East Bank’s Music is Black Festival Brings Eight Months of Black British Sound, Dance, and Fashion to Stratford Waterfront
From V&A East’s sprawling exhibition on 125 years of Black music in Britain to Sadler’s Wells East social dance weekends, London College of Fashion’s Resonant Matter show, and BBC’s visual mixtape, East Bank at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park turns Stratford into a hub of performance, history, and community. The festival runs April to November 2026, with four live-music weekends between June and September.
The Music is Black Festival is East Bank’s first major season, spanning eight months of live music, talks, screenings, dance events, club nights, and exhibitions. It’s a showcase of Black British creativity across five partner institutions: V&A East, BBC Music Studios, London College of Fashion, UAL, Sadler’s Wells East, and UCL East.
The festival pulls together east London’s creative scene with world-class programming. V&A East anchors the festival with The Music is Black: A British Story, tracing 125 years of Black music-making across continents. Visitors can explore decades of excellence, struggle, and innovation, from jazz and reggae to grime and UK garage.
East Bank is London’s newest cultural quarter, home to BBC Music Studios, V&A East, London College of Fashion, UCL East, and Sadler’s Wells East, right on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park waterfront. It’s designed as a living, working hub, blending education, performance, and community engagement. Beyond the festival, East Bank is building a pipeline into creative industries, offering training, mentorship, and work opportunities for local talent.
What to See and Do
1. Live Music Weekends
Four free-to-attend weekends at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park feature internationally acclaimed artists and emerging talent. Each weekend is curated around different Black British music genres, with Saturday family social dances and evening club nights, and Sunday DJ sessions open to all. Dates:
- 13–14 June
- 11–12 July
- 22–23 August
- 12–13 September
2. V&A East Exhibition
Spanning four continents and twelve decades, this is the festival’s foundation. It charts Black British music’s journey and its influence on global culture.
3. BBC Content Hub
The BBC creates an online visual mixtape and festival programming, spotlighting a century of Black British music and its cultural impact.
4. Sadler’s Wells East
Four choreographer-curated weekends explore social dance traditions in Britain. Family-friendly events, club nights, and new commissions make it a space for both performance and participation.
5. London College of Fashion, UAL
The Resonant Matter exhibition (14 April–14 June) examines how music and fashion intersect in London’s underground culture. From pirate radio and street protests to sound-system culture and club nights, the show traces fashion’s role in shaping identity and scene.
6. UCL Talks and Screenings
Dr. Clive Chijioke Nwonka curates a series of events exploring Black British music’s impact on sport, film, fashion, and wider UK culture.
Must-Know Details
- Festival dates: April–November 2026
- Four live-music weekends: June–September 2026
- Locations: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Sadler’s Wells East, V&A East, London College of Fashion, UCL East
- All festival content and updates on the Bloomberg Connects app
Full program listings and ticketing details are online: The Music is Black Festival
Elena Leo is the Culture & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
