Bold Tendencies

Bold Tendencies is pleased to announce its 20th Anniversary Season Euphoria 15 May – 12 September 2026 The longing to transcend oneself – if only for a brief moment – is and has always been a constitutional ache of the human heart. To rush headlong into sensations, feelings and fancies that eclipse the carceral routine of selfhood and self-interest, to glimpse into the embers of a warm and enveloping sublime. Euphoria, an oozy yearn, a bliss-ache, a trembly effervescence that feels like champagne for blood. Gathering its 2026 Artistic Programme under the utopian impulse of Euphoria, Bold Tendencies explores the high-crests of human emotion as both personal and social force, reaching from nostalgic memories of subtle bliss to full-blown mystical rapture, asserting the possibility of something other: not as a retreat from the world but as a mode of being and being-together that is free, uncompromising and insistently alive. Visual Arts commissions by: Andreas Gursky Emma Hart Athen Kardashian & Nina Mhach Durban Tarek Lakhrissi Louis Morlæ Live Events programme of: Monumental Orchestral & Choral Forces Leading Composers & Choreographers International Soloists & Conductors Celebrated Writers & Translators Acclaimed Cultural Critics & Thinkers and The Listening Room Creative Learning initiatives offering: A Place to Meet, Play & Enjoy Proximity to Creativity Transformative Experiences Skills and Professional Development with Frank’s Cafe serving seasonal food and drinks everyday. @frankspeckham Live Events Tickets & Listings on sale Wednesday 15 April. Bold Tendencies 2026 is supported by Art Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Fluxus Art Projects, Hauser & Wirth, Henry Moore Foundation, Mila Charitable Organisation, Southwark Council and Wavendon Foundation. With special thanks to the Euphoria 2026 Founding Friends & 2026 Commissioning Circles. In partnership with Cass Art, Hallett Independent, Southby Productions, Steinway & Sons, and Frank’s Cafe. Anniversary Design Loren Tsang @lorentsang Original photography by Dan John Lloyd

Open and ready to welcome you! Our 20th anniversary season of art, family days, spectacular views, food & sunset drinks and live events. 15 May – 12 September 2026 Free entry Wednesday – Sunday 11am – 11pm Find everything you need to plan a visit - tours, access, menus, tickets, creative learning - at link in bio. 💞 Photography: Alex Kurunis Anniversary Design: Loren Tsang

Less than a month away from reopening for the 20th summer season! Frank’s Cafe was Bold Tendencies’ inaugural architecture project first constructed in 2009, designed by Practice Architecture (Paloma Gormley and Lettice Drake with Henry Stringer) Frank’s returns each season with new food & drinks menus focussing on quality & simplicity. Well loved for its classic & signature cocktails and seasonal dishes, Frank’s has been a staple part of Bold Tendencies for the last 18 years. The timber structure is lashed to the rooftop with twelve 50 metre-long ratchet straps, which support the red canopy. The wooden beams and tarpaulin roof are completely collapsible; out of season, the cafe’s infrastructure is de-rigged and packed down. The structure was built using reclaimed scaffolding boards; its roof is constructed from lorry-siding. @practicearchitectureuk Photos over the years: Dan John Lloyd (1), Chris Raymond (2), Paloma Gormley (3-4), Oskar Proctor (5-9), Richard Bryant (10, 13), Joao Nauman (11), Ben Blossom (12), Andy Matthews (14), Joe Howard (15, 16)

OPEN CALL: COME AND SING WITH US! The Bold Chorus is returning this summer as part of our 20th anniversary season at Bold Tendencies! After two sold-out performances and an incredible response last year, Garland by visionary composer Oliver Leith returns: Thursday 11 June 11:00–18:30 Rehearsals Friday 12 June 12:30–20:30 Rehearsals & Performance 1 Saturday 13 June 17:30–20:30 Performance 2 We’re inviting returning singers and new voices to join the Bold Chorus - to sing, move, and gather in a shared act of communion as part of a large-scale live performance. The Bold Chorus will once again be led by Oli Kitching, a dynamic conductor, singer and facilitator known for their inclusive and inspiring work across the UK, alongside assistant conductor Tristan Weymes, an award-winning conductor, singer, organist and arranger. No experience needed! Just curiosity and a willingness to take part. The performance involves physical movement across the site. We are committed to supporting access needs and have adaptations to support where possible. 🥪 Lunch and refreshments will be provided, and all participants will receive a complimentary guest ticket to one of the performances. 📩 Interested? Sign up via link in bio or email [email protected] Photography: Dan John Lloyd

Our annual Creative Learning Pre-Season Gathering brought together familiar and new faces - local community leaders, teachers & youth workers. It was a chance to get a first look at our 2026 programme, connect across the borough, and explore what’s coming up… ✨ Dance workshops and live performance opportunities ✨ Hands-on making from flags to large-scale sculpture ✨ Sound, rhythm and deep listening experiences ✨ Large mural-making ✨ Artist talks & Backstage Sessions ✨ A free summer programme for young people ✨ Space to test ideas, spark conversation, and create together We also shared insights from our annual Listening Activity with local partners, helping shape and inform this year’s programme - plus time to sign up and express interest in what’s ahead. All Creative Learning initiatives are FREE and prioritise groups within a 1-mile radius and across Southwark. Get involved by filling out the expression of interest form via linktree in bio 🔗 Or get in touch at [email protected] 💌

Collaged dreams, future cities, mini utopias and old school games… Our Creative Workshops are free, hands-on sessions shaped by process, play, and experimentation. Each workshop responds to the site, artworks, and programme themes, adapting to the interests and needs of each group. Activities span collage, creative writing, sculpture building, drawing, and game based learning. Workshops take place on-site or off-site and explore themes such as Deja Vu Dreams (memory and imagination), Skyline Stories (cityscapes inspiring narrative and visual storytelling), Making Miniatures (small-scale creation through tactile play), and All Around Agora (collaborative movement, shared space, and co-creation). We’re currently in the process of shaping next year’s Euphoria workshop… keep an eye on this space! Alongside workshops, flexible and tailored tours for visiting groups create space for discussion, reflection, and deeper interpretation of the artworks. These tours help break down barriers and build confidence in engaging with contemporary art. “I enjoyed drawing because I could escape from the blandness of London and make it my own”  - Year 4 Pupil, Lyndhurst Primary School, 2025  2025 Creative Learning materials were kindly sponsored by CASS Art.  @cassart1984

In September, a Steinway Model D made an unforgettable climb to the rooftop of @boldtendencies in Peckham — pushed level by level up the car park ramps to create a concert stage like no other. That night made UK history: all four Rachmaninoff concerti performed in one sitting for the very first time. Through conversations with the Bold Tendencies team, we explored their ethos — bold ideas, emerging talent, and reimagining where classical music can live. Each soloist, part of a new generation of exceptional artists, shared the thrill of performing Rachmaninoff on a Steinway — the piano he chose, loved, and trusted. A celebration of innovation, artistry, and music transforming unexpected spaces. @jenebakannehmason @junyanchenpianist @ryanwangpianist @bgiltburg @philharmonia_orchestra @c_corderoy_conductor #Steinway #SteinwayUK #BoldTendencies #Rachmaninoff #Concerti #PianoArtistry #ClassicalMusicToday #InnovationInMusic #SteinwayAndSons #LivePerformance #YoungArtists #MusicInLondon

Bold Family Days! Fun filled Sundays of creative activities, play and free ice cream🍦 This year we had our biggest turn out yet with over 300 families taking part. Our free, drop-in events offered playful, intergenerational activities to encourage open play and free making for both children and adults. Our Creative Learning Facilitators and Engagement Assistants led site-specific workshops on Flag Making, Making Miniatures, Skyline Stories and Déjà Vu Dreams alongside a sensory and large-scale free drawing space. 🎨 Delicious free ice cream was provided by Franks Cafe. @frankspeckham 📸 @danjohnlloyd

Free hot drinks, cakes and refreshments, meeting people, and seeing art?  The second year of our Community Coffee Morning in partnership with Pecan, local community development charity, was full of warmth, community and tasty treats kindly provided by Franks Cafe and donations from Rose Morgan, Morrisons Community Champion. Community Coffee mornings are a social space for local community groups, offering a tour of the visual arts commissions on site followed by free tea, coffee and refreshments. In collaboration with Pecan, we gave talks about both organisations, followed by a tour of the Visual Art commissions by Engagement Assistant Dipo and Creative Learning Coordinator Taaz. We hope to continue this collaboration and grown relationship with the wonderful Pecan charity, showing the impact of consistency and working together.  For more info about the great work that Pecan does in Peckham supporting local residents visit: @pecan121a @morrisons 📸 @danjohnlloyd

‘The access to live music and musicians cannot be underestimated.’ - Teacher, St John’s and St Clement’s Primary School, 2025 What a season it has been, full of dancing, singing, performing, listening and composing!  This year’s Backstage Pass sessions included: - A rhythm and repetitions session on the marimbas with Colin Currie for SEND families A movement and suspense workshop with Eve Stainton and NHS Queer Mind - A Bach-inspired session with Sheku Kanneh-Mason for Y6 students - An experimental sound synthesis workshop on the Moog Lab, led by Finlay Shakespeare with Peckham Digital’s youth programme We also hosted two Public Rehearsals: - JS Bach’s Goldberg Variations with Jean Rondeau - Rachmaninoff’s Complete Piano Concertos with Ryan Wang, Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, Boris Giltburg, Junyan Chen, and the Philharmonia Orchestra Public Rehearsals are open invitations to see the rehearsal process of world class musicians in a relaxed and informal atmosphere in day time hours.  2025 Backstage Pass sessions were supported by The Mila Charitable Trust. ‘This experience gave me joy as it showed my inner melody and helped me expand my knowledge of music.’ - Year 6 Pupil, St James the Great School, Backstage Pass with Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 2025 @colincurrieperc @evestainton @shekukannehmason @jenebakannehmason @ryanwangpianist @bgiltburg @junyanchenpianist @c_corderoy_conductor @finlayshakespeare @peckhamdigital @jeanrondeau.official Photography by @danjohnlloyd

Looking back at our 2025 Ask the Artist sessions!  This year we had the pleasure of hosting conversations with Emii Alrai, Mac Collins and Raheel Khan as part of our Ask the Artist programme, sharing their insights, stories and creative journeys. Ask the Artist sessions mobilise the inspiring artists commissioned by Bold Tendencies. The session opens up pathways for those who may be considering a career in the arts, or those interested in the life and work of an artist, creating a space for conversation, critical thinking and exchange, suited to a variety of audiences.  In partnership with Da’aro Youth, a youth organisation supporting young asylum seekers and refugees from the horn of Africa, and the Neurodiversity Hub, a grassroots charity supporting families and young people with neurodiversity, we explored themes like imagining objects for a future museum, fragments of identities and soundscapes of ourselves.  Thank you to everyone who joined us and to the brilliant artists who shared their time and insights. “I really enjoyed exploring sound more intentionally and learning about Raheel’s creativity. Thank you for reminding me of the sounds I love.” - Young Person, Ask the Artist with Raheel Khan, 2025 @daaroyouth @neurodiversity_family_hub @maccollins__ @emiialrai @raheelkhan____ Photography by @danjohnlloyd

It takes a village!! Huge thank you to our amazing seasonal team whose dedication, creativity, and care were essential to the success of this year’s programme. Each year, we offer paid entry-level roles as part of our commitment to building talent pipelines and nurturing early career creatives. This year, we were delighted to welcome four brilliant Engagement Assistants, Akif Rahman, Dipo Alao-Odeleye, Trish Chlipala and Noah Findlay. We are equally proud to have, returning, our two Creative Learning Facilitators, Esme Wedderburn and Alfiah Jade Brown, whose care, creativity, and practices in poetry, theatre and illustration bring fresh ideas and energy to the programme. Through the 10,000 Interns Foundation, we were joined by the wonderful Taaz Hassan as our Creative Learning Coordinator, supporting logistics, developing SEND resources, and helping steer a busy programme with clarity and care. These roles have evolved over time and we aim for them to reflect our commitment to creating meaningful, working opportunities that support professional development, diversify the sector, and help bring our mission to life. We’re grateful to the artists and organisations who took part in the 2025 paid professional development days, giving our team invaluable insight into the culture world: Frank Bowling Studio, Michaela Yearwood-Dan at Hauser & Wirth, Sadie Coles HQ, Rathbone Institute, Arcadia Missa, Rose Easton, Neven Gallery, The Approach, and South London Gallery. Thank you all – for the work, the energy, and the care. Professional Development Days are supported by Hauser & Wirth. @10000blackinterns @frankbowlingstudio @artistandgal @hauserwirth @sadiecoleshq @rathbone_institute @arcadiamissa @roseeaston223 @nevengallery @approachgallery @southlondongallery @alfiahjade @akif.ur @trishchlipala @werrkfarmer @iheartaaz @violetbee Photography by @danjohnlloyd