It Sounds Like Courage
An unforgettable night of music, comedy and spoken word shaped by migration, co-curated by Anoushka Shankar and Counterpoints Arts.
Co-curated and introduced by world-renowned sitar player and activist Anoushka Shankar, It Sounds Like Courage brings a unique blend of artists who stand in solidarity with displaced people all over the world.
Hosted by comedian Nish Kumar, this performance brings together musical performances from award-winning Palestinian singer, composer, and flautist Nai Barghouti, renowned Kora virtuoso Seckou Keita, Afrofusion rapper MoYah, Mercury Prize-nominated songwriter Nadine Shah, soul singer and songwriter Nectar Woode and the London Contemporary Orchestra conducted by Robert Ames, and Citizens of the World Choir, made up of singers with lived experience of displacement and allies. Plus, poetry from award-winning poets Inua Ellams, Nikita Gill and Salena Godden.
Featuring artists with lived experience of displacement, musicians with migrant heritage and high-profile allies in the fight for justice and equality, It Sounds Like Courage is a night to imagine new possibilities together, with community and solidarity at its centre.
This event sits at the heart of Refugee Week during our 75th anniversary year and is presented in partnership with Counterpoints Arts.
Performers
London Contemporary Orchestra
Robert Ames conductor
Nish Kumar host
Nadine Shah vocals
Nectar Woode vocals
MoYah vocals
Nai Barghouti flute
Seckou Keita kora
Nikita Gill poet
Salena Godden poet
Inua Ellams poet
Need to know
Box package
You can buy an exclusive box package for this event. More details of our Royal Festival Hall exclusive box package.
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
26 Jun 2026, 7.30pm
Run time
1 hour and 50 minutes (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
from £22 + £4 booking fee
Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
Concessions
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Refunds and exchanges
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For your visit
This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall is open six days a week.
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
Plan your visit
The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.