Do you want to engage thousands of people with your research? Develop your communication skills, have fun, and help create something truly inspiring? Then be part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2026!
We’re delighted to announce that the Great Exhibition Road Festival – our flagship public event – will return on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2026. And from today Imperial staff and students are invited to submit ideas for this weekend celebration of art, science, and innovation.
The 2025 Festival welcomed over 55,000 visitors to South Kensington to enjoy a vibrant programme of imaginative workshops, live experiments, hands-on demonstrations, and artistic performances—brought to life by around 1,000 Imperial contributors. In 2026, we aim to go even further and reach 60,000 visitors, making this our most ambitious and impactful Festival yet.
This year’s Festival coincides with a landmark moment: the 175th anniversary of the opening of the Great Exhibition of 1851. We’ll be marking this anniversary throughout the weekend, and we especially welcome proposals that explore stories connected to the Great Exhibition itself, or the 175 years of science, culture, and innovation that have shaped South Kensington since.
More details for teams interested in contributing to this theme can be found in the 2026 Festival guidance document, which also outlines what we’re looking for in proposals, the support available to contributors, the audiences we aim to attract, and the kind of experience we hope to create—for both visitors and participants.
To help shape your ideas, we also recommend attending our online advice session on 20 October, where you’ll hear directly from the Festival organisers, learn more about the proposals process, and receive feedback on your concepts and any logistical questions.
🗓️ Proposal deadline: End of day, Monday 3 November 2025
We recognise that online forms can present barriers for some contributors—for example, due to language or neurodiversity. If this applies to you, we’re happy to receive your ideas via email, phone, or in-person meeting. Please contact James Romero, Public Engagement Programmes Manager at j.romero@imperial.ac.uk to arrange an alternative submission method.
Great Exhibition Road Festival Team
Imperial College London