Inside Olympia’s Preview Event

On 9 June, Olympia welcomed over 500 guests, including partners, stakeholders, media, cultural tastemakers and industry leaders, to an exclusive preview evening, offering a first look at the transformed destination ahead of its phased public opening, which took place last week.

The evening featured a keynote address from the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, who described the all-new Olympia as “not only one of the most ambitious regeneration projects our city has ever seen, it’s also a powerful symbol of London’s creativity and enduring ambition”.

Guests also heard from Olympia CEO Michael Volkert, Thomas Heatherwick and Lucy Noble of AEG Presents UK, marking a major moment in the historic site’s next chapter as the capital’s newest destination for entertainment, culture, hospitality and business.

Held across Olympia’s new rooftop terraces, under its striking new glass Canopy, the event celebrated the people, partnerships and ambition behind the £1.3 billion transformation of the iconic London venue, whilst giving guests a first look at the brand-new public spaces, and a first taste of the new rooftop bars and restaurants.

The evening showcased live performances from BRIT School alumni and acclaimed artist Greentea Peng, alongside a live DJ set, reflecting the creativity, culture and community at the heart of Olympia’s future. The Canvas, a brand new 83m-longdigital screen was illuminated throughout, creating a striking backdrop to the celebrations.

The event was supported by Diageo, Carlsberg, Britvic and Hallgarten, with featured brands including Casamigos, London Essence, Pepsi, 1664, Sapporo and Coates & Seely. British Airways, the Founding Partner of Olympia, was also recognised throughout the evening.

More than a preview event, the evening marked an important milestone in Olympia’s new chapter. Following the opening of Pillar Hall in March, Olympia’s rooftop spaces, restaurants and bars opened to the public on 15 June, with British Airways ARC welcoming its first audiences the following day. Alongside these cultural and hospitality spaces, Olympia’s wider redevelopment includes 550,000 sq ft of new office space, which has already welcomed tenants including Premier League Studios. These latest additions are already shaping the next phase of Olympia, and there is more to come, including two new hotels, expanded public spaces for cultural programming and the British Airways Theatre, set to open in 2027.