Last Tuesday evening was a wonderful occasion of celebrating 25 years of Somerset House. The former royal palace is today one of London’s best loved cultural spaces, home to cultural innovators, art exhibitions and also a perfect space for events, brand activations and celebrations.
200 guests joint the multisensory reception in the iconic Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court at Somerset House. The evening was a perfect way to showcase how the stunning courtyard can transform to a variety of settings. The event also highlighted how venue hire of this standout space directly supports Somerset House’s cultural programme, nurtures its creative community, and contributes to the preservation of the Grade I listed site.
Top partners created a stunning 25th anniversary reception for Sommerset House
To frame the celebration, Key Structures installed two 4m x 15m clearspan marquees, each fitted with premium clear PVC roofs that offered uninterrupted views of Somerset House’s iconic architecture. These sleek structures were anchored with custom concrete ballast and finished with bespoke wooden deck boxes, combining structural precision with contemporary design.
Award-winning production house Event Concept transformed the Courtyard with a bold and immersive design inspired by seasonal produce and the theme of cultivation. Custom-built food stations from greenhouse-styled carrot displays to fig and raspberry installations, and two striking mirrored circular bars created a fun and visual experience in the Courtyard.
Alongside this, contemporary florist SAGE Flowers dressed the Courtyard with bold, abstract floral designs inspired by Tai Shani’s surrealist, otherworldly installation. The designs took on fairy-tale–like forms, using minimal ingredients arranged in abstract shapes and expressed through bold, block colours.
Food & drink elevated the celebrations at Somerset House 25th anniversary reception
Food was as much a part of the cultivation event as the styling, with catering partner Moving Venue presenting a showcase of seasonal British produce at its peak, from vibrant canapes and interactive food stations, all inspired by Somerset House’s 25-year journey. The carefully curated seasonal menu featured hero ingredients such as carrots, tomatoes, figs, and raspberries with each dish reflecting Somerset House’s forward-thinking and inclusive spirit.
Entertainment for the evening was curated by Euphonica, one of the UK’s leading entertainment agencies. The dynamic line-up featured DJ Kiimi, alongside live musician Josh Cutler, creating a beautiful soundscape that echoed the event’s theme of transformation. Elevated on the Portico Rooms balcony, the DJ deck designed by Event Concept became a focal point of the evening, enhanced by synchronised lighting and video moments that animated the Courtyard and energised the celebration.
Rali Nenova, Sales and Marketing Manager at Somerset House, comments: “This special cultivation event marked a significant milestone – 25 years of Somerset House as the home for cultural innovators. It was a celebration of everything Somerset House stands for – culture, creativity and community. We’re proud to showcase the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court as a space that not only hosts unforgettable events but also supports our cultural mission and creative ecosystem.”
More about Somerset House
Step Inside, Think Outside
As the home of cultural innovators, Somerset House is a site of origination, with a cultural programme offering alternative perspectives on the biggest issues of our time. We are a place of joy and discovery, where everyone is invited to Step Inside and Think Outside.
From our historic site in the heart of London, we work globally across art, creativity, business, and non-profit, nurturing new talent, methods and technologies. Our resident community of creative enterprises, arts organisations, artists and makers, makes us a centre of ideas, with most of our programme home-grown.
We sit at the meeting point of artistic and social innovation, bringing worlds and minds together to create surprising and often magical results. Our spirit of constant curiosity and counter perspective is integral to our history and key to our future.
