Southbank Centre’s 2018 literature season has been announced

Southbank Centre has announced its 2018 literature season, which will feature a packed programme of more than 120 speakers and 50 events, running from May to December. From emerging writers to award-winning literary greats, political commentators to artists, the season will celebrate the best of British and international writing with live readings, talks, workshops and more.

The venue reopened its doors in April, following the refurbishment of its iconic Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room. The literature programme will take place across the 17-acre site, including the Royal Festival Hall and the National Poetry Library.

Highlights of the 2018 programme include bestselling British crime writers Lee Child and Ian Rankin in conversation together (15 November), an appearance from American essayist, commentator and author of the bestselling book Bad Feminist Roxane Gay (10 December), and Afghan-born bestselling author of The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini presenting his new book Sea Prayer (4 September). Also presenting new books over the course of the season are Anthony Horowitz (1 June), Caitlin Moran (26 June), Gordon Brown (5 June) and Matt Haig (1 June).

The season will incorporate the Man Booker 50 Festival – a one-off weekend festival (6 - 8 July) of literary debates, readings and masterclasses bringing together more than 60 speakers, including 17 Man Booker winners, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the prestigious literary prize. Speakers include Julian Barnes, Kazuo Ishiguro, Hilary Mantel and Michael Ondaatje.

Events in exciting new formats will also form part of the season, including the world’s first Instagram Poetry exhibition, showcasing the best of over 1,000 Instapoetry submissions to the National Poetry Library (26 April – 1 July).

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