The Southbank Centre announced an unmissable Summer 2024 season of Literature and Spoken Word. The programme brings a diverse array of UK-exclusive launches, non-fiction talks and poetry readings to the stages of the UK’s largest multi-arts centre, promising something for everyone.
In an increasingly polarised world and cultural landscape, this season offers salutary encounters with leading writers and thinkers which restore a sense of shared humanity. Whether exploring female desire or friendship in contemporary life, these are writers who capture the complexity of the modern world and give it human scale and meaning.
Featuring an outstanding lineup of internationally acclaimed authors and journalists, the season taps into today’s vital and topical issues, ranging from political polarisation to the profound human impact of money. This jam-packed summer features a host of momentous events for the biggest fiction launches, with appearances from Sally Rooney, Richard Ayoade, Hari Kunzru, Gillian Anderson, None Cherry and many more. Elsewhere in the programme, a range of spoken word events celebrate the diversity of the literary landscape, transcending geographic borders for remarkable cross-cultural performances.
Ted Hodgkinson, Head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre, says, “We’re thrilled to be presenting many of the most anticipated moments of the summer, with an array of world-class writers sharing new works for the very first time on our stages. The Southbank Centre has always been an engine of creativity and this programme presents a vibrant mix of literary talents, who entertain, thrill and illuminate the evolving complexities of our times. From thought-provoking non-fiction to captivating poetry, the season is a testament to literature’s ability to inspire, inform, and spark crucial conversations about our modern world. This is all part of our role and a shared commitment to provide a truly diverse offering for all of our audiences.
MP Jess Phillips (21 Sep) lifts the lid on the nature of democracy and attitudes towards elections, while audiences can hear Carol Vorderman (21 Sep) discuss her unlikely journey to becoming one of the UK’s leading political commentators and how we can use our voices in politically divisive times.
The National Poetry Library continues its monthly poetry event series, Special Edition: a showcase of the multi-faceted poetry scene, highlighting treasures from the world’s largest public collection of modern poetry. European Poetry Festival transcends borders and delivers a vibrant cross-lingual performance, as the seventh iteration of the festival showcases the dynamic voices of contemporary Catalan (19 Jun) and Norwegian (3 Jul) poets alongside their British counterparts.
Full event listings HERE.
Booking: / www.southbankcentre.co.uk / 0203 879 9555.
