Terrace
Free

Sunday 28 June

Arab Film Club: An Afternoon of Shorts and Q&A
From behind, a man in a tan shirt and dark trousers stands on a sandy beach staring out at waves in a wide ocean.

Arab Film Club: An Afternoon of Shorts and Q&A

Talks & debates
Purcell Room

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.