We had a great time today on the underground with some iconic stage characters, celebrating the launch of a new part of the Mayor Of London’s Let’s Do London campaign, encouraging Londoners to discover their city’s unique attractions and culture, with a huge range of free and discounted events.
We’ve teamed up with the Mayor’s team and Transport for London to promote Kids Week; our annual initiative where kids go free all throughout August. Children aged 17 and under can see a London theatre show for free when accompanied by a full paying adult! There are loads of shows included in the offer, including & Juliet, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Horrible Histories: Terrible Tudors, Wicked and Grease the Musical.
We’ve released hundreds of new tickets over the last few days, for shows including Mary Poppins, Frozen, The Lion King, Beauty And The Beast, Life Of Pi, Witness For The Prosecution and Dear Evan Hansen, and are adding more seats and performances all the time. Grab your tickets through the link below.
Also included in the free activities and events that Londoners can enjoy this summer are This Bright Land, a new cultural festival at Somerset House, a series of performances at the National Theatre’s River Stage on the Southbank, the Back to Earth exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery responding to the climate emergency, and the return of the world-famous Notting Hill Carnival. Trafalgar Square continues to host an official UEFA ‘Fan Party’ in celebration of the Women’s EURO 2022 championship, featuring a packed programme of free activities, including an FA Disability Day today, and a free screening of the final on Sunday.
There are free events in every London borough this summer, with the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture Lewisham offering a carnival refresher community party day in Deptford and an afternoon in Forest Hill celebrating 21st century South Asian music. The Mayor’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm also presents London Unseen – a free season of trails and tours that celebrate the many incredible histories of the city.
Sadiq has partnered with Art Fund to offer access to museums and galleries this summer, many of which are free to enter. A special three-month National Art Pass has been launched to provide free or reduced-price entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:
“As the school summer holidays have begun, I know there is an extra financial burden on already stretched parents to keep their families entertained. That’s why it’s so important that everyone knows that there are free and affordable events to enjoy all across our capital.
“I’m proud to build on the success of my Let’s Do London campaign to promote this wide range of activities and encourage more Londoners to make the most of our city as we continue to build a better London for everyone.
“There is so much to love in our capital, and I want everyone to have a chance to enjoy what’s on their doorstep.”
Eleanor Lloyd, President of the Society of London Theatre, said:
“We are delighted that Kids Week, our much-loved and longstanding audience development initiative, is part of the Mayor’s Let’s Do London campaign – with theatres throwing open their doors to families this summer and giving them the chance to experience top West End shows for less. We are proud to team up with TfL, encouraging Londoners to take advantage of our incredible public transport network to access world-class culture and entertainment.”
Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre, said:
“We’re delighted to return with River Stage this summer, the National Theatre’s free outdoor arts festival, for the first time since 2019. Over five weekends in July and August, River Stage invites leading cultural organisations from across the capital and beyond to take over the stage, with music and dance performances, comedy, live streamed theatre, and activities for the whole family. This weekend, we welcome the Hackney Empire Young Producers, who have curated a special weekend by young people, for young people. They are supported by the NT’s Young Technicians, working with the River Stage production team behind the scenes, as part of the NT’s flagship technical training programme.”