One of three performance spaces in the famous Southbank Centre – alongside Royal Festival Hall and the Purcell Room – Queen Elizabeth Hall first opened in 1967 with a concert hosted by Benjamin Britten. In the years since, the mid-size venue has become a world-class hub for London culture, arts and tourism. It is known for welcoming a variety of performance and live events, including classical music, avant-garde work, conferences and theatre.
The venue’s exterior shares the Brutalist design of the Southbank Centre at large, along with its neighbours, the National Theatre and BFI. In keeping with the area’s artistic and youthful atmosphere, Queen Elizabeth Hall has even become an unlikely hit for skateboarders; the foyer’s undercroft has been a popular outdoor spot for skaters, graffiti artists and street photographers since the 1970s.
In 2018, Queen Elizabeth Hall re-opened after three years of redevelopment under the “Let the Light In” campaign, overseen by architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and with funding from Arts Council England. Visitors to the Hall are able to enjoy a wide range of on-site bars, cafes, restaurants, and seasonal markets across the wider Southbank Centre complex.
