From hidden gardens to free exhibitions, pop-up festivals and unusual sightseeing attractions, here's a look at great things to see and do in South Bank that won't cost you a penny.
Free South Bank events: Autumn / Winter 2024
Throughout the year South Bank's cultural institutions and venues present a variety of free events, ranging from free talks and concerts, to exhibitions, film screenings and hands-on activities for kids. Here's a look at what's on for free this season.
WHEN & WHERE: 11–27 OCT at BFI IMAX and Southbank Centre Undercroft Level 1
Running in tandem with the London Film Festival (LFF), LFF Expanded is a fully immersive exhibition programme that invites audiences to explore and experience powerful new ways of telling stories on screen, created by some of the world’s leading mixed-reality artists, filmmakers and games designers.
The majority of the LFF Expanded exhibits are hosted inside the atmospheric concrete halls of the Undercroft Level 1 (behind the Southbank Centre skate park) and at the BFI IMAX. Experiences range from free interactive digital games at the BFI IMAX gaming lounge to epic VR-enabled audio-visual installations and nteractive film environments. Note that most LFF Expanded events are free, while some require prior booking and have fees attached. Explore the full LFF Expanded programme of events here.
LFF For Free talks
WHEN & WHERE: 9–20 OCT at BFI Southbank and gallery@oxo
Throughout this year's London Film Festival there is a busy programme of free film talks happening at the BFI Southbank’s Festival Cafe and at the gallery@oxo. Note that as space is limited at venues, prior booking online is required for some free talks, although tickets do not guarantee entry if you are late! Arrive early to avoid disappointment and if you don't have tickets join the queue for last-minute standbys on the day.
LFF FOR FREE TALKS AT BFI REUBEN LIBRARY The BFI's Reuben Library hosts a fascinating lineup of film talks exploring topics such as witches on screen, the cinematic depiction of sex workers, historical accuracy in films based on true stories and the portrayal of girlhood in films past and present. Explore the free talks programme here.
LFF FOR FREE TALKS - A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO... A series of drop-in lunchtime talks exploring the filmographies of some of the preeminent directors presenting new work in this year’s Festival including Andrea Arnold, Steve McQueen, Mike Leigh and Luca Guadagnino. Explore the Beginner's Guide To talks programme here.
FILM IN PRINT (12 & 13 Oct) Curated in partnership with Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham, co-creators of the Ghibliotheque series of books and podcasts, gallery@oxo hosts a weekend of author Q&As, signings and panel discussions celebrating the art of writing about film. Explore the Film in Print programme here.
LFF For Free short film screenings
WHEN & WHERE: 9–20 OCT at BFI Southbank
Complimenting a rich programme of short film world premieres and special screening evenings, the London Film Festival also presents a selection of free short film screenings at the NFT4 screen in the BFI Southbank. These presentations are free to attend and typically include 5-6 short films.
SUN 13 OCT at 12:30pm | LIFE BEYOND LABELS The UK broadcaster Together TV presents a programme of shorts backed by their Diverse Film Fund in partnership with Whisper and BSLBT.
SUN 20 OCT at 12:30pm | FILMS OF RESISTANCE From stories of imperial struggle to rejecting the gender binary, women and non-binary people fight against systems attempting to quash their power.
SUN 13 OCT & 20 OCT at 2pm | BBC COMEDY SHORT FILMS Short films showcasing fresh talent and famous faces as you've never seen them before. Sitcoms, sketches and silliness.
SUN 13 OCT & 20 OCT at 4pm | LONDON CALLING: EVERYDAY ESCAPE A selection of shorts from some of London’s most exciting new voices, funded by BFI NETWORK and delivered by Film London.
WHEN & WHERE: Monthly at the Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall
Join Creative Encounters for a social evening of conversation, music and making. Each month a different artist leads an evening of playful creativity. Aiming to be a place where you can meet and socialise with new people while trying something different, there’s an emphasis on getting to know others through interacting with hands-on creative activities. All events are free and each month there's a different theme and artist. The Creative Encounters sessions start from 5:30pm and last 3 hours.
WED 25 SEP Visual artist and colour therapist Momtaz Begum-Hossain leads a weaving workshop, plus live music by Asha Gold. WED 30 OCT Celebrate the beauty of words, literature and poetry with performances and creative workshops led by the playful poet and artist Sophie Herxheimer. WED 20 NOV Dive into a sociable and soulful session of music from YAZ, and drawing with 2B Or Not 2B Collective. WED 11 DEC Join Nick Cassenbaum, theatre-maker and sharer of good times, for a playful evening to build your own festive survival kit WED 18 DEC Brought up in two indigenous cultures (Hawaiian and Ryukyuan), Stacy Makishi invites you to encounter rowdy rituals and soothing provocations to end the year.
WHEN & WHERE: Thursdays at the Queen Elizabeth Hall foyer, Southbank Centre
The Southbank Centre's futuretense series is all about showcasing the best new British and international music, allowing you to discover artists on the up, and find your next musical obsession – for free!
Typically happening twice a month on Thursdays at 6pm, the music is an eclectic mix of new pop, rap, soul, alternative, jazz, folk, electronica and more with two different acts playing at each edition. Acts scheduled to perform at futuretense this autumn include:
THU 12 SEP Rappers DEELA + Stacy N.K.R THU 19 SEP pop and R&B with Saint Joshua + Kima Otung THU 10 OCT R&B and soul with Toby Corton + Kiiymm THU 17 OCT Jamaican-Irish rapper JayaHadADream THU 7 NOV R&B, jazz, soul and dark ethereal pop WITH ELENA + ESNCE THU 21 NOV Alternative singer Nuha Ruby Ra + seven-piece post-rock band KEG THU 5 DEC Serene sounds and soul-searching lyrics with Isaiah Shoticaury + IMVN
Quirky attractions
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.
Go behind the scenes at Sherling High-Level Walkway
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.
Led by ceramic artists Emma Louise Payne and Yasemin Gava, this beautiful gallery located inside the historic County Hall building is devoted to promoting the work of contemporary ceramic artists. The gallery hosts several group exhibitions a year. Aiming to support the ceramic art form "in all its stages and guises" the gallery also has its own on-site pottery studio and kiln and a resident artist programme. The gallery is open Tue-Sun and all exhibitions are free. Find out more here.
One of the largest libraries of its kind in the world, the state-of-the-art Lambeth Palace Library is home to The National Library & Archive of the Church of England. The collection contains tens of thousands of books, maps, manuscripts, letters and other written materials, some of which are 1,000 years old! The library is free to visit and hosts free temporary exhibitions that highlight treasures from the library’s collection, as well as free evening lectures (space is limited so make sure to book). See what's on here.
Launched in spring 2023, Branch Out at The Garden Museum is a programme of free events and activities exploring gardening, art, floristry, plant science, history, design and more, every Thursday at lunchtime. From seed swaps with the gardening team to nature-inspired art and craft workshops, Branch Out presents the opportunity to try something new every week. As space is limited, we advise arriving early to secure your spot.
Photo by Peter Li courtesy BFI
Watch archive films at the BFI Mediatheque
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. 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. Every Friday from 10.30am–11am the children's Little Library area hosts Rug Rhymes, a free poetry reading session aimed at children aged 5 and under.
Iconic sights
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!
Watch the street performers
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.
A picnic in the park
Next to the London Eye, take time out from the crowds with a picnic on the lawns atJubilee Gardens. Behind the iconic Oxo Tower is the pretty Bernie Spain Gardenand 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.
More ways to save in South Bank
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.
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