Southbank Centre's Summer 2023 Literature and Spoken Word Season

Southbank Centre's Summer 2023 Literature and Spoken Word Season returns from June - October 2023 with conversations featuring acclaimed authors, thinkers, and poets.

Image: Queen Elizbeth Hall. Photo byIndia Roper Evans.

The Southbank Centre's Summer 2023 Literature and Spoken Word Season is in full swing, offering an impressive lineup of authors, economists, politicians, and poets from June to October. This ongoing festival brings together renowned names like Yomi Adegoke, Julian Barnes, Zadie Smith, and Colson Whitehead, who share their latest thought-provoking novels, tackling issues like abuse of power, politics of race, and the impact of new technologies.

Image: Zadie Smith. Photo by Ben Bailey Smith.

There is an exceptional lineup of talks and discussions in the upcoming months. Notable highlights include Yanis Varoufakis launching his groundbreaking book on economics, capitalism, and inequality, while former UK Prime Minister Theresa May engages in insightful discussions about her latest work, Abuse of Power – a searing exposé of injustice and a compelling call to exercise power for the greater good. The program also features an evening with the writers of the hit show Succession, and a conversation with Arlo Parks, the Mercury Prize-winning musician and poet, as she unveils her debut book, The Magic Border. Moreover, visionary performance artist Marina Abramovic and author Katya Tylevich will engage in an intriguing discussion about their new collaboration, Marina Abramovic: A Visual Biography.

Image: Theresa May. Photo by Rory Lewis

The National Poetry Library enriches the festival with explorations of autism and poetry, alongside celebrating emerging poets with Hong Kong connections. Moreover, Out-Spoken's monthly residency showcases exceptional spoken word artists. With a diverse lineup and important discussions, the Southbank Centre's Literature and Spoken Word Season continues to inspire and ignite meaningful conversations. The festival runs concurrently with the Planet Summer program, featuring events with prominent figures like Greta Thunberg, Mark Carney, Mikaela Loach, and Tori Tsui. Luckily, there is still plenty of time to get involved in these cultural feasts.

Date: June - October 2023. Location: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX. Click here for the full programme of events.