London Boroughs 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair 2026
Somerset House, Strand, London · Organized by 1-54
- Dates
- Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 18, 2026
- Time
- 11:00 – 19:00
- Format
- In person
- Where
- Somerset House, Strand, London
- Tickets
- £18 – £100
- Organizer
- 1-54
A fair that has come back to the same building for fourteen consecutive years is no longer visiting it. 1-54 takes the East, West and South Wings of Somerset House and the Terrace Rooms, and puts a monumental installation in the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court where the fountains are.
Dates and hours
15 to 18 October 2026. Thursday to Saturday 11am to 7pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm. The 15th also carries the press and VIP preview.
What a ticket costs
GBP 32 standard, GBP 18 concessions, and GBP 100 for the VIP Thursday, which includes a cocktail. A disabled visitor's companion goes free, as do children of twelve and under.
The two things to look for
This edition carries a Modernist spotlight alongside the contemporary galleries, and a curated section — 1-54 Presents: West Wind, put together by Dr Nancy Dantas. A curated section at a commercial fair is the part that is arguing rather than selling, and it is usually the part worth the second hour.
Across the bridge
Waterloo Bridge leads straight into Lambeth, where the Lambeth Fringe runs in small theatres, pubs and chapels until 25 October, and the London Dungeon at County Hall opens its Halloween show on the 17th.
October in London belongs to the big fair in Regent's Park, and 1-54 has spent fourteen years turning that into an advantage: it is the same week, a twenty-minute walk from the Strand, and a fraction of the floor space, which means the galleries in it are within speaking distance rather than shouting distance. Thursday is the day the trade is in the building and Sunday afternoon is the day you can stand in front of something for as long as you like. Neither is the wrong answer; they are simply different fairs.
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair 2026: questions
When is 1-54 London 2026?
15 to 18 October 2026 at Somerset House: Thursday to Saturday 11am to 7pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm.
How much are tickets?
GBP 32 standard and GBP 18 concessions; the VIP Thursday is GBP 100 and includes a cocktail. Children of twelve and under, and a disabled visitor's companion, go free.
Is the Fountain Court installation ticketed?
The monumental installation stands in the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court, the open courtyard of Somerset House.
Source: 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair checked against the source
