Venue Description

We’re the largest arts centre in the UK and one of the nation's top visitor attractions. We seek out the world’s most exciting artists, from household names to fresh new talent, and give them space to showcase their best work. Set across 11 acres, we are London’s favourite meeting spot, with restaurants, bars, street food markets and dramatic riverside views. We believe in the power of great art and culture to bring people together, and add something amazing to your life. We work hard to bring unbeatable cultural experiences to new audiences – especially those who’ve always felt excluded from the arts. Through music, performance, art and events, we take you out of the everyday, every day. The Southbank Centre is made up of the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Hayward Gallery, National Poetry Library and Arts Council Collection. We are home to eight Resident and Associate Orchestras: the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Aurora Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra and National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. Our creative learning and participation activities help everyone express their creativity and explore their potential. Did you know that we are a registered charity? We’re also a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England, which means that we are one of the leading organisations in our field.

This venue has a Detailed Access Guide from AccessAble, created following an in person assessment. Please see the link in the Accessibility Guide section below.

Accessibility

We welcome everyone and want our site to be available to all. We are working hard to remove barriers so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible. All ticket offices, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants across the site. We have excellent public transport links with step-free access. More information can be found on our website here: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/visit/facilities-access

Accessibility Guide

Accessibility Guide Link: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/visitor-info/access

Access Statement

Access Statement Link: https://www.accessable.co.uk/searches?query=&location_query=South+bank+centre&g-recaptcha-response=&commit=Search

Accessible Performances

We are making more and more events accessible to a wider audience through a range of assisted formats: British Sign Language interpretation, Speech-to-Text transcription, Audio Description, Captioning and pre-event Touch Tours. We are also introducing more Relaxed Performances, suitable particularly for people with autistic spectrum conditions, sensory and communication disorders and learning disabilities. They take a more casual approach to event etiquette and ask people to be aware of their fellow audience members who may need to move more or make involuntary noises. The Southbank Centre is committed to offering access to performance services such as British Sign Language interpreters, captioning, audio description and relaxed performances. We are working very hard with event promoters to provide these services if required. For some events we have programmed in assisted performances. We aim to provide access upon request to our visitors who require an accessible provision to be put in place for them to be able to attend a performance but this will be subject to the request being made within a reasonable timeframe (minimum six weeks before the event date), financial resource, and approval from the events promoter. Please contact us if you require this service and we’ll do all we reasonably can to help. We aim to make hearing enhancement available at all live performances.

Awards List

Southbank Centre is proud to have been awarded Gold by Attitude is Everything on their Charter for Best Practice, for demonstrating continued commitment to accessibility for deaf and disabled people. Attitude is Everything assist the music industry to understand the requirements of deaf and disabled people at music venues and festivals. The ethos of the Charter is that deaf and disabled people should be as independent as they want to be at live music events.

Toilets

A Changing Places toilet is located on Level 1, Royal Festival Hall, next to the JCB Glass Lift, for the exclusive use of disabled people who need personal assistance to use the toilet. The key for this room is available from the Welcome Desk, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall. The facility includes a height-adjustable bench, tracking hoist system, a centrally-placed toilet, a height-adjustable basin and a shower. For health and safety reasons we do not provide slings. Visitors are asked to bring their own which should be compatible with the loop system. The maximum weight for the hoist and the height adjustable bench is 200kg. The facility is open: Monday & Tuesday, 10am – 6pm** Wednesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm **On event days, the Royal Festival Hall building remains open until the end of the event. Southbank Centre welcomes children and families throughout the year and provides world-class facilities to make your visit an enjoyable one. The site is fully accessible to pushchairs and wheelchair users. All our venues have public toilets with wheelchair access and baby changing facilities.

Staff

If you have any concerns or need assistance while you visit us, please contact any member of staff and they will help you or contact a Duty Manager. For visitors with prams, buggies and wheelchairs, or requiring step-free access to Level 1 spaces please go to the Welcome Desk on Level 2, Royal Festival Hall, where our Visitor Experience team is happy to assist you. Assistance is available for blind and visually impaired visitors, including guiding and narration. Phone or email our access team to find out more. Assistance dogs are welcome. Sound enhancement systems are available in all our venues. Please ask for a Ticketing Duty Manager if you require one (subject to availability). Strobe lighting is rarely used in performances. We will put warning signs on auditorium entry doors of any event where it is used. Wheelchairs are available for visitors by visiting the Artists' Entrance when you arrive (subject to availability). Talk to a member of staff at the auditorium entrance if you have a disability that means you can’t queue, or you need extra time to take your seat. They can arrange priority entry for you as soon as the doors open. We welcome visitors who need to bring medicines, food or soft drinks to manage a medical condition, or medical equipment.