Van Morrison will perform a five-night, fully seated residency at the British Airways ARC in West London [1].
The residency marks the inaugural program for the new venue, signaling a high-profile start for the facility's operations in the city's arts district.
The British Airways ARC, located at Kensington Olympia, is scheduled to open June 16, 2026 [3]. Morrison's series of performances will follow the opening as part of the venue's first major programming cycle [2].
The residency is scheduled for September 2026 [2]. Reports indicate the first show of the series will take place Sept. 23, 2026 [4]. While some reports suggested the residency would occur during the summer, other sources confirm the September dates [2, 4].
Morrison, a Northern Irish singer-songwriter, will play five shows in total [1]. The events are described as fully seated, moving away from the standard standing-room arrangements often found in larger concert halls. This format aligns with the specific design of the new West London space [1, 2].
The announcement comes as the venue prepares for its official launch. The British Airways ARC aims to establish itself as a premier destination for live performance in the Kensington area [2, 3]. By securing a veteran artist like Morrison for its opening program, the venue seeks to attract a sophisticated audience and establish immediate prestige in the London music scene [2].
“Van Morrison will perform a five-night, fully seated residency”
The partnership between a legacy artist and a new luxury venue suggests a strategy to target an older, affluent demographic. By opting for a fully seated residency rather than a traditional tour stop, the venue is prioritizing a curated, high-end experience over maximum capacity, setting a precedent for the type of programming the British Airways ARC intends to host.
