The Women’s Prize To Celebrate 30 Years At Special Chelsea Arts Festival Event
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13 hours ago
A plethora of new names have been revealed on the inaugural Chelsea Arts Festival line-up
From a star-studded celebration of 30 years of the Women’s Prize to live podcast recordings, poetry readings, a comedy gala and more, things are hotting up on the inaugural Chelsea Arts Festival line-up. Here’s what you need to know.
Chelsea Arts Festival 2025: New Events On The Line-Up
Kate Mosse CBE, Sir Lenny Henry, Ambika Mod, Ekow Eshun, Daniel Lismore, Allie Esiri, Sindhu Vee and more have officially been revealed in a new wave of names on the Chelsea Arts Festival line-up. Taking over the area from 18 to 21 September, they join previously announced stars including Elizabeth Day, Marian Keyes, Ian McEwan CBE, Annie Macmanus, Matt Haig, Jordan Stephens, William Boyd CBE, Rupert Everett, David Shrigley OBE, Kate Bryan, Jack Edwards and many more.
Events span everything from literary salons to poetry readings, talks and panels to a comedy gala. Here’s a taste of what to expect.
What’s On At Chelsea Arts Festival 2025?
Women’s Words: From Page to Stage
The Women’s Prize will host a special literary salon at the inaugural Chelsea Arts Festival this September, celebrating 30 years of the important prize and raising funds for The Women’s Prize Trust. Sheila Atim MBE, Dame Sheila Hancock, Sir Lenny Henry and June Sarpong OBE will join the prize’s founder Kate Mosse CBE on stage to read passages of extraordinary writing by women under the theme Women’s Words: From Page to Stage.
Details: 6pm Sunday 21 September 2025 at Cadogan Hall (5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ). Tickets start from £15pp.
Dame Zandra Rhodes & Daniel Lismore
Dame Zandra Rhodes and ‘Living Sculpture’ Daniel Lismore will be interviewed by The Last Bohemians podcast creator Kate Hutchinson at Saatchi Gallery for a conversation all about fashion’s transformative power and its role in shaping identity, challenging conventions and liberating creative expression.
Details: 2pm Saturday 20 September 2025 at Saatchi Gallery (Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, London SW3 4RY). Tickets are £12.50pp.
London Theatre Review Podcast
Ambika Mod, Nancy Durrant, Nick Clark and Nick Curtis will take to the Royal Court Theatre stage for a live recording of the beloved London Theatre Review podcast. Joined by the theatre’s artistic director David Byrne, Mod, who rose to prominence in This Is Going To Hurt and One Day, will discuss her forthcoming roles in Every Brilliant Thing and Porn Play at The Royal Court.
Details: 12pm Saturday 20 September 2025 at The Royal Court Theatre (50-51 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS). Tickets on sale soon.
Allie Esiri’s 365 Poems for Life
The Royal Court Theatre will take guests on a journey through a year of poetry celebrating Allie Esiri’s 365 Poems for Life. Think classic and contemporary poems brought to life by stellar performers, following the success of Esiri’s yearly poetry events at the National Theatre. Previous performers include Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Corrin and Damian Lewis – so stay tuned for the Chelsea Arts Festival details.
Details: 5.30pm Saturday 20 September 2025 at The Royal Court Theatre (50-51 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS). Tickets on sale soon.
Ekow Eshun
Britain’s most ‘inspired and inspiring curator’ (according to Vogue), Ekow Eshun has joined the Chelsea Arts Festival line-up. Interviewed by The Wick founder Katy Wickremesinghe at Saatchi Gallery, expect to delve behind the scenes of his blockbuster exhibitions In the Black Fantastic and The Time is Always Now, and find out more about his new art anthology Black Earth Rising.
Details: 12.15pm Saturday 20 September 2025 at Saatchi Gallery (Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, London SW3 4RY). Tickets are £12.50pp.
Blue Plaques Talk Back Live
Chelsea is home to a plethora of stars past and present, and this special event will feature a new collection of Blue Plaque stories read by actors. They’ll be joined by experts to discuss the lives of some of Chelsea’s most exciting historical and cultural figures, including Bob Marley, Oscar Wilde and George Eliot.
Details: 2.30pm Saturday 20 September 2025 at The Royal Court Theatre (50-51 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS). Tickets on sale soon.
Chelsea Arts Festival Comedy Gala
This laughter-filled fundraiser evening will be headlined by Sindhu Vee joined by a stellar line-up of comedians still to be announced.
More details to be announced.
What Else?
In and around Chelsea, expect an array of arts and crafts events, spanning a writing masterclass hosted by Alexandra Pringle and Silk Road Slippers, jewellery and mosaic making, children’s animation workshops and events at ArtPlay and BookBar.
Across the weekend, outdoor markets will take over Duke of York Square: the beloved Fine Food Market on Saturday, and an outdoor specialist Art Market on Sunday.
As well as ticketed events, anyone visiting Chelsea from 18 to 21 September will be treated to free outdoor performances in Sloane Square and roaming up and down the King’s Road.
Nick Clark, Nancy Durrant and Nick Curtis record an episode of London Theatre Review podcast live at Chelsea Arts Festival
What Is Chelsea Arts Festival?
Helmed by C&TH Events, a division of B Corp luxury lifestyle magazine Country & Town House, Chelsea Arts Festival is a new celebration of the heritage and ongoing cultural impact of London’s most glamorous postcode. Festival curator Tessa Clarfelt tells us to expect ‘a vibrant, inspiring and eclectic weekend of live performances, thought-provoking conversations, and colourful celebration’. Think talks, panels, performances and more.
‘At a time when we need celebration, community and togetherness more than ever, we are so proud to launch the Chelsea Arts Festival in one of the greatest artistic areas in the greatest city in the world,’ says C&TH editorial director Lucy Cleland. ‘With a hugely diverse programme appealing to anyone who loves the arts, expect to see Chelsea in peak cultural and creative form both on the streets and inside its world-beating cultural institutions.
‘This is just the beginning,’ Lucy adds. ‘We can’t wait to see this festival become one of the foremost arts festivals in the world.’
‘The Chelsea Arts Festival will be a brilliant addition to our cultural calendar and a shining example of how the creative industries can drive local economic growth while celebrating what makes our borough unique,’ adds Kensington & Chelsea councillor Kim Taylor-Smith. ‘By showcasing world-class talent alongside community workshops, the festival offers something for everyone, bringing energy to our streets and connecting people through creativity. The programme is not only a testament to Chelsea’s rich cultural heritage, but a forward-looking investment in the borough’s creative economy, one of the fastest-growing sectors in the UK.
‘We’re proud to support initiatives that champion artistic expression and create new opportunities for residents and businesses alike,’ Taylor-Smith adds. ‘The Chelsea Arts Festival promises a week of inspiration and I encourage everyone to get involved.’
When, Where & How To Get Tickets
Chelsea Arts Festival will take place from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 September 2025 across Chelsea, including Cadogan Hall, the Saatchi Gallery and the Royal Court Theatre. Outside, free performances will take place in Duke of York Square, Sloane Square and along the King’s Road.
Tickets for Chelsea Arts Festival’s events start at £12.50 and are on sale now. Find out more and book at chelseaartsfestival.com
