Art After Dark
HOLBA’s award-winning free art and culture programme, Art After Dark, returns with a week-long celebration of London’s nightlife through art and music, including a special after-hours DJ set at the National Gallery.
From Tuesday 3 to 10 February 2026, the programme, delivered by Art of London, features large-scale public artworks, late-night gallery openings, and exclusive music experiences across the West End.
Rise and Shine
To open the programme, internationally acclaimed London-based artist Lakwena Maciver will unveil her landmark public artwork, Rise and Shine: a 7-metre-tall tower of stacked disco lightboxes in Piccadilly Circus.
The artwork reimagines the site’s analogue heritage through kaleidoscopic colour and a soundtrack referencing the nightlife of the 1980s and 1990s, a period that influenced music genres from hip-hop to drum and bass.
The artwork reimagines the site’s analogue heritage through kaleidoscopic colour and a community-inspired soundtrack, with acid-bright visuals referencing the nightlife of the 1980s and 1990s that shaped genres from hip-hop to drum and bass.
Artists in Conversation
Our lead artist for the upcoming Art After Dark programme, Lakwena Maciver, will be in discussion with Fynn Studio and HOLBA & Art of London Director, Kirsty Tullett-Jones, on how art commissioning can shape and reimagine our public spaces, as well as the new ideas lighting up the capital.
📍Apple, Covent Garden | 📅 4 February 2026 | 🎟️ Free – limited space
Music Nights
Don’t miss a one-off Party After Dark with Bimini (Bimini Bon-Boulash), the drag queen, musician, author and activist, and emerging DJ Mia Lily, at the National Gallery.
Experience the West End after dark with live performances and special offers at over 30 bars and nightclubs, including Hard Rock Cafe and San Carlo.
Gallery Hop!
Explore the West End after hours with late-night gallery openings and bookable tours via Art of London Gallery Hop!
On Thursday 5 February, discover one-night-only exhibitions at galleries such as The Mayor Gallery, Cristea Roberts, Royal Watercolour Society, White Cube, Larkin Durey, Bowman Sculptures, and Iconic Images Gallery
⏱️ 6:00pm – 8:00pm | 🎟️ Free
Art After Dark 2026 is almost here, and this year it returns as a week-long celebration where music and art collide. Lakwena’s extraordinary installation will light up the West End with the colour, rhythm and energy that define London’s music culture. From late-night gallery hops and themed performances across the West End to a very special DJ-led after-party at The National Gallery, this year’s programme truly has it all. We want Londoners and visitors alike to feel the buzz, share the joy, and be part of something unforgettable in the heart of the capital
Kirsty Tullett-Jones, Director of Marketing and Communications, HOLBA
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Art After Dark to transform London’s West End this March
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