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Harry Styles will take on a major new role this summer as the 2026 curator of London’s renowned Meltdown Festival.
The singer-songwriter has been tapped to shape the 11-day event, running June 11–21 at the Southbank Centre, selecting performers, artistic collaborations, and programming across the venue’s stages and galleries. The complete lineup is expected to be revealed later this spring. Styles will also perform a featured headline concert in the Royal Festival Hall during the festival.
Now in its 31st year, Meltdown is one of the U.K.’s most prestigious artist-led festivals, with past curators including David Bowie, Patti Smith, Grace Jones, Nick Cave, and most recently Little Simz. The multi-arts event spans music, visual art, talks, and workshops across the Southbank Centre’s campus.
In a statement, Styles said he was “deeply honoured” to curate the festival during the venue’s 75th anniversary year, adding that he hopes to share the music and art he loves while celebrating the Southbank Centre’s legacy as a gathering place for live culture. Festival organizers said his collaborative spirit and broad artistic influences make him an ideal fit for Meltdown’s ethos.
According to organizers, the 2026 program will draw from a wide spectrum of genres — from pop and rock to soul and electronic — and spotlight emerging U.K. artists alongside established names. Free public events are also planned to engage younger audiences.
The announcement comes amid a busy period for Styles: his fourth album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally., arrives March 6, and his 2026 Together, Together tour will include more than 50 dates worldwide, highlighted by an extended run of shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
SOURCE: Billboard