Unheard Voices of the City

Find our display St Bartholomew's Hospital Courtyard in West Smithfield.

Various times

14 Jun – 22 Jul 2025

A tribute to the people who keep London alive after dark.

While the city sleeps, thousands work through the night – caring for patients, cleaning streets, lifting market shutters, pouring drinks and building the London of tomorrow. Too often unseen, their labour keeps the city moving.

This pop-up display shines a light on their stories. Through creative workshops, night workers from across London sketched one another and shared what it's really like to work while the world rests – the fatigue, the pride, the quiet camaraderie and the moments of unexpected beauty that punctuate the dark.

Co-created with society driven design studio POoR Collective, the display can be found within the Wiggle Wonderland open-air gallery in St Bartholomew’s Hospital Square as part of the London Festival of Architecture.

How to attend:

In-person only

Good to know:

The display and its events are located outdoors. Please check the weather before travelling and dress appropriately.

Duration:

All day

Accessibility:

Wheelchair access

Concessions:

Some concessions are available – read our policy

Location

You can find Unheard Voices of the City in St Bartholomew's Hospital Square, West Smithfield, EC1A 7BE.

You can reach the square via the main hospital entrance on King Edward Street and through the Henry VIII Gate on West Smithfield.

The nearest stations are Farringdon and Barbican.

Drop-in events

There's a programme of free drop-in lunchtime events taking place to accompany the display.

Each informal and friendly workshop offer creative activities and conversation around health, wellbeing and care – and everyone is welcome.

See below for all the details.

Weather

Events are outdoors and visitors are advised to check the weather and dress appropriately. Events are subject to relocation or cancellation in the event of bad weather.

Acknowledgments

Unheard Voices of the City is a commission by POoR Collective for London Festival of Architecture in partnership with London Museum and Culture Mile Business Improvement District (BID). Supported by the City of London Corporation’s Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund and with public funding by Arts Council England.

We'd also like to thank the night-shift workers who have contributed to the display, including staff from fabric, Smithfield Market, St Bartholomew’s Hospital and late-night customers of Ferraris Cafe Snack Bar.