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The Royal Festival Hall is closed to the public on Tuesday 16 June. It will reopen for Harry Styles & Jules Buckley Orchestra ticket holders only at 5pm.

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Literature & poetry

Overview Calendar

Tuesday 15 September

Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Wednesday 16 September

Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Thursday 17 September

Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Friday 18 September

Amelia Dimoldenberg: The Future of Digital Media
A lady in a beige jumper with her hair up resting her head on one hand.

Amelia Dimoldenberg: The Future of Digital Media

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Multi-buy
Future Sounds: RAP Party x Out-Spoken
An audience watching a poet with a DJ off to one side, in a studio theatre with multi-coloured lighting

Future Sounds: RAP Party x Out-Spoken

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Saturday 19 September

Rebecca F Kuang: The Future of Education
Rebecca F Kuang sat at a table in a restaurant, resting her head on her hand with a glass of water next to her.

Rebecca F Kuang: The Future of Education

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
Reimagining Shared Spaces: The Future of Housing
A photograph of a 70s block of flats with balconies.

Reimagining Shared Spaces: The Future of Housing

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Multi-buy
Olly Alexander: The Future of Queer Storytelling
A man with short curly hair wearing a flower-patterned green suit

Olly Alexander: The Future of Queer Storytelling

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Sunday 20 September

Mya-Rose Craig: Beyond the Climate Crisis
A black-and-white photo of a woman with long dark hair wearing a turtleneck jumper and big hoop earrings

Mya-Rose Craig: Beyond the Climate Crisis

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
The Future of Images in a Post-Truth Era
A piece of abstract artwork depicting the bust of a young boy in a collage style.

The Future of Images in a Post-Truth Era

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Multi-buy
Letters to My Younger/Future Self
A woman in a white shirt stands in the centre of a theatre balcony, while the rest of the audience reach out towards here holding letters

Letters to My Younger/Future Self

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Multi-buy
Ash Sarkar: The Future of Relationships
A woman with long dark hair and red lipstick poses in a pinstripe blazer and gold hamsa necklace against a gray wall.

Ash Sarkar: The Future of Relationships

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Monday 21 September

Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Tuesday 22 September

Liane Moriarty: Big Little Truths
Liane Moriarty wearing a black jacket and white shirt against a black background

Liane Moriarty: Big Little Truths

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Wednesday 23 September

Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Thursday 24 September

Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Friday 25 September

Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Saturday 26 September

Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Sunday 27 September

Brutal(ism) Love and Hate
Black and white image of the Southbank Centre showcasing its brutalist architecture.

Brutal(ism) Love and Hate

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Gift to the Future
A large concrete building with colourful text decals affixed to its facade stands near a riverfront square, with the London Eye visible in the background.

Gift to the Future

Site wide
Free

Saturday 3 October

Vikki Heywood & Francis Spufford: Hidden London

Vikki Heywood & Francis Spufford: Hidden London

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room

Friday 9 October

Rug Rhymes: Autumn
Painted puppets

Rug Rhymes: Autumn

National Poetry Library
Sold out

Friday 16 October

Rug Rhymes: Autumn
Painted puppets

Rug Rhymes: Autumn

National Poetry Library
Sold out
Nussaibah Younis: Fundamentally
Nussaibah Younis wearing a blue dress sitting at a blue table.

Nussaibah Younis: Fundamentally

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room

Tuesday 20 October

Michael Lewis: Blockers
A close-up portrait of a smiling man with brown hair wearing a white collared shirt under a dark navy blue v-neck sweater.

Michael Lewis: Blockers

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.

Wednesday 21 October

The Children's Bookshow with Katherine Rundell
Author Katherine Rundell smiles while holding her book

The Children's Bookshow with Katherine Rundell

Queen Elizabeth Hall
This is a schools event
Ta-Nehisi Coates & Tareq Baconi: On Freedom
A side-by-side portrait showing a man with short grey-flecked hair wearing a light blue button-down shirt on the left, and a man with wavy dark hair wearing a dark grey t-shirt on the right.

Ta-Nehisi Coates & Tareq Baconi: On Freedom

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Thursday 22 October

Service95 Book Club: Nadia Murad in Conversation
A three-quarter portrait of a woman with long, wavy brown hair looking forward, wearing an asymmetrical terracotta dress.

Service95 Book Club: Nadia Murad in Conversation

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room

Friday 23 October

Out-Spoken: October
Poet Kwame Dawes in front of a tree

Out-Spoken: October

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Indie Night: October
Two peoples profiles are grey and collaged with an image of piles of books and a dotted square.

Indie Night: October

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room

Saturday 24 October

A Celebration of British Somali Poetry
A three-quarter portrait of Momtaza Mehri looking upward, wearing a black hijab and matching black linen jacket.

A Celebration of British Somali Poetry

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Dua Lipa & Zadie Smith: White Teeth
Author Zadie Smith wearing hoop earrings and a red shirt

Dua Lipa & Zadie Smith: White Teeth

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
The 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry Ceremony
Five smiling award winners stand in a row holding blue booklets against a black, yellow, and blue curtain backdrop.

The 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry Ceremony

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Dua Lipa & Patti Smith: Bread of Angels
A black and white portrait of Patti Smith raising her hand with palm facing out, leaning against a wooden fence.

Dua Lipa & Patti Smith: Bread of Angels

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.

Sunday 25 October

Out-Spoken Masterclass: October
Group of people sat around a long table all writing onto paper

Out-Spoken Masterclass: October

Literature & poetry
Dua Lipa & Mustafa: Nour
A black and white close-up portrait of a man looking over his shoulder while seated inside a vehicle, gripping a backpack strap.

Dua Lipa & Mustafa: Nour

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.

Wednesday 28 October

The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
Service95 Book Club: Translated Fiction Showcase
A woman with long wavy dark hair sits thoughtfully with her fist under her chin against a warm brown background.

Service95 Book Club: Translated Fiction Showcase

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Malorie Blackman: Noughts & Crosses at 25
Portrait of author Malorie Blackman. She sits in a garden wearing a patterned blue top and a lace cover up.

Malorie Blackman: Noughts & Crosses at 25

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Thursday 29 October

The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Lemn Sissay: Let the Light Pour In – Live
Lemn Sissay wearing a yellow jacket sitting on a chair.

Lemn Sissay: Let the Light Pour In – Live

Literature & poetry
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Book Now

Last few tickets

Tice Cin: Safe Spaces
Musicians collaborate in a sunlit music studio crowded with synthesizers, a vocal mic, and audio production software.

Tice Cin: Safe Spaces

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room

Friday 30 October

The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
Creative Future Writers' Award Showcase
Audience members applauding

Creative Future Writers' Award Showcase

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.

Saturday 31 October

The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Wasafiri: New Writing Prize 2026
Four panelists sit on a stage speaking into microphones before an audience, with large windows overlooking a city at night.

Wasafiri: New Writing Prize 2026

Literature & poetry

Sunday 1 November

The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Smeds and the Smoos
A colorful children's illustration of a red alien and a blue alien holding hands on a desert planet under a huge moon.

The Smeds and the Smoos

Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Goldsmiths Prize Shortlist Readings
Audience members seated in an auditorium chatting with the people around them

The Goldsmiths Prize Shortlist Readings

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Xiaolu Guo: AI-esque
Author Xiaolu Guo

Xiaolu Guo: AI-esque

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room

While you're with us

Jeppe Hein: Appearing Rooms
People enjoying the Jeppe Hein Fountain at the Southbank Centre

Jeppe Hein: Appearing Rooms

A summer favourite returns to our site with water fountains to splash around and cool down in.

Shopping
Wooden displays in the Southbank centre shop, featuring books, plushies, and colourful merchandise

Shopping

A vibrant range of inspiring books, homeware, prints, accessories and more.

Klaus Weber: Thinking Fountains
Two statues; a green human body with water spouting from its neck and another of human legs with water pouring down from above displayed outdoors

Thinking
Fountains

Water cascades and spouts over Klaus Weber’s bronze figures.

Modified Social Benches
Two children eating ice cream on a red cirrcular bench

Modified Social Benches

Benches that challenge the space and distance we place between one another.

William Pye's Zemran
A photograph showing Riverside Terrace at Southbank Centre, with the metal sculpture Zemran in the foreground, next to Queen Elizabeth Hall

William Pye's Zemran

Pye’s beautiful stainless steel sculpture sits overlooking the Thames.

Natura Nostra Forest
Bright sunlight bursts through green leaves with a lens flare, set against a blue sky and a textured concrete building.

Natura Nostra Forest

Our growing pocket forest creating a natural oasis.