On Tuesday 17 January, South Bank BID celebrated the return of VAULT Festival, one of London’s leading independent arts festivals, with a range of BID levy payers down in the Vaults in Leake Street.
Alongside providing the opportunity for South Bank businesses to network and learn more about the festival, the event featured speeches from Amy Lamé, the Mayor’s Night Czar, and Cllr Jacqui Dyer, Deputy Leader for Lambeth Council and Lambeth’s lead on Inclusive Economy and Equalities.
Amy Lamé highlighted the importance of VAULT Festival and its late night programme to South Bank, Waterloo and London’s wider night time economy, with local business support being vital to ensure it’s continued success. Cllr Jacqui Dyer spoke about the festival’s commitment to diversity, and how Lambeth Council had supported VAULT Creative through its Economic Resilience Fund, with the arts industry being a crucial asset in providing opportunity and tackling inequity. Attendees of the event were also treated to a taste of the festival through a performance from That Girl, reflecting the programming in the VAULT’s late night programme.
VAULT Festival is being once again sponsored by the BID, after having first sponsored it in 2020. The two scheduled festival programmes for 2021 and 2022 respectively were unable to go ahead due to the impacts of the pandemic and ongoing lockdowns. 2023’s festival reflects this in its theme of overcoming challenges and finding beauty in more difficult times.
South Bank, since the Festival of Britain in 1951, has been a hub of culture in both London and worldwide, and the BID has been committed to ensuring it supports arts and culture venues across the neighbourhood since 2014. VAULT Festival provides an important platform for young, up and coming talent, alongside bring in additional footfall to South Bank and Waterloo during the typically quieter post-Christmas months.
VAULT Festival runs from 24th January – 19th March 2023, and features a programme of over 500 of the best shows from some of the brightest talents across theatre, comedy, cabaret and late-night entertainment.
