Harry Styles to Curate 2026 Meltdown Festival
Harry Styles has been announced as the curator for this year's Meltdown festival, described as a "landmark" event, taking place at London's Southbank Centre. The former One Direction member will headline the festival with his own concert, preceding his Together, Together tour at Wembley this summer.
Styles intends to showcase emerging British talent spanning various genres that have influenced his music, including pop, soul, rock, and the underground scene.
Artist's Vision and Festival Legacy
Regarding his role, Styles stated:
"My goal as the curator is to share the music and art that I love, and to celebrate the rich history of the venue,"
adding that he was "deeply honoured."
He joins a distinguished list of previous Meltdown curators such as Little Simz, David Bowie, Niall Rodgers, Patti Smith, and Yoko Ono.
About the Southbank Centre
The Southbank Centre, a prominent arts complex in London, includes venues like the Royal Festival Hall and the Hayward Gallery. It originally opened in 1967, and this year marks 75 years since the first performance at the site.
Comments from Artistic Director
Mark Ball, the artistic director of the Southbank Centre, expressed anticipation for the festival to become Styles' "creative playground."
"Harry Styles is an iconic British artist with a global influence whose impact extends across artistic disciplines, generations and borders,"
he said.
"Throughout our 75-year history, the Southbank Centre has existed to give our greatest artists a platform to take creative risks and present work that pushes contemporary culture into new and unexpected directions."
Festival Dates and Details
The Meltdown festival is scheduled to run from Thursday, June 11 until Sunday, June 21. The full line-up and ticket release dates will be announced in the spring.
