Southbank Centre is the home of literature and spoken word events in the UK, and the venue for London Literature Festival and Poetry International. Our programme is brimming with today’s bestselling authors, award-winning poetry and spoken word, and dramatised readings of iconic novels from some of the world’s most inspiring writers.

The 2019 literature programme encompasses exclusive in-conversation discussions with award-winning authors including Marlon James, Angie Thomas, Ian McEwan and James Ellroy; a dramatic live reading of Max Porter's latest novel Lanny; debut novelists Candice Carty-Williams and Ocean Vuong on their much anticipated new novels; specially commissioned musical performances in response to The Lost Words by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris; a celebration of working class writers with the launch of the Common People Anthology; an expanded series of new courses, exhibitions, prizes and for poetry fans our series of National Poetry Library Lates and our new partnership with Out-Spoken will see the best new poetry showcased monthly. 

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