Channel is Somerset House’s new curated online space for art, ideas and the artistic process.
Wednesday 17 November 2021 – Sunday 16 January 2022
After a year away, Skate returns to Somerset House this winter, promising a joyful season of unparalleled ice skating, rink-side DJ takeovers, winter dining and festive experiences. Hailed as one of the capital’s favourite festive outings, Somerset House’s striking neo classical courtyard will be spectacularly transformed into the ultimate winter destination with new partners Moët & Chandon, welcoming visitors to make magical memories with loved ones once again over the festive season.
Specially for 2021, the courtyard will feature a more open skate space, and a newly expanded area to collect and return ice skates, allowing friends and family to celebrate time together safely outdoors. Standing at the entrance to the ice rink will still be Skate’s signature dazzling 40ft Christmas tree, with specially curated decorations from Moët & Chandon, providing perfect picture moments.
Bringing the ultimate open-air party atmosphere to the rink, Skate Lates with UNIQLO presents a brand-new series of unmissable rink-side deck takeovers from a specially curated line-up of leading contemporary DJs, artists and collectives across the season. The female-led community radio station Foundation FM joins this year’s Skate Lates line-up for the first time with a three-day residency, presenting the best and latest sounds from emerging talent across Garage, R&B, Hip-hop, Afrobeats, House and Disco. DJs Mia Lily, Mal, Chloe English, Heléna Star and collective Girls Don’t Sync will take up the decks across the three nights, celebrating the ones to watch for 2022. BBC Radio 1 DJ and presenter (BBC Introducing Dance) Jaguar presents Future1000, treating skaters to an evening of electrifying dance music mixes, whilst Glasgow-based community radio station Clyde Built Radio will host two nights celebrating the best new sounds from the city’s wider creative community.
For the first four Saturdays of Skate, Somerset House partners with Disney+ to bring morning skate sessions hosted by KISS DJs.
For those looking to build confidence and improve their skills on the ice after some time away, Skate School returns this season with a new series of professional coaching sessions with National Ice Skating Association (NISA) instructors. Stabilisers will also be offered to children across the entire ice rink, as part of entry on a first come, first serve basis throughout Skate’s run. This season will also see the introduction of Chilled Out skate sessions, which take place on selected weekday mornings and run at a reduced capacity, perfect for those looking to take their first steps on the ice with comfort. The rink is open to wheelchair users across all skating sessions.
Those in search of irresistible winter food and seasonal festive tipples need look no further than Skate this season. Visitors making their way to the ice rink will be welcomed by Hotel Chocolat’s much-loved Chocmobile, serving decadent winter treats on the go, from deliciously rich hot chocolate drinks to chocolate goodies. Those looking to soak up views of the rink can do so in style and comfort in the Skate Lounge by Moët & Chandon, where a wide selection of drink options for all occasions will be available, including an elegant range of champagnes and cocktails to toast the festive season.
Visitors looking to further unwind away from the ice can do so with a new all-day dining experience - Chalet Barragiste - from pop-up legend Jimmy Garcia, housed in Somerset House’s West Wing. Inspired by Jimmy’s time spent in the Alps, Chalet Barragiste celebrates the best in festive feasting. The restaurant offers a seasonal menu of winter favourites and new twists on traditional drinks to sample, with something to cater to the tastes of all skaters, from Game Burgers to Vegan Fondue and warming Earl Grey Martinis to Buttered Rum. Bespoke packages make for perfect sharing moments, from Smoked Salmon and Moët & Chandon Champagne to Baked Mont D’or and Wine, complete with rustic sourdough baguette, new potatoes and pickled cornichons for dipping.
An array of special events and activities will be available for all ages to enjoy, including creatively tasty chocolate workshops for children and master classes for adults alike. Visitors can also browse an exclusive pop-up store from Hotel Chocolat at Skate, where a range of luxury chocolate gifting will be available for those in search of an indulgent gift, or simply a treat for themselves.
Continuing Somerset House’s commitment to celebrating contemporary culture on the ice, this year’s season will feature special Skate surprises inspired by Somerset House’s major winter exhibition Beano: The Art of Breaking the Rules. This landmark show celebrates the world’s longest-running weekly comic’s mix of mischief, mayhem and fun, and explores the under-acknowledged influence of comics on today’s greatest creative rule-breakers, including writers, musicians, painters, sculptors and photographers. Alongside rare original Beano artwork from the archives, these contemporaries’ most audacious artworks will be shown within life-size recreations of Beano’s most iconic backdrops, such as Bash Street School, as if stepping inside the pages of the perennially popular comic.
Visitors to Skate can also enjoy the free exhibition, We Are History, across the winter season at Somerset House. Showcasing works from contemporary artists Alberta Whittle, Allora & Calzadilla, Carolina Caycedo, Louis Henderson, Malala Andrialavidrazana, Otobong Nkanga, Shiraz Bayjoo and Zineb Sedira, the exhibition offers a different perspective on the human impact on the planet, tracing the connections between today’s climate crisis and legacies of colonialism.
Skate tickets start at £11 for adults and £8.50 for children (12 years and under) including skate hire (a booking fee will apply). Groups of four (two adults and two children or one adult and three children) can enjoy a family discount offering 10% off tickets. Skate Lates tickets are £17 (plus booking fee) and include skate hire.
Sessions sell out quickly so it is advised that visitors book tickets in advance. A small number of walk-up tickets will be available on-site each day.
This season, Somerset House has teamed up with South Bank hotel Sea Containers London to offer an exclusive Get Your Skates On package, which includes: a stay in one of hotel’s guest rooms and suites with stunning views out to the Thames and St Paul’s; tickets to Skate; and cosy extras in-room for afterwards. The hotel will also be hosting a range of children and adult workshops with Hotel Chocolat throughout November and December. For more information visit: seacontainerslondon.com
To celebrate the closing weekend of the season, Somerset House presents Skate Closing Party with X by Glenmorangie (15 & 16 January 2022). Balamii DJs Patrisha and LUCID will take up the rinkside decks across two evenings as skaters take their final spins on the ice, bringing the best and latest mixes and sounds from rave, 2-step and techno to deep and acid house. Visitors off the ice can soak up the atmosphere and music in the comfort of the Skate Lounge by Moët & Chandon, complete with X by Glenmorangie’s cocktail-making musical Jukebox.
American Express partners with Skate this year as its Preferred Payment Partner to give Cardmembers an unforgettable experience this year.
Skate will operate with Covid security in mind and enhanced safety measures in place. For more information, please visit somersethouse.org.uk
With thanks to Reg & Co
Address: Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
Transport: Underground: Temple, Embankment / Rail: Charing Cross, Waterloo, Blackfriars
Website: www.somersethouse.org.uk
Somerset House Facebook: www.facebook.com/SomersetHouse
Somerset House Twitter: @SomersetHouse
Somerset House Instagram: @SomersetHouse
NOTES TO EDITORS
DATES: Wednesday 17 November 2021 – Sunday 16 January 2022
TIMES: Opening hours vary, please check the website for further details
ABOUT SOMERSET HOUSE
London’s working arts centre
Somerset House is London’s working arts centre and home to the UK’s largest creative community. Built on historic foundations, we are situated in the very heart of the capital.
Dedicated to backing progress, championing openness, nurturing creativity and empowering ideas, our cultural programme is ambitious in scope. We insist on relevance, but aren’t afraid of irreverence, and are as keen on entertainment as enrichment. We embrace the biggest issues of our times and are committed to oxygenating new work by emerging artists. Where else can you spend an hour ice-skating while listening to a specially commissioned sound piece by a cutting-edge artist?
It is this creative tension—the way we harness our heritage, put the too-often overlooked on our central stage and use our neo-classical backdrop to showcase ground-breaking contemporary culture—that inspires our programme. Old and new, history and disruption, art and entertainment, high-tech and homemade, combined with the fact that we are home to a constantly shape-shifting working creative community: this is our point of difference. It is what we are proud of. And it is what makes the experience of visiting or working in Somerset House inspiring and energizing, urgent and exciting.
ABOUT MOËT & CHANDON
Founded in 1743, Moët & Chandon is the Maison that contributed to introducing Champagne tothe world by offering a range of unique wines for every occasion. From the iconic Moët Impérial to the Grand Vintage Collection, from the extroverted Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial to the innovative Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial, each Champagne dazzles and delights with bright fruitiness, an enticing palate and an elegant maturity. Since its founding, Moët & Chandon has been a Champagne of choice to celebrate historical moments or private moments of great personal importance. For each of life’s memorable moments, Moët & Chandon has a style of champagne that marks the moment in a very unique way. Please drink responsibly. Moet.com
ABOUT JIMMY GARCIA
Yorkshire-born and bred, Jimmy Garcia discovered his taste for good food from an early age. After his first 25-seater pop-up restaurant in his living room at his flat in South-West London, borrowing tables and chairs from the local church, started selling out, he knew he'd found his calling.
Today, widely known as The King of pop-up dining in the UK, his pop-ups have been celebrated by the likes of British Vogue, The Sunday Times, The FT, Evening Standard, Foodism, The Nudge, Time Out London and The Telegraph to name a few and he has also featured on a range of TV shows over the years including Sunday Brunch and This Morning.
In addition to Jimmy’s Pop Ups, his namesake catering company Jimmy Garcia Catering specialise in catering at luxury events and weddings. They are specialists in delivering extraordinary food experiences. Garnering many accolades along the way, their portfolio spans working with most major brands around the globe from Google, Disney, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram to Netflix, Warner Brothers, Waitrose, Nike, Samsung, Spotify and Vogue.
Whether popping up with a new restaurant or catering at a wedding, they continually deliver immersive and unforgettable food adventures that excite the whole sensory experience.
ABOUT UNIQLO
UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese retail holding company with global headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. UNIQLO is the largest of eight brands in the Fast Retailing Group, the others being GU, Theory, Helmut Lang, PLST (Plus T), Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam and J Brand. With global sales of approximately 2.01 trillion yen for the 2020 fiscal year ending August 31, 2020 (US $19.06 billion, calculated in yen using the end of August 2020 rate of $1 = 105.4 yen), Fast Retailing is one of the world’s largest apparel retail companies, and UNIQLO is Japan’s leading specialty retailer.
With a corporate statement committed to changing clothes, changing conventional wisdom and changing the world, Fast Retailing is dedicated to creating great clothing with new and unique value to enrich the lives of people everywhere. For more information about UNIQLO and Fast Retailing, please visit www.uniqlo.com and www.fastretailing.com.
ABOUT HOTEL CHOCOLAT
Luxury British cacao grower and chocolatier Hotel Chocolat was founded in 2004 to make exciting chocolate with three guiding principles – authenticity, originality and ethics that remain central to the brand’s success today. With its Rabot Estate cacao farm, hotel restaurant and bar on the Caribbean Island of Saint Lucia, a chocolate manufacturing facility in Cambridgeshire, UK, and locations across the UK and internationally, Hotel Chocolat occupies a unique space – being able to link all aspects of chocolate from the tree to the consumer. Hotel Chocolat connects the world of sustainable cacao agriculture with the hedonism of top-quality chocolate.
ABOUT DISNEY+
Bringing you the greatest stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, as well as exclusive Originals. With thousands of hours of bigger, bolder and more exciting stories than ever before all in one place. Discover a brand new world of entertainment on Disney+.
ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress
ABOUT AMEX EXPERIENCES
Skate is just one of the ways American Express connects its Cardmembers to rewarding experiences and opportunities that matter to them and their businesses through its American Express® Experiences programme.
Through Amex Experiences, Cardmembers have access to presale tickets, as well as the best seats and exclusive offers at some of the UK’s most sought-after entertainment events via partnerships with a range of institutions, including The British Film Institute, AEG, Live Nation, Somerset House, and the National Theatre. Amex Experiences is just one example of the powerful backing that American Express provides its customers.
Terms and conditions apply. Subject to availability. Promoter: American Express Services Europe Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
UK Enquiries: For more information on how American Express supports its Cardmembers – in life and business – please visit americanexpress.co.uk/whyamex or connect with AmericanExpressUK on Facebook or Twitter @AmexUK
UK Press Enquiries: georgina.thompson@havas.com
ABOUT SEA CONTAINERS LONDON
Set within the iconic Sea Containers building - originally designed by American architect Warren Platner - on London’s South Bank, the hotel boasts 359 guest rooms and suites, Sea Containers restaurant serving modern ingredient-led cuisine, an award-winning experimental cocktail bar spearheaded by acclaimed barman Ryan Chetiyawardana (AKA Mr Lyan), and 12th Knot, a rooftop lounge with panoramic views over the River Thames. Designed by Design Research Studio under the creative direction of visionary Tom Dixon, Sea Containers London is also home to a maritime inspired 56-seat Curzon cinema and agua spa.