- World celebrates third millennium
- George W. Bush wins US elections despite accusations of electoral fraud
- Napster, a free system for downloading music, is launched
- May Day violence erupts in London
- Ken Livingstone elected first Mayor of London
- London Eye and Millennium Bridge open
- Tate Gallery is renamed Tate Britain
- Tate Modern opens
- Launch of the arts award Beck’s Futures by the ICA, open to any contemporary emerging young artist
- First series of Big Brother airs