The 24th annual festival takes over the city with major installations at the V&A and projections on St. Paul's Cathedral.
London has once again asserted its status as the design capital of the world with the launch of the 24th London Design Festival, running from 12-20 September 2026. This year’s city-wide celebration features a diverse program of exhibitions, workshops, and talks distributed across multiple design districts. Among the festival's most anticipated highlights are major creative projects hosted at the V&A Museum and a large-scale artistic projection onto the iconic facade of St. Paul's Cathedral.
In addition to the landmark installations, the festival provides a platform for local makers and independent studios. At Oxo Tower Wharf, the riverside creative hub has opened its doors to the public, allowing visitors to enter the studios of over 25 resident designer-makers. These creatives represent a wide spectrum of traditional and contemporary crafts, including millinery, ceramics, weaving, and leatherworking. This initiative allows the public to witness the design process firsthand and commission unique pieces directly from expert makers.
The festival coincides with several other major cultural takeovers in the capital. The Southbank Centre is hosting 'Creative Intelligence' from 11-13 September, a three-day event exploring the intersection of digital innovation, AI, and art. Meanwhile, the Barbican is preparing for 'Repercussions' (23-26 September), a takeover by Turner Prize-winning artist Lawrence Abu Hamdan that focuses on the concept of sonic justice.
With a program that blends high-profile museum showcases with grassroots studio tours, the 2026 festival continues to interrogate the boundaries of design. From the historic architecture of the City of London to the industrial creative spaces along the Thames, the event showcases the breadth of talent currently defining the UK's creative industries.
The festival offers local creatives a high-visibility platform to showcase their work to a global audience, while the open-studio format at venues like Oxo Tower Wharf facilitates direct commercial opportunities and public engagement with craft.
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