Somerset House

Somerset House The Home of Cultural Innovators: we're home to the UK’s largest and most exciting creative community including Somerset House Studios.
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Built on historic foundations, we are situated in the very heart of the capital. Dedicated to backing newness, championing openness, nurturing creativity and empowering ideas, our cultural programme is ambitious in scope. We insist on relevance, but aren’t afraid of irreverence, and are as keen on entertainment as enrichment. We embrace the biggest issues of our times but are equally committed to

the delicate task of oxygenating new work by emerging artists. Where else can you spend an hour ice-skating while listening to a specially commissioned sound piece by a cutting edge artist? It is this creative tension—the way we harness our heritage, put the too-often overlooked on our central stage and use our neo-classical backdrop to showcase groundbreaking contemporary culture—that inspires our programme. Old and new, history and disruption, art and entertainment, high-tech and homemade, combined with the fact that we are home to a constantly shape-shifting working creative community: this is our point of difference. It is what we are proud of. And it is what makes the experience of visiting or working in Somerset House inspiring and energizing, urgent and exciting.

Join us for our July Upgrade Yourself Monthly with Somerset House Residents Dialled In, who will unpack what it means to...
09/06/2026

Join us for our July Upgrade Yourself Monthly with Somerset House Residents Dialled In, who will unpack what it means to programme with cultural specificity rather than broad appeal. The music platform comes fresh off their 5th birthday festival takeover which boasted a curation from tabla players to international DJs, all championing the breadth of South Asian creativity.

Programming with Intention is a hands-on session exploring how to build events with purpose: curating line-ups that reflect a point of view, sequencing energy across a night, and making deliberate choices about who shares a stage and why. Whether you're putting on your first night or rethinking your tenth, this is about moving from reactive booking to intentional world-building.

🍹 Free drinks & food from Butch Salads
📅 For 18–30-year-olds only
⏰ Sign-ups close 10am Tues 16 June

08/06/2026

Legendary psych-rock pioneers bring their euphoric, visually spectacular live show to Somerset House Summer Series with . Book now for a truly mind-bending live experience.

🎤 Sat 25 Jul 2026 | Doors 7:30pm
🎟️ Tickets via link in bio

Holy Pop! A celebration of the icons, objects and obsessions that shape pop culture, and the fans who keep them alive.Ha...
06/06/2026

Holy Pop!

A celebration of the icons, objects and obsessions that shape pop culture, and the fans who keep them alive.

Have you visited yet?

📸: David Parry

04/06/2026

take to the Summer Series stage with their boundary-pushing blend of post-rock, chamber pop and experimental songwriting. Catch one of the most exciting live bands around this summer.

🎤 Wed 22 Jul 2026 | Doors 7:30pm
🎟️ Tickets for Summer Series with via link in bio

03/06/2026

Hear from , one half of artist duo Athen & Nina about their latest artwork, Dream Girl 2, which can be found in Holy Pop! curated by - now open at Somerset House.

02/06/2026

celebrate 35 years of era-defining anthems with a headline set packed full of indie-pop classics. Expect an afternoon full of nostalgia and singalong moments under the summer sun.

🎤 Sun 19 Jul 2026 | Doors 2:30pm
🎟️ Tickets for Summer Series with via link in bio

June at Somerset House → This month, explore a vibrant programme of exhibitions, events, tours, hands-on workshops, and ...
01/06/2026

June at Somerset House → This month, explore a vibrant programme of exhibitions, events, tours, hands-on workshops, and activities for all ages.

👉 Swipe through the highlights and tap the link in bio for full events programme

📸: Tania Dolver, .coulston

Step Inside, Think Outside

30/05/2026

brings her hauntingly beautiful chamber pop and cinematic soundscapes to the Somerset House courtyard for a spellbinding headline performance. Don’t miss an evening of atmospheric, immersive live music under the summer sky.

🎤 Tue 21 Jul 2026 | Doors 7:30pm
🎟️ Tickets for Summer Series with via link in bio

The fountains in the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court are currently switched off due to a large build taking place in the ...
29/05/2026

The fountains in the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court are currently switched off due to a large build taking place in the courtyard, they are due to return on Tues 2 Jun.

From fan devotion to modern-day shrines - Holy Pop! explores the objects, obsessions and icons that shape collective mem...
28/05/2026

From fan devotion to modern-day shrines - Holy Pop! explores the objects, obsessions and icons that shape collective memory. A love letter to pop culture and the people who give it meaning.

Is your favourite featured? ✨

📸: David Parry

27/05/2026

Indie rock favourites bring their raw energy, sharp hooks and heart-on-sleeve songwriting to Somerset House Summer Series with . A rare chance to catch one of Britain’s most enduring indie bands live.

🎤 Mon 20 Jul 2026 | Doors 7:30pm
🎟️ Tickets via link in bio

26/05/2026

What does devotion look like in the 21st century?

Our latest film I Adore You explores the spiritual power of everyday objects through intimate portraits of fan devotion, memory and ritual, from Dolly Parton collections to Prince memorabilia and Nina Simone relics.

Featuring , , , and Emma Hart. Watch the full film on Channel via the link in our bio, and visit Holy Pop, curated by at Somerset House, open now.

HOLY POP! is here 💫Opening today, our new exhibition curated by explores the modern shrines we create for the icons we ...
21/05/2026

HOLY POP! is here 💫

Opening today, our new exhibition curated by explores the modern shrines we create for the icons we adore.

From Prince and Diana, Princess of Wales to Nina Simone and Dobby the Elf, discover intimate altars, treasured objects, public memorials and personal acts of devotion that reveal the sacred side of pop culture.

📅 21 May – 9 Aug 2026
📍 Somerset House
🎟️ Tickets via link in bio
📸 David Parry

20/05/2026

What does it take to build a sustainable creative practice? 🧵

In this episode of Making It, artist Nicole Chui () reflects on imposter syndrome, quiet confidence, and building community through her textile practice - using football shirts, embroidery and tapestry to explore identity and belonging.

Joined by presenter Jonelle Awomoji () at OOF Gallery in North London, Nicole shares the realities of a non-linear creative career and why consistency, confidence and community matter most.

Watch the full Making It film via the link in bio 🎥

What might seem like an ordinary object becomes sacred through memory and belief.In Nina Simone’s Gum (1999), musician a...
18/05/2026

What might seem like an ordinary object becomes sacred through memory and belief.

In Nina Simone’s Gum (1999), musician and writer Warren Ellis reflects on devotion, grief and the meaning we attach to objects. After witnessing Nina Simone’s final UK performance at the Meltdown Festival, Ellis climbed onto the stage and kept the gum Simone had been chewing before the show began.

Displayed like a holy relic, the gum becomes a vessel for creativity, connection and collective memory - a reminder of the rituals and emotions we project onto the figures who move us most.

An exhibition curated by exploring the modern shrines we create for the icons we adore. HOLY POP! opens this Thursday 💫

📅 21 May – 9 Aug 2026
📍 Somerset House
🎟️ Tickets via link in bio

Britney Spears remains an enduring icon. Once framed as the perfect pop star, later through narratives of vulnerability,...
16/05/2026

Britney Spears remains an enduring icon. Once framed as the perfect pop star, later through narratives of vulnerability, control and resilience, and still revered, almost deified, by fans today.
coulston’s practice transforms familiar pop references into objects that feel immediate and almost sacred. In Notice me…take my hand (2025), snakes wrap a ceramic form referencing Britney’s 2001 MTV VMAs performance of “I’m a Slave 4 U”, exploring transformation and rebirth.

For Coulston, Britney becomes a modern goddess, a figure of devotion embedded in shared cultural memory.

An exhibition curated by exploring the modern shrines we create for the icons we adore. Come and explore this and more at HOLY POP! 💫

📅 21 May – 9 Aug 2026
📍 Somerset House
🎟️ Tickets via link in bio

16/05/2026

Last chance to visit before it closes tomorrow!

14/05/2026

is officially open! Come and explore six centuries of print making and take home something special, on until this Sunday 17th May.

Join us for our June Upgrade Yourself Monthly and explore poetry as a creative and professional practice with Forward Ar...
12/05/2026

Join us for our June Upgrade Yourself Monthly and explore poetry as a creative and professional practice with Forward Arts Foundation (@
forwardprizes), the national charity behind National Poetry Day and the Forward Prizes for Poetry.

Join Mónica Ibarra Parle and Lucy Macnab, Co-Directors of Forward Arts Foundation, as they share insights into today’s poetry ecosystem - from writing and performance to the wider networks that bring the artform to life. They’ll offer practical guidance on developing a poetic voice, engaging audiences, and finding pathways into the creative industries.

🍹 Free drinks & food from Butch Salads
📅 For 18–30-year-olds only
⏰ Sign-ups close 10am Tues 19 May

Opening this week, is one not to miss, experience six centuries of printmaking spanning historic works to contemporary ...
11/05/2026

Opening this week, is one not to miss, experience six centuries of printmaking spanning historic works to contemporary editions from leading galleries, publishers and artists from around the world.

Tickets available now via the link in our bio 🔗📸: Harland Miller & Manifold Editions: Emily Thomas

07/05/2026

Only one week to go!

The countdown is on for at Somerset House (14–17 May). Hear from Fair Directors Helen Rosslyn and Alice St Clair as they share what to expect from this year’s edition. Expect six centuries of printmaking, leading galleries, publishers and artists, plus a standout programme of talks, events and maybe even a few surprises 🤫

Tickets via the link in bio 🔗

HOLY POP! is coming.An exhibition curated by exploring the modern shrines we create for the icons we adore. Come and ex...
04/05/2026

HOLY POP! is coming.

An exhibition curated by exploring the modern shrines we create for the icons we adore. Come and explore the sacred side of pop culture. 💫

📅 21 May – 9 Aug 2026
📍 Somerset House
🎟️ Tickets via link in bio

Step Inside, Think Outside

02/05/2026

Don't miss the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition this Bank Holiday weekend!

There are 300+ images to explore which span across documentary, wildlife, portraiture, architecture, sport and still life. Come and discover the very best of photography today!

Plus, exhibition visitors can enjoy exclusive offers at a selection of local cafés and restaurants, including Aram, Setlist, Café Petiole, WatchHouse and many more - a perfect way to round off your visit.

Open until 4 May. Tickets via link in bio 🔗

May at Somerset House → This month, explore a vibrant programme of exhibitions, events, tours, hands-on workshops, and a...
01/05/2026

May at Somerset House → This month, explore a vibrant programme of exhibitions, events, tours, hands-on workshops, and activities for all ages.

👉 Swipe through the highlights and tap the link in bio for full events programme

📸: London Original Print Fair - Hales Gallery: Ken Kiff

Step Inside, Think Outside

The countdown is on... just two weeks to go until London Original Print Fair returns to Somerset House.Join us from 14–1...
30/04/2026

The countdown is on... just two weeks to go until London Original Print Fair returns to Somerset House.

Join us from 14–17 May for the 41st edition, bringing together leading galleries, publishers and artists from around the world. Discover five centuries of printmaking - from historic works to contemporary editions - alongside a curated programme of talks and events.

Tickets available now via the link in our bio 🔗

📸: North London Printmakers: Teresa Schippel Hales, Hepworth Wakefield, Hales Gallery: Ken Kiff

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