The British Airways ARC venue officially opened at Olympia in West London on June 16, becoming the capital’s first major purpose-built live entertainment venue to open in more than a decade. The 3,800-capacity space forms part of Olympia’s wider £1.3 billion redevelopment project and will host concerts, performances and other live events throughout the year.
New venue launches as part of Olympia redevelopment
British Airways ARC is one of several additions to the wider Olympia regeneration project, which is transforming the historic West London site into a mixed-use cultural and events district. The venue will host live music and entertainment, adding a dedicated indoor performance space to an area of the capital that has had fewer purpose-built mid-to-large-scale music venues compared with districts such as North Greenwich and East London.
The venue opened with a performance by Self Esteem, with upcoming acts including McFly, Van Morrison, Khalid and The Black Keys scheduled during its inaugural season.
Alongside the opening, British Airways launched its “Cloudscapes” campaign, featuring artwork from alumni of The BRIT School. The campaign is displayed around the venue and across outdoor advertising sites in London.
British Airways Club members have also been offered access to ticket allocations and loyalty benefits linked to the venue and selected Olympia restaurants and bars.
Airline partnership extends to onboard dining
To mark the opening, British Airways has partnered with Olympia restaurant Wolves of Tokyo to introduce a limited-edition menu on selected flights.
From July 1, passengers travelling in Club World on flights between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) will be able to choose dishes inspired by the restaurant’s contemporary Japanese menu. The collaboration will run for two months and includes options such as black cod with plum miso, crab maki rolls and matcha cheesecake.
The airline said the initiative forms part of its wider efforts to connect its travel experience with cultural and hospitality partnerships on the ground.
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