Quentin Blake: The Southbank Parade
The much-loved illustrator and author celebrates the 1951 Festival of Britain with a new installation for you to discover across our site.
With these illustrations, created as part of our 75th anniversary celebrations, Sir Quentin Blake pays tribute to some of the many legends who have graced our stages over the decades. At the same time, they honour the Londoners of all backgrounds who fill our riverfront each and every day.
You can discover illustrations throughout our indoor spaces from February to November, and a procession of Blake’s characters outside the Royal Festival Hall from May.
Look out for rock stars, ballet dancers, authors, skaters, parkour athletes, dub poets, jazz singers and heaps more characters waiting to be discovered.
Need to know
Events and building closures may affect access to the installation. Please check the website before your visit.
Level 1 Foyer, Royal Festival Hall: dancers and a parkour athlete
Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road stairs: a skater
Cloakroom, Level 2, Green Side, Royal Festival Hall: a percussionist
Blue Side Foyer, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall: an artist
Green Side Foyer, Level 3, Royal Festival Hall: opera singers and an actor
Level 3 Balcony, Royal Festival Hall: actors
Blue Side Foyer, Level 3, Royal Festival Hall: a singer
Green Side Foyer, Level 4, Royal Festival Hall: a violinist
Blue Side Foyer, Level 4, Royal Festival Hall: a conductor
National Poetry Library, Level 5, Blue Side, Royal Festival Hall: poets
Outside the St Paul’s Roof Pavilion, Level 6, Blue Side, Royal Festival Hall: rock stars
Selected illustrations
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
Tue 17 Feb – Sun 8 Nov 2026
Tue – Sun, 10am – 11pm
Closed Mon
Standard entry
Free – no ticket required
Concessions
Learn more about concession discounts
Refunds and exchanges
Find out more about our refund and exchange policy
Make a donation
Help us open up the arts to everyone by making a one-off or a recurring donation.
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.
From the shop
Browse all our Quentin Blake keyrings, badges and gift ideas
Shop the Quentin Blake collection