From hidden gardens to free exhibitions, pop-up festivals and unusual sightseeing attractions, South Bank has a wealth of different attractions that won't cost you a penny to enjoy.
Note that for most free events you can just pitch up, although some events (particularly those aimed at families) tend to have more limited space and you may be required to register for your free tickets online beforehand.
From live jazz performances, chamber music concerts and open-air DJ parties to traditional dance showcases and pop-up theatre stages, when it comes to live performance, there's always something happening in South bank that you can enjoy for free. Here's a look at what's coming up this season.
In addition to a thrilling two-week lineup of major jazz performances happening across Southbank Centre's concert halls, music fans can also look forward to two weekends of brilliantly curated afternoon jazz parties happening in Royal Festival Hall's Clore Ballroom.
Sat 15 Nov from 1:30pm | Blues Party
Come along to dance, socialise and kick back to a line-up of fresh artists and DJs curated by The Milestones team who are transforming The Clore Ballroom into a vibrant Blues party with a ska-reggae-rocksteady soundtrack. The afternoon kicks off with a panel discussion followed by DJ sets, live performances and a final live set curated by south London's iconic jazz experience Steam Down.
Sun 16 Nov from 12pm | London Line-Up
Five outstanding youth music ensembles from across London celebrate their communities with new work and exciting collaborations from jazz and beyond, including Wired4Music, JMI Youth Big Band, Roundhouse Resident Artists, Tomorrow's Warriors and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Sat 22 Nov from 12pm | Aga Khan Music Programme
Enjoy a free, live takeover celebrating a vibrant array of music in the final weekend of the EFG London Jazz Festival. featuring students and graduates of the Aga Khan Music schools in Cairo and Kyrgyzstan, and talented artists from the global Ismaili community.
Sun 23 Nov from 1:45pm | Lagos to London
Join musicians across generations for a celebration of Nigerian music and culture and how it shaped UK jazz, with performances and workshops.
WHEN & WHERE: Thursdays at the Queen Elizabeth Hall foyer, Southbank Centre
In collaboration with BBC Introducing, the Southbank Centre's futuretense series showcases the best new British and international music, allowing you to discover artists on the up, and find your next musical obsession – for free! Gigs kick off from 6pm and the music is an eclectic mix of everything from punk to pop, rap and metal, with two different acts playing at each edition. Acts on the upcoming schedule include:
THU 4 DEC | Genre-blending rapper and producer JoeJas and immersive hip-hop and punk storyteller RetroPxssy.
THU 11 DEC | Jazz, soul and alt-R&B from rising stars GESELLE and KeepVibesNear.
WHEN & WHERE: Sat 6 Dec from 1pm
Get cosy at Gabriel’s Wharf with a festive afternoon of carol singing, mulled wine and gift shopping. Putting that festive cheer in the air as we count down the days to Christmas, this free party in the quirky Gabriel's Wharf courtyard presents great opportunities to search for that perfect gift while enjoying live entertainment and a super festive atmosphere.
WHEN& WHERE: Sun 14 Dec from 5pm at Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall
Tomorrow’s Warriors present their Extraordinary Winter Showcase, featuring some of the finest young jazz musicians on London’s bubbling scene. Tomorrow’s Warriors is a talent development organisation, creative producer, learning and training provider, charity and consultancy specialising in jazz. The live music showcase lasts approximately 1hour 45minutes. No tickets and booking is required!
WHEN & WHERE: Thu 1 Jan from 1pm at Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall
Join London’s most radical and vivacious ceilidh band, the Ceilidh Liberation Front, and kick the new year off with dancing for everyone. Combining music, dance, and a sprinkling of theatrics, this is ceilidh music as you’ve never heard (or seen!) it before. This is a family-friendly experience and everyone's welcome, no prior experience or knowledge of ceilidhs is necessary. No tickets or booking is required.
Get creative at a free arts and crafting workshop, explore the neighbourhood on a historical walking tour or join in the debate at a free lecture or discussion.
WHEN & WHERE: Monthly from 6pm at the Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall
Join Creative Encounters for a social evening of conversation, music, art and making. Each month a different artist leads an evening of playful creativity on a different theme. All events are free and there's no need to book.
WED 12 NOV | Drawn Together | Finding beauty in the mundane with artist and facilitator Olivia Twist
WED 26 NOV | The Londoner's Printing Press | Typography and collaborative print-making
WED 10 DEC | Spice-Blending Stories | Festive winter chai making with artist and researcher Roo Dhissou
WED 17 DEC | Mingle & Mould | Pinch and coil pot making workshop with Princess Fingall
WED 21 JAN | Sketch Social | Sketching, contemplation and connection with 2B or Not 2B Collective’s life drawing class
WED 4 FEB | Your Stories in Colour | A beginner-friendly painting workshop with Portland N’ Pals
WED 18 FEB | Exploring STINKY! Sauces | Explore the tastes of East and Southeast Asian ‘smelly’ sauces, before capturing your experience in zine form
WED 25 MAR | Shadow Puppets from Kerala | Make your own Keralan shadow puppet with artist and designer Rose Antony
Many of South Bank's cultural venues, independent galleries and museums host free exhibitions throughout the year that are free to attend. Here's a look at the latest free exhibitions to explore in South Bank this season.
18 Nov to 21 Dec at County Hall Pottery
The latest exhibition at South Bank’s independent ceramic arts gallery, County Hall Pottery, brings together 50 ceramic artists and makers from around the world. An exploration of how ceramics can shape the spaces we live in, the collection ranges from functional objects to sculptural works: lamps, stools, vessels, and tableware that sit somewhere between art and utility. All works are also for sale, making this a great opportunity to pick up some unique Christmas gifts.
WHEN & WHERE: Until Feb 2026 at National Theatre
Presented in the Wolfson Gallery at National Theatre (next to the Lasdun restaurant), this richly detailed exhibition highlights the imaginative and authentic ways that ancient Greek dramas have been presented at the National over the decades. The exhibition includes costume designs, rehearsal footage, model boxes, listening stations, and digital screens, while the stories behind these objects are brought to life through recitals of ancient Greek verse, and recordings of music, speeches and dances from these past productions.
WHEN & WHERE: 31 Oct to 14 Dec at Royal Festival Hall
The Koestler Awards is an annual programme encouraging people from the UK’s criminal justice system to change their lives through the arts. From over 7,500 entries this year received from prisons across the country, poet, playwright and this year's exhibition curator Inua Ellams has selected around 200 artworks for this free exhibition. Look out for free guided tours of the exhibition on Wed at 4pm & 6pm, Fri at 6pm and Sat, Sun at 3pm & 4pm.
Bring your little ones along to South Bank to join in free storytelling sessions, creative workshops and interactive activities that will spark their imaginations.
WHEN & WHERE: Fortnightly on Friday mornings at the Clore Ballroom in Royal Festival Hall
Every fortnight, songwriter Emma Lee Moss performs a magical collection of songs for children at the Southbank Centre's free WordPlay sessions at the Clore Ballroom. Aimed at children aged 0-5 (and their families), WordPlay is all about the joy of words and communication, centred on sing-alongs and storytelling that let little imaginations grow. There are two sessions: the 10:15am session is aimed at children aged 0–2 and the 11:30am session is for those aged 3–5.
WHEN & WHERE: Monthly Saturdays at 1:30pm at the Clore Ballroom in Royal Festival Hall
Aimed at young families (aged 5-11), the monthly Saturday Sessions provide a fun and energetic place for kids to come together and watch a performance, make something and play with other children and their families. There is also a Relaxed Session at 11am, designed for families who would benefit from a sensory-adapted space and smaller group experience. These are free drop-in events and there's no need to book.
SAT 6 DEC | Singing Together
SAT 24 JAN | The Art of Doodling
SAT 7 FEB | Ballroom Boogie with Bridgitte Aphrodite at 2:45pm, Relaxed Session poetry workshop at 11am
WHEN & WHERE: Wed 31 Dec from 10.30am at Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall
Start your family’s New Year celebrations early as the Just Vibez collective takes you to the Caribbean, around the globe and back to send off the year in style. This popular annual family event at Southbank Centre starts from 10:30am with the clock counting down to twelve o'clock - midday, not midnight - meaning all the family get to enjoy the New Year's Eve spirit, and get to bed at a nice early hour! No prior booking required.
In addition to world-famous attractions like the London Eye, South Bank has several smaller attractions that are free to visit including some fascinating cultural spaces where you can often catch pop-up exhibitions, talks, free workshops and other interesting events.
Described as central London's biggest factory, every aspect of the National Theatre's theatre production works - from metalwork, carpentry and painting to prop manufacture and rehearsals - takes place inside the theatre complex itself. You can view the theatre's workshops from the Sherling High-Level Walkway where informative exhibition boards outline the different production preparations taking place. Open 12pm-6pm on Wed and Sat, entrance via Dorfman Theatre.
Explore highlights from the world’s greatest film and TV archive in BFI Southbank’s free digital viewing space, the Mediatheque. Visitors can view over 95,000 titles from the BFI National Archive. The available film footage covers more than a century of film and TV material including news reels, feature films, TV shows and commercials. Simply choose a booth and touch the screen to start your viewing. Headphones are provided, but you are also welcome to bring your own. The Mediatheque is very popular, so we recommend arriving early to grab a space (they open from 11am Tue-Sun). Find out more here.
The National Poetry Library (located on the 5th floor of the Royal Festival Hall) is the largest public collection of modern poetry in the world. In addition to a massive selection of anthologies, magazines and journals, the library hosts free temporary exhibitions themed around poetry and poets.
They say the best things in life are free and when it comes to iconic sightseeing opportunities that won't cost you a penny, you are spoiled for choice in South Bank! Take a stroll along the river and stop and sit for a while to soak up the views.
Possibly London’s most famous riverside promenade, the Queen’s Walk is stacked with iconic views. Favourite photo opportunity stops include the world-famous views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the grandeur of the London Eye and the views of St Paul’s Cathedral as seen from Observation Point in front of Gabriel’s Wharf. Read our guide to what to see on your Queen's Walk stroll here.
This 300-metre-long tunnel runs all the way beneath Waterloo Station connecting South Bank with the Lower Marsh High Street in Waterloo. Leake Street is London’s longest graffiti wall and every inch of space is covered with an ever-changing collection of street art murals. Anybody is free to leave their mark and the graffiti changes daily. A great place to take some fun photos and to watch local graffiti artists at work!
While strolling the Queen’s Walk take time out to watch the street performers. Every day brings a different collection of talented buskers, acrobats and other performers to the banks of the river. Performers can be found at the dedicated busking spots near the Southbank Centre in front of Jubilee Gardens, next to Hungerford Bridge and on the pedestrian crossings of the Golden Jubilee Bridges.
Next to the London Eye, take time out from the crowds with a picnic on the lawns at Jubilee Gardens. Behind the iconic Oxo Tower is the pretty Bernie Spain Garden and its lush herbaceous borders. A little more off the beaten track, is Archbishop's Park (once part of the expansive Lambeth Palace Gardens), where you’ll find an excellent kid's playground and some ping pong tables. The small St Thomas Gardens next to the hospital have a handful of picnic tables and benches offering some of the best views of Big Ben.
While the following activities aren't all free entry, here are some more top tips on how to make the most of South Bank on a budget.
NATIONAL THEATRE FRIDAY RUSH
Looking for bargain-priced tickets for the National Theatre's shows? A limited number of £20 tickets are available to purchase directly at the box office in South Bank on the day of a show from 10am. Even better yet, every Friday at 1pm £10 Friday Rush tickets are released online for each of the following week’s performances. An incredible offer worth setting an alarm for!
LAMBETH AND SOUTHWARK RESIDENTS DISCOUNTS
If you are a resident of the Lambeth or Southwark boroughs you can become an OV Local member at the Old Vic, which entitles you to 20% off tickets, food and drinks at the Old Vic. Find out more here. Lambeth residents can also get £8 tickets to exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery Wed–Fri and after 5pm on Saturday, as can visitors aged under 30. Find out more and book online here.
You don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy a great day out sightseeing in South Bank.
