A major new addition to London’s international cultural calendar for 2026, The Music is Black Festival from East Bank at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park encompasses an eight-month season of events celebrating Black British music.
Between June and September, four specially programmed summer weekends of live music and performance, each responding to a different theme, take place across two stages in the Park (The Waterfront Stage and Mid Terrace). Meanwhile, with The Dance Floor Is Black, Sadler’s Wells East (The Dance Floor) becomes the third stage and social dance hub for the festival with choreographer-curated nights and family activity in the daytime.
The Music is Ours: Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June
Curated by Footsie and The King Original Soundsystem, YolanDa Brown OBE DL, Soul Mama, My Runway Group and Kloé Dean
Power and Respect: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 July
Curated by Jamz Supernova, BORN N BREAD, Yazmin Lacey, TYSON and Jade Hackett
Queer Frequencies: Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August
Curated by Shy One, Donnie Sunshine, Mark-Ashley Dupé, Joel Mignott and Zinzi Minott
Black to the Future: Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September
Curated by FLOHIO, The Blues Project and Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe
Inspired by V&A East Museum’s inaugural exhibition ‘The Music is Black: A British Story’, the four weekends of live music and performance are built to reflect the breadth and depth of the impact made by Black music. The programme spans a wide range of genres, designed to engage London’s diverse audiences and communities.
“This year, East Bank truly comes alive. After more than 25 years working in the arts, I remain continually inspired by the spirit of collaboration that defines our sector and especially by the scale and ambition of what East Bank has achieved. Building on a rich tapestry of partnership and creativity, we have brought together major institutions with a shared commitment to engaging communities and reimagining how we tell our collective stories from multiple perspectives. The result is the launch of the new Festival from East Bank. In its inaugural year, the festival celebrates Black British music, marking not only a landmark cultural moment but also a powerful statement of East Bank’s commitment to collaboration, representation, and shared storytelling.”
– Tamsin Ace, director of East Bank
“British music wouldn’t be where it is today without Black artists. They are the originators, and it is in such an exciting place right now. The four Festival weekends showcase an entire kaleidoscope of Black music. Our curators represent all corners of sound and I’d love people to come away feeling like they’ve experienced something bold that has never been presented in this way before, because we are cooking something really special for everyone.”
– Gillian Jackson, lead curator
East Bank represents the biggest ever cultural investment by the Mayor of London – where creativity, innovation and learning come together to inspire the city and unlock opportunities for local young people.
“The Music is Black Festival is a wonderful demonstration of how East Bank is bringing together some of our country’s top institutions to inspire generations to come. It pays tribute to the huge influence Black music has had on shaping modern British identity through music, fashion and culture. Across four weekends, the festival will fill Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with fantastic music, culture and creativity for Londoners and visitors to enjoy, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”
– Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries
The Music is Black Festival is the first festival devoted to spotlighting the creativity, collaboration and community that define East Bank’s partnerships with local people and organisations across east London.
“The Dance Floor is Black is a chance for people to come and celebrate through social dance at Sadler’s Wells East. We’ve intentionally made sure that there are multiple ways in for communities to gather with offers for families, people who prefer a gentler day party, and for those who like to go into the night. I’ve picked these four choreographers because I believe they are part of the next wave of Black British talent who are pushing the artform forward whilst being extremely clear on who they are and where they come from, each responding to the culture in distinct and resonant fashion. Collaborating with these artists has been thrilling. They are not just co-curating but creating original works that respond to the themes of the festival. They’ve each created extremely special environments that bring art forms together on The Dance Floor, welcoming communities into a space of reverence celebrating Black British culture now.”
– Rob Jones, associate artistic director, Sadler’s Wells
The open-air festival weekends are free to attend. Registration is optional from Wednesday, 6 May via Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s website: queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/themusicisblackfestival
Bloomberg Connects is the official digital guide for East Bank and the East Bank Festival. Find all East Bank content with behind-the-scenes insights on the Bloomberg Connects app.
1: The Music is Ours (13–14 June)
A ‘block party’ in the birthplace of Grime, honouring east London’s Soundsystem legacy
