London Jazz Festival

About London Jazz Festival

London Jazz Festival 2026 runs across London as a city-wide music festival for jazz, improvised music, contemporary jazz and global music from 13-22 November 2026.

Serious created the festival in 1992, with the first iteration under the London Jazz Festival name following in 1993. BBC Radio 3’s partnership dates back to that 1993 iteration.

The scale is the point: over 100,000 live audience members, more than 300 shows and over 70 venues across the city. That works out at roughly 10,000 people per day across the ten-day run.

Lineup and Programme

The bill moves through jazz, improvised music, contemporary jazz and global music. Live performances sit alongside special collaborations, new commissions and jazz-on-screen film screenings.

Announced acts include:

• Opening Gala: Jazz Voice
• Goldie 'Dare to Dream': with his Live Band, Orchestra and Special Guests
• Haruki Murakami’s Jazz at Peter Cat: A Japanese Jazz Night
• Asha Puthli: The Cosmic Voyager
• Mariza
• Caravan Palace
• Kyoto Jazz Massive Ft. Echoes of a New Dawn Orchestra
• Dave Okumu & Friends present DVTN: Music that Changes the World: from Nina Simone to Sly Stone
• Anouar Brahem - After the Last Sky
• Samara Joy
• Morcheeba + Alex Cornish
• Lizz Wright with Kenny Banks Sr. + Rian Peters
• Emma-Jean Thackray: Dear Miles - A Love Letter
• Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves Celebrate John Coltrane

Who Is It For?

The festival profile names dedicated jazz fans, London gig-goers and younger attendees. Its Serious Youth Network membership gives 16-25-year-olds £5 tickets to select shows.

The programme also covers global stars and emerging talent. Audience information is published at festival level, while entry arrangements are handled through individual shows and venues.

The Venue and Site

There is no single field or arena here. The site is London itself, with venues ranging from basement jazz bars to major concert halls.

Confirmed venues include Southbank Centre, Barbican, Cadogan Hall, Kings Place, EartH, Jazz Café and Café OTO.

Facilities are venue-specific. Some host venues list accessibility information, bike parking, blue-badge parking and car parks, and river access is promoted for several venues via Uber Boat by Thames Clippers.

Travel

London is the anchor, with journeys depending on the venue on the ticket.

• Southbank Centre: Waterloo is about 200m away and Embankment is about 600m away. Road access includes Belvedere Road and Waterloo Bridge, with Cornwall Road car park listed by the venue.
• Barbican: Barbican station is about a four-minute walk and Moorgate is about a five-minute walk. Road access includes Silk Street and the Beech Street tunnel, with on-site car parks and London Wall Car Park nearby.
• Kings Place: King’s Cross St. Pancras and St Pancras International are the listed stations. Road access runs via York Way and King’s Boulevard, with nearby public car parks listed instead of dedicated public parking.
• Cadogan Hall: Sloane Square is about 160m, or two minutes on foot. Road access includes Sloane Terrace, Sedding Street and Cliveden Place, with limited nearby bays and a Euro Car Park nearby.
• River access: Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is promoted for several venues.