Wyclef Jean to Headline British Museum Ball 2026 in Great Court
On Saturday, 17th October 2026, Wyclef Jean will take center stage at the British Museum Ball, performing in the Great Court of the Museum. This event, designed by Artistic Director Es Devlin, will feature Jean, a co-founder of the Fugees, whose 1996 album The Score earned two Grammy Awards. The Ball will celebrate the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry, the 250th anniversary of the United States, and 2,000 years of Korean artistry. The color red will dominate the visual theme, symbolizing the earliest pigment used in human art. Dr. Nicholas Cullinan OBE commended Jean's music for its cultural significance. The first Ball in 2025 raised over £2.5 million. This year, Jean, a philanthropist and Global Citizen's Global Ambassador, is set to release Quantum Leap, along with Clef Notes and Q Theory.
Key facts
- Wyclef Jean headlines the British Museum Ball 2026 on Saturday 17th October
- The performance takes place in the Museum's Great Court
- Es Devlin returns as Artistic Director for the Ball
- Jean co-founded the Fugees, whose 1996 album The Score won two Grammy Awards
- The Ball's themes stem from the Bayeux Tapestry loan from France, a display marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, and an exhibition on 2,000 years of Korean creativity
- Red forms the evening's visual identity, described by the Museum as the earliest pigment known to have been used by humans in artistic expression
- The 2025 inaugural Ball welcomed almost 900 guests and raised more than £2.5 million
- Proceeds support the Museum's wider Masterplan
- Jean consults for Google DeepMind on AI technology and is Global Culture Advisor of Circle
- Jean releases Quantum Leap this year, with Clef Notes and Q Theory out now
Entities
Artists
- Wyclef Jean
- Es Devlin
- Shakira
- Santana
- Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE
Institutions
- British Museum
- Fugees
- Google DeepMind
- OpenWav
- Circle
- SodoMoodLab
- Showtime
- Global Citizen
- Music Will
- Grammy Awards
- FAD Magazine
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- France
- United States
- Haiti