From the Square Mile to Shoreditch, London Sculpture Week brings world-class public art into the streets
This autumn, London sheds its grey with something far more inspiring than fallen leaves. London Sculpture Week 2025 is back from 20–28 September, transforming the capital into one enormous sculpture trail. From Frieze Sculpture in Regent’s Park to The Line in East London, it’s a freewheeling, art-soaked celebration of public creativity. And yes, there’s more to it than polished metal lumps in a field.
Now in its fourth edition, this year’s London Sculpture Week connects five major public art programmes—Frieze Sculpture, Sculpture in the City, The Line, East Bank, and the Fourth Plinth—under one curatorial umbrella. That means more installations, more artist talks, more performances, and more chances to accidentally fall in love with a rock (conceptually speaking).
Here in Shoreditch, where creativity is always within arm’s reach of a cold brew, we’re thrilled to see the city elevate sculpture beyond the gallery walls. From the Thames to Trafalgar Square, from East Bank to the City of London, art is being carved into the very urban fabric.
Public art takes centre stage during London Sculpture Week
The theme this year? Shadow and substance. Or more precisely, the invisible, the overlooked, and the uncomfortable. At Frieze Sculpture, curator Fatoş Üstek has embraced these darker questions under the exhibition title In the Shadows. Expect art that challenges memory, loss, power, and even the idea of absence.
At the same time, you can walk The Line—a sculptural trail that snakes from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to The O2, passing works by Yinka Ilori, Antony Gormley, and the newly installed Untitled The Line by Rasheed Araeen. Araeen’s work marks The Line’s 10th anniversary, and will be complemented by a temporary installation of his Reading Room at House Mill, featuring publications from his six-decade career.
Meanwhile, at Sculpture in the City, prepare to be playfully confronted by works from Ai Weiwei, Jane and Louise Wilson, and Andrew Sabin. Don’t miss themed tours ranging from autumn solstice rituals with Oliver Bragg to an immersive art-meets-mythology walk.
Highlights from Shoreditch and East London
Let’s talk local. East Bank, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s rising cultural corridor, joins the sculpture party with three must-see commissions: Lemon Meringue by Michael Landy, Temporal Trace by Lubna Chowdhary, and In Mountains Shadow by art duo A.A. Murakami.
This trio of works embraces ephemerality and material memory—fitting themes for London’s newest arts district, and a good excuse for a riverside wander.
And don’t miss The Line’s Youth Guides offering free public tours of Royal Docks Originals. It’s part walking tour, part social history lesson—led by 18–22-year-olds who actually know the difference between TikTok art and site-specific installation.
Unmissable events across the capital
The week-long programme is a mix of free and ticketed events, including performances, artist talks, and one very unconventional offer: a chance to get a tattoo inspired by sculpture. Yep, if you attend the Sculpture in the City tour on 24 September, you could walk away with art on your arm—literally.
Other unmissable moments:
Frieze Sculpture: Watch Simon Hitchens trace rock shadows from sunrise to sunset, turning slow time into performance art.
The Fourth Plinth: Explore Teresa Margolles’ Mil Veces Un Instante, a powerful tribute to trans and non-binary communities.
The Sculpture Switch: Artists from Frieze and Sculpture in the City trade places for cross-curated tours.
This isn’t just about statues. It’s about reclaiming urban space, inviting dialogue, and making art accessible outside the sterile walls of white-cube galleries. London Sculpture Week is culture you can bump into on your lunch break.
Whether you’re sipping a coffee on Shoreditch High Street or getting lost in the City, chances are you’ll walk into something sculptural—and potentially, something transformative.
So get your walking shoes, open your Google Maps, and prepare to see London through the eyes of its sculptors.