Music
Music Performances
Our boundary-pushing music programme cuts across all genres, including work by contemporary artists, experimental collaborations and visits from the world’s best orchestras and soloists.
See details of our current learning programme below.
Click below to apply. If you have any queries, please get in touch at [email protected].
EFG London Jazz Festival: Sounds of the Diaspora
Fri 13 Nov
Celebrate the rich musical heritage of Trinidad and Tobago with Endurance Steel, the musicians who have shaped its legacy across the diaspora.
Performed by one of the UK's leading steel orchestras, the concert highlights the versatility, power and beauty of the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago while honouring the generations of musicians who have shaped its legacy.
Endurance Steel Orchestra is a South East London-based organisation dedicated to youth development, community engagement and musical excellence through the art of steelpan.
Suitable for KS3+.
Tickets are £5 per student for mainstream schools, £12 per student for private or independent schools and a teacher ticket is free for every 10 students.
Cinema
Cinema screenings
We organise free film screenings and events programmed to link to topics, conversations and events relevant to children and young people, including International Women’s Day and Refugee Week and are delivered in partnership with organisations including Into Film, BAFTA, and the Oska Bright Film Festival.
See details of our current learning programme below.
Click below to apply. If you have any queries, please get in touch at [email protected].
Schools Screening: The Odyssey
Wed 14 Oct
Watch Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey with a pre-show talk from our Cinema curators and a quiz.
Please note as this is a new release UK rating is yet to be announced. Rating 12A/15.
Suitable for KS3-5 Suitable for KS3–5.
Sign up here to express your interest by Friday 18 September.
Theatre
Theatre Performances
Our two theatre spaces play host to the finest international theatre, dance and performance by artists and companies who are challenging the idea of what theatre can be.
A range of discounts apply to school bookings for performances in the Barbican Theatre, subject to availability. Please see the Concessions and Discounts section of your chosen performance for more details.
RSC Hamlet Hail to the Thief
31 Oct–23 Jan
Shakespeare’s great tragedy and Radiohead’s critically acclaimed album collide for a mesmerising live experience that fuses theatre, music and movement.
Suitable for ages 14+.
Art
Exhibitions
Renowned for a diverse range of exhibitions, our galleries are stimulating places for students to experience major artworks by leading visual artists from around the globe.
See details of our current learning programme below.
Yuko Mohri In Concert
1 Oct–24 Jan, Free
Explore the new exhibition by the Japanese artist Yuko Mohri in dialogue with the unique architecture of The Curve gallery. Mohri playfully repurposes found items from in and around the Barbican and combines them with "unstable elements" –including moisture, gravity and magnetism– to create a continuously transforming, multi-sensory experience.
Please note the Curve is a free drop-in space; no need to book in advance. For School Groups we request a ratio of 1 teacher to 10 students per group. For further details and access information related to your visit please email [email protected].
Suitable for KS1–5.
Conservatory
Conservatory Visits
14 Sep, 28 Sep, 19 Oct, Free
Explore our living classroom! Apply to take part in a free workshop or a self-led visit suitable for all key stages.
Apply by Monday 31 August.
10am–11.30am
Poet and educator Esme Allman guides students through a practical and creative exploration of the Conservatory, using environmental poems to insire students' creative writing and expand knowledge of metaphors, descriptive language and imagery.
This workshop is suitable for groups of up to 30 KS3+ students.
Creative careers
Backstage Experience: Music
Fri 6 Nov, Free
Find out what it takes to work backstage with hands-on activities working across lighting, sound and stage management, and includes a technical demonstration.
Suitable for KS3–5.
Apply by Friday 11 September.
Backstage Experience: Theatre
Date TBC, Free
Get behind the scenes! Featuring insight into the technical process of staging a performance, a full theatre tour and info on a range of careers within the creative industries.
Suitable for KS3–5.
Apply by Friday 18 September.
School Visits Fund
The City of London School Visits Fund is a great way to help children experience the benefits of learning outside the classroom. If you’re a teacher or group leader planning a trip, you can receive up to £300 towards the cost of a visit to a wide variety of inspiring venues managed by the City Corporation. Ranging from the Barbican and Museum of London to Tower Bridge and Epping Forest, visits can support learning at all key stages across the curriculum. See the full list of venues here.
