Kiln Theatre has revealed the full line-up for the Kilburn High Road Festival, running from 31 July to 15 August 2026. The festival marks the culmination of a three‑year, place‑based creative project part‑funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, celebrating the stories and heritage of local communities.
Over the past two years, Kiln has worked with residents of all ages to co‑create multidisciplinary art, from performances and workshops to visual installations. The 2026 festival brings this work to the public with theatre, music, site-specific experiences and exhibitions across the High Road.
Artistic Director and CEO Amit Sharma said, “I’m very proud of everything that has been achieved through the Kilburn High Road Project over the last three years. The hundreds of stories collected, the important heritages of the local area recorded, alongside the communities and artists we’ve co-created with, have cemented Kiln as a civic space where all stories are welcome. The Kilburn High Road Festival, alongside the intergenerational production, is a chance to celebrate and showcase these ambitious and excellent achievements of the project.”
Stuart McLeod, Director, England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, added, “The Kilburn High Road Festival will be an inspiring finale for this brilliant project which has brought together Kilburn’s community over the past three years. Thanks to National Lottery players, people have been able to explore, share and celebrate their stories and the heritage that makes Kilburn such a special place to be.”
The festival opens with performances by the Intergenerational Theatre Company on 31 July and 1 August. Directed by Kane Husbands and Izzy Rabey, with a new script by Sonia Jalaly, the production imagines a “Museum of Kilburn”, inspired by memories contributed by the 80 local participants aged 6 to 88.
Visual arts installations include The High Road: Unframed, created in collaboration with Action Space and adapted into large-scale outdoor works by designer Christianna Mason. Photographer Roy Mehta’s portrait series Capturing Kilburn will appear in shopfronts, blending contemporary portraits with archival material.
The Passages project offers three site-specific theatre experiences along the High Road, written by Marika McKennell, Martha Haidari and Nicole Latchana, each exploring themes drawn from 95 community-submitted stories. A wider exhibition of all 95 stories will be on display at Kiln Theatre.
The Sound of Kilburn music project will unite Kilburn’s diverse musical traditions, forming a new Kilburn House Band to perform live at outdoor locations.
Local volunteers known as Kiln Neighbours will steward events throughout the festival following a year of training and workshops.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
