BrightSparks

Schools can apply for tickets to BrightSparks concerts online when booking is open. Schools that are on the LPO schools mailing list will receive email notification of when booking is live. If you are not on the mailing list and would like to be added please contact [email protected]

Yes, applications are accepted from all schools. You will need to make your own travel arrangements to the concert hall.

There will be a link on our website for booking for each concert. You should fill in the form, and we will contact you within 3-6 weeks of your application as to whether you have been successful. Please do not send any payments until notified by us to do so. While you’re waiting to hear from us, we recommend that you pencil the concert date in your school’s calendar.

Yes. Tickets are £3 for students. Accompanying adults are free of charge.

We will contact you if you have been successful in your application for your BrightSparks tickets. If your ticket application is successful, we will notify you, and then send you an invoice for the full amount due.  Payment can be made by cheque or BACS.

Please do not send any cheques or payments before receiving an invoice. Please also note that invoices will be sent to the email addresses entered on the initial application form. Please do ensure these invoices reach your school finance manager.

All payments for BrightSparks must be received prior to the concert day.

All BrightSparks tickets are for collection on the day only – we do not send any tickets in advance. You can pick up your tickets from the collection desk on the day (all bookers are emailed the week before the concert with information about where the collection desk will be).

Please contact the LPO Box Office on 020 7840 4205 or [email protected]. Should you cancel your booking within a month before the concert you will still be charged the full ticket price. Successful applications made within one month of the concert are non-refundable.

If you fail to attend a concert you will still be charged the full amount for your tickets. BrightSparks concerts are oversubscribed, and if you have successfully booked tickets and do not turn up, you have prevented another school from attending. Please note that future bookings may not be taken from schools that have outstanding debts relating to previous BrightSparks concerts.

Once you have booked your tickets, you may request to amend the number and we will try to accommodate this if the invoice for your booking has not yet been raised, and it is more than a month until the concert, but we cannot guarantee it is possible. Contact the LPO Box Office on 020 7840 4205 to discuss any changes. No amendments to ticket numbers can be made within one month of the concert date, and any cancelled tickets within this time will need to be paid for.

BrightSparks concerts in London take place at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. The nearest National Rail and London Underground stations are Waterloo, Embankment and Charing Cross.

BrightSparks concerts in Eastbourne take place at the Congress Theatre, Carlisle Road, Eastbourne BN21 4BP.

The LPO does not issue a risk assessment. Schools who require this will need to create their own risk assessments.

London: Southbank Centre is open and free to enter if you need to visit in advance to work out your own risk assessment.  The LPO can email emergency procedure notes from Southbank Centre on request, if you wish to include these in your own risk assessment. If you would like this contact [email protected]

Eastbourne: the LPO can email some general risk assessment information from the venue on request, so schools can use this to create their own risk assessment. If you would like this, contact [email protected]

Please leave plenty of time to get to your seats before the start of the concert.

London: the Royal Festival Hall building is open all day from 10.00am onwards and there is a lot of public space for schools groups to congregate if they arrive early for a concert.

Eastbourne: the building will open 1 hour before the concert starts so leave plenty of time to arrive, collect tickets and get settled.

London: Yes, there is plenty of space in the foyers of the Royal Festival Hall, but spaces are not bookable.

Eastbourne: there is space in the main foyer and bar areas for schools to eat their packed lunch, but spaces are not bookable. We recommend that schools eat packed lunches outside (weather-permitting) or before you arrive at the Congress.

London: There are two car parks and various coach spaces available at Southbank Centre. You can find full information on the Parking page of Southbank Centre’s website. There are also some coach bays next to the London Eye which must be reserved (booking instructions). Further information on coach parking in London can be found on Transport for London’s Coaches page. We recommend that audiences use public transport if possible.

Please note that the London Philharmonic Orchestra is not responsible for any of the parking available at these sites and will not be able to answer queries relating to them. Please use contact details on the websites above for further parking queries.

Eastbourne: street parking for coaches is generally available on the seafront, just past the Grand Hotel.

Yes, we produce resources for teachers for all BrightSparks concerts.  These become available online about a month before the concert and usually contain information about the concert repertoire, musical excerpts and ideas of how to introduce and explore the music with your class.  All resources can be found on our Watch Listen and Learn page. As soon as the resources are available, we email all bookers a link where they can find everything they need.  Many concerts also have a free INSET session for teachers about a month before, where the concert repertoire and activities to use in class are discussed.

We aim to be as accessible and inclusive as possible. On the BrightSparks booking form, there is space for you to tell us about any access requirements of your group. Wheelchair spaces are available at both venues, and BSL interpretation is possible if booked in advance (in London primary level concerts, this is only available in the morning concert). Social stories are available about each concert closer to each concert date.

Visit our Access page for more access information about the venues we perform in.

If you would like to discuss access further, email [email protected]