Barbican’s new late-night party series

Barbican Centre is continuing its late-night programming this summer with an expanded run of its anyone can dance series, following a sold-out debut earlier this year.

The five-event programme, centred on dance music from global diasporas, will unfold across the year in the venue’s Level –1 foyer, transforming the space into an after-hours setting for DJ sets, live performances and immersive experiences running from 11PM to 3AM.

Each edition is tied to the Barbican’s wider artistic programme and is co-curated with different collectives. After launching with a takeover from Eastern Margins, the next event arrives on 2 May in collaboration with Love in the Endz. Reflecting the current exhibition by Beatriz González, the night will spotlight Latin American diaspora sounds, with appearances from Bogotá-born DJ Brenda, Chilean producer DJ Raff, and Spanish-Bolivian artist Sofy Suars, alongside a line-up to be announced on the day.

Later in the summer, the series connects with the Barbican’s multidisciplinary season Project a Black Planet, featuring a 25 July event curated by ORII, focused on music and culture from the African diaspora. This is followed on 12 September by DAYTIMERS, who will bring a South Asian diaspora-led programme of high-energy DJ sets.

The series concludes on 7 November with Beirut Groove Collective, presenting sounds from the SWANA region and its diaspora.

Speaking about the project, Barbican producer Usher Mullins described the series as an opportunity to “travel the world via UK collectives,” with each night designed to create inclusive dancefloor spaces while highlighting the breadth of diasporic music culture.

Tickets for the next event go on sale this week, with entry restricted to over-18s.