New 3,800-capacity London venue, British Airways ARC, to open in 2026
AEG Presents have announced new venue, British Airways ARC, will open in London in 2026.
The new 3,800 capacity venue in London, which claims to be state-of-the-art, will be located above the existing West Exhibition Hall in Olympia, London, with airline British Airways confirmed as the naming rights partner.
Music fans will have to wait for 2026 for the opening. As of writing, no specific opening date has been revealed, and no upcoming events have been confirmed.
The newly announced venue is part of a £1.3 billion regeneration of Olympia, London, which also features a 1,575-seat theatre, 30 bars, restaurants and food establishments, plus two hotels and 550,000 square feet of office space.
Olympia was first built as an events and exhibitions venue almost 140 years ago, with artists ranging from Jimi Hendrix to The Chemical Brothers among those to have stepped foot on stage.
Andrew Spencer, chief operating officer at AEG Presents Europe, said of the news, “This is a pivotal moment as we open the diary for bookings and reveal the name of British Airways ARC.”
He continued, “We’re delighted to be working with British Airways and as we take the next step towards opening all the teams are very excited. Olympia is a place that has an incredible musical history which we want to honour whilst creating a venue that is thoroughly modern with world class facilities for artists and fans alike.”
Additionally, Calum Laming, British Airways’ chief customer officer, weighed in, adding: “We’re incredibly proud to champion British Originality in everything we do, so we’re thrilled to be building on our further support for the arts and culture scene on our doorstep here in our hometown, London.”
Laming continued, “Together with AEG Presents UK, not only are we creating unique experiences for audiences, we’re also helping shine a spotlight on the next generation of talent. As the flag carrier for the UK, it’s important to us that we represent modern Britain at home and all around the world, and we’re so excited to be a part of Olympia to showcase the very best homegrown and international entertainment.”
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