On February 9, 2026, the Southbank Centre found itself at the heart of two major cultural milestones, each shaping the future of London’s most iconic arts complex in its own way. The first was a long-awaited recognition: Historic England confirmed that, on its advice, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) had officially granted Grade II listing to the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Hayward Gallery, and the terraced walkways and stairs that wind through the riverside site. The second was a forward-looking initiative: the launch of Crescendo, a partnership with TikTok designed to nurture the next generation of classical music content creators, marking the centre’s 75th anniversary with a bold step into the digital age.
The Grade II listing, announced after years of heated debate and persistent campaigning, marks a turning point for the Southbank Centre—a complex that has provoked strong emotions since it first opened its doors in 1967. According to Architects’ Journal, the Twentieth Century Society, which spearheaded the latest push for heritage protection early in 2025, hailed the decision as a “victory over those who derided so-called ‘concrete monstrosities’.” The campaign group described the reinforced concrete complex as a “post-war architectural masterpiece.”
Designed by the London County Council Special Works Group—whose ranks included Warren Chalk and Ron Herron of the visionary Archigram collective—the Southbank Centre was, for decades, the only major post-war building on London’s South Bank to remain unlisted. Since 1991, successive culture secretaries had refused protection for the building on six separate occasions, repeatedly dismissing Historic England’s recommendations. As recently as 2018, the DCMS argued that the centre’s architecture was “not unique or groundbreaking and is poorly resolved in terms of its relationship to the site, its coherence, and its accessibility in comparison to the Royal Festival Hall and the National Theatre.”
Yet, as the Twentieth Century Society’s director Catherine Croft put it, “The battle has been won, and Brutalism has finally come of age. This is a victory over those who derided so-called ‘concrete monstrosities’ and shows a mature recognition of a style where Britain led the way. We’re absolutely thrilled that this internationally recognised concrete masterpiece of post-war architecture has finally been accepted as part of our national heritage, some 35 years after the Twentieth Century Society first campaigned for the Southbank Centre to be protected.”
The latest bid for listing was triggered by the expiration, in February 2025, of a certificate of immunity that had shielded the centre from heritage designation since 2020. Almost a year later, heritage minister Fiona Twycross accepted Historic England’s case for protection. The government’s heritage watchdog praised the centre’s “bold geometric formations, clustered to sculptural effect with a correspondingly dramatic silhouette.” It also highlighted the “use of exposed concrete in which the building’s monumental scale is countered by the fine texture and tactility of its surface finishes, executed with exemplary technical skill.”
Historic England’s formal reasons for listing cited not only the architectural interest of the Southbank Centre but also its historic significance as a nationally important arts complex. The Hayward Gallery, for instance, was the first major building project undertaken in conjunction with the Arts Council, and stands out as a key example of a purpose-built gallery for temporary and touring exhibitions. The Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room were designed as acoustically sophisticated concert halls, tailored for smaller ensembles and modern tastes. The Southbank Centre, now recognized as one of the most complete and memorable realizations of Brutalism in England, sits alongside the Royal Festival Hall (Grade I) and the National Theatre (Grade II*) to form a prestigious post-war arts complex on the Thames.
The recognition comes after a significant investment in the centre’s future: the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, and Hayward Gallery all reopened in 2018 following a two-year refurbishment led by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, working alongside Archer Humphryes Architects. The project rejuvenated the centre’s spaces while preserving their distinctive character—a testament to the enduring value of thoughtful, modernist design.
But if the Grade II listing is about honoring the past, the Southbank Centre’s new partnership with TikTok is all about looking ahead. Also on February 9, 2026, the centre welcomed the first cohort to Crescendo, a six-month accelerator programme developed in collaboration with the popular video-sharing platform. As reported by Classical Music, the initiative was launched through an open call in September 2025 and aims to support the recent surge in classical music content on TikTok—where the “#ClassicalMusic” hashtag grew by more than 60 percent in 2025 alone.
Crescendo’s inaugural group consists of ten UK-based classical music content creators, chosen by a panel featuring violinist and creator Esther Abrami, cellist and politician Baroness Thangam Debbonaire, TikTok’s UK artist partnerships lead Lisa Skeppner, and Southbank Centre head of classical music Toks Dada. The lucky participants will benefit from bespoke mentorship and platform training provided by TikTok, free access to Southbank Centre performances and rehearsals, behind-the-scenes content opportunities, and close collaboration with the venue’s digital teams.
Among the creators joining the programme are Jennifer Athan, host of the “Chords & Queens” podcast; flautist Anya Cookson; pianist Alexandra Dariescu; cellist and actor Sophie Kauer (who made her screen debut in the Oscar-nominated film TÁR); singer and former film trailer producer Sarah Irwin; arts education advocate Cassia Belardo; violinist Eugenie Dalgleish; violinist and podcaster Ellie Ajao; multi-instrumentalist Athena Hawksley-Walker; and pianist and composer Priscilla Bajomo (Sola).
“Crescendo is about meeting audiences where they are, and recognising the pivotal role digital platforms play in how people discover and experience culture today. We’re excited to work with our very first Crescendo cohort during our 75th anniversary year to see how their work helps shape the way this art form reaches, and is understood by, audiences,” said Toks Dada, Southbank Centre’s head of classical music.
Lisa Skeppner, TikTok’s UK artist partnerships lead, echoed this sentiment: “Through our partnership with the Southbank Centre, Crescendo celebrates and supports British talent while opening up access to the arts for new audiences. The programme gives these ten creators the tools, access and platform to showcase classical music in ways that feel fresh, relatable and rooted in TikTok as a hub for emergent creativity.”
The dual announcements—one celebrating the centre’s architectural legacy, the other championing its digital future—underscore the Southbank Centre’s unique position at the intersection of tradition and innovation. As Catherine Croft of the Twentieth Century Society observed, “The lack of listing had become a complete anomaly. It is admired as one of the best Brutalist buildings in the world, so this decision is obviously very well deserved and long overdue. The arts complex is a highly sophisticated, sculptural masterpiece, with enormous richness of form and detail inside and out. The experience it gives concert goers and gallery visitors is unlike any other venue in the country, its virtuoso spaces still unrivalled.”
In a city that often struggles to reconcile its past with its present, the Southbank Centre’s story offers a rare moment of consensus. With its concrete forms now protected for future generations and its digital ambitions opening doors to new audiences, the centre stands as both a monument to post-war vision and a beacon for the creative possibilities of tomorrow.