Merge Festival

Merge Festival is an annual festival to encourage and promote a set of exhibitions, performances, events and happenings which draw on the rich heritage and contemporary culture of Bankside.

Events include:

Bankside Transformed
19th Sept - 21st Oct, 24 hours
Artists will be transforming disused hoardings on derelict buildings throughout Bankside with site-specific original artworks. Artists Fiona Banner, Heather and Ivan Morison, Andy Harper, James Cauty and SheOne will be given space to create a piece that is sensitive to its environment and enriches an otherwise neglected area. The public will be invited to watch some of the paint performances. These will be accompanied by live music.

Behind NME Lines
19th Sept - 6th Oct, 12pm - 7pm at NEO Bankside
Behind NME Lines is a unique photography exhibition experience showcasing the greatest, most iconic and most controversial covers in NME’s incredible 60-year history.

6 Robots Named Paul By Patrick Tresset
10th - 21st October, 12pm - 7pm at NEO Bankside
Patrick Tresset, a French artist/scientist currently based in London, will present 6 robots in a site-specific artist's studio. Gallery visitors will be able to have their portrait sketched by 5 of Tresset's robots. Each robot will draw the sitter from a different point of view; the drawings will then make up an exhibition in the space.

Art of Punk
4th October, 6:30pm at The Starr Auditorium
An evening featuring live music, film, visuals and discussions around the Punk movement, inspired by the book of the same name written by Russ Bestley and Alex Ogg.

The Midnight Run By Inua Ellams
22nd September, 6pm - midnight, meet on the lawn outside the River Entrance to Tate Modern
As part of Tate Local Inua Ellams will recreate The Midnight Run for MERGE. Where people are invited to run with him and to interact and respond to the city and in this case it will be a journey through South London.

See official website for full schedule of events