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Literature & poetry

Overview Calendar

Friday 18 September

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

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
BUMPAH x Future Rhythms
An architectural light installation featuring concentric neon triangles glowing in blue, purple, and pink on a dark wall.

BUMPAH x Future Rhythms

Gigs
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Free
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

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 20 September

Out-Spoken Masterclass: September
Workshop leader engaging with the class.

Out-Spoken Masterclass: September

Literature & poetry
Royal Festival Hall
Sold out
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
Future Rhythms DJ Takeover
Low-angle view of a geometric ceiling with wood slats, purple neon lighting, and yellow and blue light panels.

Future Rhythms DJ Takeover

Gigs
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Free
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.
Royal Festival Hall
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

Art & exhibitions
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

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 22 September

The Booker Prize 2026 Shortlist Announcement
Booker Prize Trophy with a red light in the background.

The Booker Prize 2026 Shortlist Announcement

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

Art & exhibitions
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

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 24 September

Omar El Akkad in Conversation
Omar El Akkad wearing a white T shirt against a beige background.

Omar El Akkad in Conversation

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

Art & exhibitions
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

Art & exhibitions
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

Art & exhibitions
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

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 3 October

Vikki Heywood & Francis Spufford: Hidden London

Vikki Heywood & Francis Spufford: Hidden London

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Emily St John Mandel: Exit Party
Emily St John Mandel wearing a black top against a navy background.

Emily St John Mandel: Exit Party

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room

Friday 9 October

Rug Rhymes: Autumn
Painted puppets

Rug Rhymes: Autumn

Literature & poetry
National Poetry Library
Sold out

Thursday 15 October

Iconic Women of the Hayward Gallery
Bharti Kher wearing a black blazer in a gallery.

Iconic Women of the Hayward Gallery

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room

Friday 16 October

Rug Rhymes: Autumn
Painted puppets

Rug Rhymes: Autumn

Literature & poetry
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

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

Family & young people
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

Family & young people
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

Family & young people
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

Family & young people
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

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

Family & young people
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

Family & young people
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

Family & young people
Queen Elizabeth Hall

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

Family & young people
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

Family & young people
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

Family & young people
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language.
Queen Elizabeth Hall

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

Family & young people
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

Family & young people
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Thursday 5 November

Kim Noble: How to Write
a man in a black blazer looking directly at the camera while a chaotic cluster of books and a roll of masking tape are bound tightly to his head and stuffed into his mouth using beige tape.

Kim Noble: How to Write

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room

Saturday 3 April

Ira Glass: Stories for a Saturday Night
Ira Glass sitting at a table in front of a wood panelled wall.

Ira Glass: Stories for a Saturday Night

Literature & poetry
Royal Festival Hall

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.