Harry Styles, the Grammy-winning artist and former member of One Direction, will curate the 2026 Meltdown festival at London’s Southbank Centre, organizers announced Monday. The festival, the world’s longest-running artist-curated music event, will run from June 11 to June 21, coinciding with the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary.
Styles, 32, follows a distinguished line-up of past curators including David Bowie, Yoko Ono, Chaka Khan, Grace Jones, and Patti Smith. He expressed his honor at being selected for the role, stating, “I’m deeply honoured to curate the Meltdown festival, especially for the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary year.” He added that his goal is “to share the music and art that I love, and to celebrate the rich history of the venue.”
The Southbank Centre’s artistic director, Mark Ball, described Styles as “an iconic British artist with a global influence whose impact extends across artistic disciplines, generations, and borders.” He emphasized the festival’s role within the Centre’s history, stating, “Throughout our 75-year history, the Southbank Centre has existed to provide our greatest artists a platform to take creative risks and present perform that pushes contemporary culture into new and unexpected directions.” Ball characterized Styles’ involvement as a “natural expression” of the Centre’s mission.
The announcement arrives as Styles prepares to release his fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, in March. He is also embarking on a global tour beginning in May, with performances scheduled in London, Amsterdam, New York, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Melbourne, and Sydney.
Meltdown has a history of unique and memorable performances. Past events have included a reunited New York Dolls performance at Morrissey’s 2004 curation, Ray Davies’ restaging of the 1960s TV show Ready Steady Go! in 2011, and Jeff Buckley’s final UK show as part of Elvis Costello’s 1995 festival.
Organizers have indicated that the full lineup for the 2026 festival and ticket release dates will be announced in the spring.
