The Music is Black Festival from East Bank closes with a bang. Black to the Future – the fourth and final live weekend of the festival – takes place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford. And like every weekend of the festival, it is completely free to attend.
Curated by FLOHIO and The Blues Project, Black to the Future is rooted in ideas of futurism, possibility and the outer edges of Black music and culture. Expect genre-bending sets, boundary-pushing artists and a closing party atmosphere that celebrates imagination as much as sound.
Draughts is right there on the same park. We are at 5 Aquatics Walk, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – about a 5-minute walk from the festival stages. Over 1,000 games, great food and drinks, and a genuinely comfortable spot to base yourself before, between and after the sets.
What is The Music is Black Festival from East Bank?
The Music is Black Festival from East Bank is a free, eight-month celebration of Black British music and culture, running across Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from spring to winter 2026. It spans four live festival weekends, film screenings, exhibitions and more.
The four live weekends are:
- The Music is Ours – 13-14 June 2026
- Power & Respect – 11-12 July 2026
- Queer Frequencies – 22-23 August 2026
- Black to the Future – 12-13 September 2026
All four weekends are free and unticketed. No advance booking is needed – just turn up.
What to expect at Black to the Future
Black to the Future is described by the organisers as “a genre-bending closing party, bringing together artists who push the boundaries of storytelling, imagination and science fiction.” It celebrates musicians and creatives expanding what contemporary Black music and culture can sound and feel like.
The festival takes place across two outdoor stages at Stratford Waterfront – The Waterfront Stage and Mid Terrace – plus The Dance Floor is Black programme at Sadler’s Wells East.
Saturday 12 September
Saturday runs from 12pm to midnight.
The Waterfront Stage on Saturday is curated by FLOHIO. Nigerian-born and south London-raised, FLOHIO is known for blending hip hop, grime and electronic music with high-energy delivery and a forward-looking, futuristic aesthetic. Her lineup is expected to reflect exactly that – genre-bending musicians who expand what contemporary Black music can sound like. Full lineup details will be announced closer to the event.
The Dance Floor is Black programme at Sadler’s Wells East also runs across Saturday. In the afternoon, Fly Kid bring a family dance party – introducing the kids to the tunes you grew up on. The Saturday club night (7pm to late) is Soul System: Afrofuture Funk, curated by Dannielle “Rhimes” Lecointe, Associate Artistic Director of ZooNation and choreographer of Ebony Scrooge at Sadler’s Wells East.
Sunday 13 September
Sunday runs from 12pm to 6pm.
Sunday is curated by The Blues Project – the UK’s home of R&B and future soulful sounds. A collective which platforms boundary-pushing talent and builds experiences for connection between music lovers and artists, The Blues Project close the festival with a programme that looks firmly ahead. Full lineup details will be announced closer to the event.
Closing out Black to the Future at Sadler’s Wells East is Poetic Funk Collective (12-6pm), a DJ collective led by Mark Alexander. Drawing on their passion for afrofuturism and 80s funk, it is a relaxed Sunday session to close out the entire festival season.
The V&A East exhibition connection
Throughout the festival, visitors can get 15% off tickets to The Music is Black: A British Story at V&A East Museum using code TMIBFUN15 at checkout. The code is valid until 30 September 2026 – so Black to the Future weekend is your last chance to use it during the festival. The exhibition explores how Black British musicians shaped British culture across decades.
Draughts Stratford – a 5-minute walk from the festival
Draughts is a board game cafe, bar and restaurant inside Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. We are at 5 Aquatics Walk, E20 2AS – a short, level walk from the festival stages at Stratford Waterfront and Sadler’s Wells East.
We have over 1,000 games on our shelves covering every style of play. Quick party games, deep strategy games, brilliant two-player games, games that take ten minutes to learn and games that reward hours of play. Our team are on hand to recommend the right game for your group and explain the rules.
It is a great spot before the festival kicks off in the afternoon, a comfortable mid-festival break between stages, or a way to extend the evening after the outdoor sets finish. We have food and drinks all day.
A game to try: Cosmic Encounter
Black to the Future is about futurism, genre-bending and imagination. Cosmic Encounter is a board game that has been bending the rules since 1977 – and it has never stopped feeling like the future.
Each player is an alien civilisation with a unique power that breaks the rules of the game in a different way. One alien can look at other players’ hands. Another wins ties instead of losing them. Another can steal cards from the discard pile. The combinations are wild and the game plays differently every time.
Cosmic Encounter is a game about negotiation, alliances, chaos and the unexpected. It fits perfectly in a festival atmosphere – loud, social, and full of moments that nobody planned. Three to five players, about 60-90 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
When is Black to the Future?
Black to the Future takes place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford.
What time does Black to the Future start and finish?
On Saturday 12 September, the festival runs from 12pm to midnight (live sets 12-7pm; The Dance Floor is Black at Sadler’s Wells East from 7pm to late). On Sunday 13 September, the festival runs from 12pm to 6pm (live sets 12-5pm; Sadler’s Wells East 12-6pm).
Is Black to the Future free?
Yes, Black to the Future is completely free and unticketed. No booking required.
Who is curating Black to the Future?
Saturday is curated by FLOHIO, the Nigerian-born south London artist known for blending hip hop, grime and electronic music. Sunday is curated by The Blues Project, the UK’s home of R&B and future soulful sounds. The Dance Floor is Black at Sadler’s Wells East on Saturday night is curated by Dannielle “Rhimes” Lecointe.
Where is Black to the Future?
The outdoor stages – The Waterfront Stage and Mid Terrace – are at Stratford Waterfront, near Sadler’s Wells East, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Head towards Sadler’s Wells East when you arrive. The Waterfront Stage what3words: drives.active.snap. Mid Terrace: junior.origin.intervals.
Is the festival family friendly?
Yes. Family dance sessions run at Sadler’s Wells East on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Fly Kid curate the Saturday family session, and the outdoor stages are open to all ages during daytime hours.
Is this the last festival weekend?
Yes. Black to the Future is the fourth and closing live weekend of The Music is Black Festival from East Bank. There is also a film screening of Babylon on 24 September 2026, and a further film screening of Pretty Red Dress in December 2026. The V&A East exhibition runs throughout the season.
Can I bring food and drink?
You are welcome to bring your own food and drink to the festival site. Please do not bring glass. Food and drink venues nearby include Draughts, Ginger & Mint, Tsujiri, Chilli Padi, Park Kitchen & Bar and Riverside East, plus pop-up food vendors at the live weekends including Caribbean Food Hut, Park Kitchen & Bar and Cafe Jikoni.
How do I get to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park?
Stratford station is the main hub – served by the London Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, Jubilee line and national rail. Stratford International is also nearby. The park is a short walk from the station.
Is the event wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The festival site has level routes across the whole park, including at The Dance Floor at Sadler’s Wells East. The Park Mobility service at the Stratford Cross Information Point provides buggies, mobility scooters and wheelchairs. Call 0800 0722 110 to book.
Where is Draughts in relation to the festival?
Draughts is at 5 Aquatics Walk, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20 2AS – about a 5-minute walk from the festival stages. We are inside the same park, so you never need to leave QEOP. We welcome walk-ins and are open all day.
What other weekends are part of The Music is Black Festival?
The four live festival weekends are The Music is Ours (13-14 June), Power & Respect (11-12 July), Queer Frequencies (22-23 August) and Black to the Future (12-13 September 2026).
