Art Night is a free annual contemporary arts festival that transforms London’s public spaces, secret venues and iconic landmarks for one summer night.

Festivals have played a unique role historically as a site for artistic experimentation, outside the formal setting of the gallery or museum – ranging from the street theatre of the Renaissance; Bauhaus festivals in the early twentieth century that combined music, theatre, dance and design; and happenings in the 1960s and 70s. Art Night builds on this rich history by combining unusual spaces with artistic experimentation.

A UNIQUE CONCEPT

The festival is conceived by Unlimited Productions who, each year, will invite a leading institution and curator to work in a different part of London, exploring the area’s history, culture and architecture.

The first edition was curated by the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), with curator Kathy Noble, who presented a series of artists’ works and new commissions in unusual locations across Westminster.