Press Release Date: Tuesday 8 May 2018, 00.01 ​ Contacts: Louise Gilbert [email protected] / 020 7921 0780 ​ ​ Naomi French [email protected] / 020 7921 0678 ​ ​

Southbank Centre announces its 2018 Literature Season

Featuring Gordon Brown, Lee Child, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Reni ​ Eddo-Lodge, Nawal El Saadawi, Roxane Gay, Bryony Gordon, Matt Haig, Tony Harrison, Philip Hensher, A.M. Homes, Anthony Horowitz, Khaled Hosseini, Isabelle ​ ​ ​ Huppert, Razia Iqbal, Margo Jefferson, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Judith Kerr, Barbara Kingsolver, Sabrina Mahfouz, Momtaza Mehri, Caitlin Moran, Ian Rankin, Jeet Thayil ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and more.

Also Man Booker 50 Festival in partnership with Southbank Centre featuring Pat Barker, ​ ​ ​ Julian Barnes, Paul Beatty, Peter Carey, Eleanor Catton, Anita Desai, Kiran Desai, Roddy Doyle, Anne Enright, David Grossman, Alan Hollinghurst, Kazuo Ishiguro, Howard Jacobson, Marlon James, Deborah Levy, Penelope Lively, Graeme Macrae Burnet, Hilary Mantel, Andrew O’Hagan, Ben Okri, Michael Ondaatje, DBC Pierre, Kamila Shamsie, Cólm Toibín and more. ​

Roxane Gay © Jay Grabiec, Khaled Hosseini © UNHCR / Brian Sokol, Barbara Kingsolver © David Wood, Kazuo Ishiguro © Jeff Cottenden ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Southbank Centre today announces its 2018 literature season, featuring a packed programme of more than 120 speakers and 50 events running from May to December.

With the recent reopening in April 2018 of its newly refurbished iconic cultural venues the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, Southbank Centre’s literature programme once again takes place across the whole 17-acre site including the Royal Festival Hall and the National Poetry Library.

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Featuring a star-studded line-up of award-winning literary greats, poets, emerging writers, political and social commentators and artists, the season celebrates the best of British and international writing with talks, workshops, exhibitions, festivals, live readings, performances, award ceremonies, family events, book signings and more.

Highlights include: ● Exclusive UK and Southbank Centre debut appearances from American essayist, ​ commentator and author of the bestselling book Bad Feminist Roxane Gay who ​ ​ ​ makes her first ever UK appearance in an in-conversation event (10 Dec) and ​ ​ Afghan-born bestselling author of The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini who presents ​ ​ ​ his new book Sea Prayer (4 Sep); ​ ​ ● Exclusive London appearances from leading international authors including ​ heavyweights of American literature Margo Jefferson (1 Jul), Barbara Kingsolver ​ ​ ​ (12 Nov) and A.M. Homes (5 Jul), and Indian poet and novelist c (28 Aug) who each ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ present and discuss their new books; ● Leading British voices including writers and journalists Caitlin Moran (26 Jun) and ​ ​ Matt Haig (3 Jul), former Prime Minister Gordon Brown (5 Jun) and British novelist ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Anthony Horowitz (1 Jun) presenting new books; ​ ● Bestselling British crime writers Lee Child and Ian Rankin making their Southbank ​ ​ ​ ​ Centre debuts in an exclusive London event where they are in conversation ​ ​ ​ ​ together for the first time (15 Nov); ● (B)old - a new festival celebrating age and creativity showcasing writers and artists ​ ​ ​ ​ over the age of 65 including Linton Kwesi Johnson, Tony Harrison, Nawal El ​ Saadawi and Judith Kerr (14 – 20 May); ​ ​ ​ ● Man Booker 50 Festival - a one-off weekend festival 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 Pat Barker, Julian Barnes, Paul Beatty, Peter Carey, Eleanor ​ Catton, Kiran Desai, Roddy Doyle, Anne Enright, Alan Hollinghurst, Kazuo Ishiguro, Howard Jacobson, Marlon James, Penelope Lively, Hilary Mantel, Ben Okri, Michael Ondaatje and DBC Pierre (6 – 8 Jul); ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The world’s first Instagram Poetry exhibition, showcasing the best of over 1,000 ​ ​ ​ Instapoetry submissions to the National Poetry Library (26 Apr – 1 Jul); ● Awards including the 2018 Forward Prizes for Poetry (18 Sep) and the 2018 Man ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Booker Prize Shortlist Readings (14 Oct); ​ ● Family and education events including a festive show with children’s books duo Julia ​ Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (2 Dec) and a free showcase of poetry reading for ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ secondary school students as part of National Poetry Day Live (4 Oct); ​ ​ ● A live reading of Marquis de Sade’s Justine and Juliet by 2017 Golden Globe ​ ​ ​ ​ Award-winning actress Isabelle Huppert (9 Jun); ​ ​ ● The return of London’s award-winning LGBT literary salon, Polari, featuring leading ​ ​ ​ ​ authors from the LGBT community including Philip Hensher (26 Jun). ​ ​

Ted Hodgkinson, Senior Programmer, Literature and Spoken Word, Southbank ​ ​ Centre, said: “We’re thrilled to announce Southbank Centre’s 2018 literature season today ​ ​ which features an extensive and truly exceptional array of award-winning authors, poets and

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cultural commentators, from a host of Man Booker winners and luminaries distilled from several decades of the prize, to exclusive appearances from world-renowned writers including Barbara Kingsolver and Khaled Hosseini, as well as Roxane Gay in her debut UK event.

For the first time in two years our literature season will make full use of Southbank Centre’s entire 17 acre site following the reopening of the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room; we’re excited about the opportunity the reintroduction of these spaces bring, with even more possibilities to spotlight emerging and established writers, as well as present performances and readings that bring literature to life in innovative ways."

Tickets for Gordon Brown, Caitlin Moran, Anthony Horowitz, Isabelle Huppert reads Marquis de Sade, (B)old Festival and Man Booker 50 Festival are already on sale. Remaining tickets ​ ​ ​ ​ go on sale to Southbank Centre members on Wednesday 9 May and to the general public on Friday 11 May.

For further information and to buy tickets please visit the following websites: www.southbankcentre.co.uk www.nationalpoetrylibrary.org.uk

Please find further event detail below and a link to full event listings in date order HERE

TALKS / IN CONVERSATION EVENTS Southbank Centre is proud to present the first ever UK appearance of celebrated cultural ​ ​ critic and American novelist Roxane Gay who takes to the stage in an exclusive UK event ​ ​ ​ to discusses her career including her most recent book Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body as ​ ​ well as her New York Times bestseller Bad Feminist in the Royal Festival Hall (10 Dec, ​ ​ ​ ​ RFH). Also making his Southbank Centre debut in an exclusive UK event, is the bestselling ​ ​ author of The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and And The Mountains Echoed ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Khaled Hosseini who will discuss his new illustrated story Sea Prayer with journalist Razia ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Iqbal which charts the dangerous voyage made by a father and son away from their war-torn ​ homeland in Syria (4 Sep, RFH).

The 2018 literature season features a number of exclusive London appearances from a ​ ​ variety of leading international writers including three female heavyweights of American literature. Winner of a Pulitzer Prize and author of the 2016 Baillie Gifford shortlisted Negroland, Margo Jefferson will be discussing her new book On Michael Jackson, which ​ ​ ​ ​ charts the rise and fall of the pivotal cultural icon, with Jhalak Prize-winning and bestselling author of Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race Reni Eddo-Lodge (1 Jul, ​ ​ ​ ​ QEH). Author of the Women’s Prize-winning May We Be Forgiven AM Homes will discuss ​ ​ ​ ​ her new book Days of Awe, exploring the aspirations and anxieties of contemporary ​ ​ ​ ​ American life (5 Jul, QEH). Fellow award-winning American author of critically-acclaimed novels including The Lacuna, Flight Behaviour and The Poisonwood Bible Barbara ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Kingsolver presents her much-anticipated new novel Unsheltered which explores the ​ ​ ​ human capacity for resilience and compassion in times of great upheaval in an in

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conversation event (12 Nov, RFH). And Indian writer, poet and author of the Man Booker Prize shortlisted Narcopolis Jeet Thayil presents his new work The Book of Chocolate ​ ​ ​ ​ Saints which examines the changing social and cultural landscapes of contemporary Indian ​ life (28 Aug, RFH Level 5 Function Room).

The season also features leading contemporary British voices. Bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive Matt Haig will be in conversation with journalist and bestselling writer ​ ​ Bryony Gordon to discuss his new book Notes on a Nervous Planet - a personal look at ​ ​ ​ ​ how to stay happy in an age of anxiety (3 Jul, QEH). Comedian and journalist Caitlin Moran ​ ​ returns to Southbank Centre to present her new book How to Be Famous which examines ​ ​ everything from fame and how to deal with it, to why ‘bad boys’ have had their day and why we’re on the verge of a Lady Revolution (26 Jun, RFH). Former Prime Minister Gordon ​ Brown discusses his recent memoir My Life, Our Times which reflects on four decades on ​ ​ ​ the frontline of British politics as well as a look to what happens next (5 Jun, QEH). British novelist and author of over 40 books including the bestselling Alex Rider series Anthony ​ Horowitz discusses his prolific career and what it’s like to write a James Bond novel as he ​ publishes his second book Forever and a Day about the world’s most famous spy (1 Jun, ​ ​ RFH). And two of Britain’s leading crime writers Lee Child and Ian Rankin make their ​ ​ ​ ​ Southbank Centre debuts in an exclusive London event where they will be in conversation ​ ​ together for the first time about their respective new books Past Tense and In A House of ​ ​ ​ Lies (15 Nov, QEH). ​

MAN BOOKER 50 FESTIVAL (6 – 8 July) ​ ​ ​ In July, Southbank Centre’s 17 acre site will be awash with award-winning literary greats in a new festival, Man Booker 50, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the prestigious literary ​ ​ prize. Winners from the last 50 years of the Man Booker Prize from Penelope Lively (1987) ​ ​ and Kazuo Ishiguro (1989) to Eleanor Catton (2013) and Paul Beatty (2016) will discuss ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ their work in events that span literature, politics, history, art and film. There will be a unique series of in conversation events with pairings including Pat Barker and Hilary Mantel on ​ ​ ​ ​ how historical fiction can shine a light on the present; Alan Hollinghurst and Marlon James ​ ​ ​ considering the commonalities in their portrayal of gay sexuality and the political, cultural and sexual climates of their novels’ times; Peter Carey and Julian Barnes on literary passions, ​ ​ ​ ​ influences and storytelling techniques; and a rare public appearance from mother and ​ daughter Anita and Kiran Desai - both prize alumni - who discuss writing across the ​ ​ generations. Further festival highlights include a keynote speech by Howard Jacobson, a ​ ​ screening of the Academy Award-winning film The English Patient based on the Man ​ ​ Booker-winning novel followed by a Q+A with its author Michael Ondaatje, and an interview ​ ​ with the 2017 Man Booker International winner, David Grossman.The festival culminates in ​ ​ a special event, the Golden Man Booker Live, compered by Jude Kelly CBE, which will ​ ​ celebrate the one-off crowning of the best work of fiction from the last five decades of the prize, as voted for by the public (6 – 8 Jul). More information HERE. ​ ​

(B)OLD (14 – 20 May) ​ Supported by The Baring Foundation, Southbank Centre’s brand new festival (B)old ​ celebrates age and creativity and champions new and established artists aged 65 years and over. The festival features literary and spoken word greats including: reggae poet Linton ​ 4

Kwesi Johnson in conversation with journalist Robin Denselow, discussing his journey ​ ​ ​ from Black Panther to internationally acclaimed poet in a career spanning more than 40 years (14 May, QEH); British poet and playwright Tony Harrison - who began his ​ ​ performance career in the 1960s as part of Southbank Centre's longest-running festival Poetry International - reading his acclaimed elegy Polygons followed by an in-conversation ​ ​ ​ Q+A with Southbank Centre Artistic Director Jude Kelly CBE (16 May, Purcell Room); one ​ ​ of the greatest writers to come out of the Arab world, Egyptian feminist wordsmith Nawal El ​ Saadawi, discusses her work with poet Sabrina Mahfouz including the story of her ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ extraordinary life Walking through Fire, and the first part of her autobiography A Daughter of ​ ​ ​ Isis (19 May, QEH); and acclaimed writer and illustrator Judith Kerr OBE, best known for ​ ​ ​ The Tiger Who Came to Tea and the Mog series, discusses her life and career, from ​ recounting her experience escaping Hitler’s Germany in her book When Hitler Stole Pink ​ Rabbit, to her most recent creative work Katinka’s Tail, a picture book inspired by her cat, ​ ​ ​ Katinka (19 May, Purcell Room). More information HERE. ​ ​ ​

LIVE READING / PERFORMANCE Winner of the 2017 Best Actress Golden Globe Award Isabelle Huppert performs the UK ​ ​ premiere of a dramatic live reading of Justine and Juliette, two of Marquis de Sade’s ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ remarkable and enduringly shocking novels as part of an international tour. (9 Jun, QEH).

To celebrate the Hayward Gallery’s new exhibition Lee Bul: Crashing (30 May – 19 Aug) ​ ​ ​ ​ poet Sophie Collins, novelist Ned Beauman and the recently-announced Young People’s ​ ​ ​ ​ Laureate for London 2018 Momtaza Mehri present new work commissioned in response to ​ ​ the exhibition. Joined by Associate Curator Eimear Martin, the writers read their texts and ​ ​ discuss the process of ekphrasis, or writing creatively in response to visual art (16 Jul, Purcell Room).

NATIONAL POETRY LIBRARY EVENTS Southbank Centre’s National Poetry Library, housed on the fifth floor of the Royal Festival Hall and home to the the world’s largest public collection of modern poetry, is proud to present Instagram Poetry, the world’s first instagram poetry exhibition. Showcasing the best ​ ​ of over 1,000 Instapoetry submissions from the general public, the free exhibition provides the perfect introduction to this emergent form of poetry, from striking typographic design to social comments and emotional confessions, as well as a selection of short Instapoetry films (26 Apr – 1 Jul).

Further events at the library include Poem Brut, an exploration of poetry, handwriting and ​ ​ illustration featuring new commissions from Maja Jantar, Saradha Soobrayen and SJ ​ ​ ​ Fowler (6 Jun); a celebration of radical French poet Arthur Rimbaud led by poet and ​ psychogeographer Niall McDevitt (1 Aug); readings from a new anthology Poems for ​ ​ ​ Grenfell Tower by contributors Steve Griffiths, George Szirtes, Rachel Burns, Angela ​ ​ Topping, Kevin Higgins and Myra Schneider (5 Sep); a book club exploring the work of ​ ​ ​ musician and lyricist Bob Dylan (2 Jul) and a walking tour exploring the centuries of poetic activity on the South Bank, led by National Poetry Librarian and author of Real South Bank ​ Chris McCabe (24 May). ​

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The next exhibition to take place at Southbank Centre’s National Poetry Library will be a celebration of major twentieth century poet W.S. Graham, marking the centenary of his birth (17 Oct 2018 – 31 Mar 2019).

PRIZES Southbank Centre is delighted once again to be hosting the Man Booker Prize readings, ​ ​ featuring readings and discussion with the shortlisted authors two days before the 2018 winner is announced on 16 October. Now in its 50th year, the Man Booker Prize is awarded for the best original novel written in the English language and published in the UK. The ​ shortlist is announced on 20 September by this year’s judging panel Val McDermid, Leo Robson, Jacqueline Rose, Leanne Shapton and chair Kwame Anthony Appiah (14 Oct, RFH).

The awards ceremony for the 2018 Forward Prizes for Poetry returns to Southbank ​ ​ Centre, featuring live readings from the ten shortlisted poetry collections in between each prize giving. Now in their 27th year, the Forward Prizes celebrate the best poetry published ​ in the UK and Ireland over the last 12 months and this year are chaired by Bidisha and fellow judges Jen Campbell, Niall Campbell, Mimi Khalvati and Southbank Centre’s National Poetry Librarian Chris McCabe, with the shortlist announced on 24 May (18 Sep, QEH).

The Poetry Book Society (PBS) presents its Summer Showcase at Southbank Centre ​ ​ ​ ​ featuring readings by the PBS Summer Selections Amy Key (Wild Card Choice), Mary Jean ​ ​ ​ Chan (Pamphlet Choice) and the winner of the PBS Student Poetry Prize, Jay G Ying. ​ ​ ​ Founded by T.S Eliot in 1953, the Poetry Book Society chooses the best new poetry books every quarter to deliver to its members (25 Jul, RFH L5FR).

FAMILY / EDUCATIONAL EVENTS The multi-award-winning author of children’s books including The Gruffalo and Zog Julia ​ ​ ​ ​ Donaldson is joined by her long-time illustrator Axel Scheffler for a festive sing-along show, ​ ​ ​ ​ with songs, stories, and live drawing. This special family event will celebrate some of the ​ much-loved stories that inspired the magical Zog films, ahead of the animated Zog Christmas special (2 Dec, QEH).

Presented in collaboration with The Poetry Society, Southbank Centre once again hosts National Poetry Day Live, a free evening of poetry in the newly reopened Queen Elizabeth ​ Hall Foyer to mark National Poetry Day. Ahead of the evening event, secondary school children are invited to celebrate the day with an afternoon of free poetry showcasing today’s most radical poets, exploring this year’s theme “change” (4 Oct, QEH foyer).

POLARI LITERARY SALON Southbank Centre welcomes back London’s award-winning LGBT literary salon, Polari, for ​ ​ its eleventh summer, curated and hosted by writer Paul Burston, and featuring leading ​ ​ authors from the LGBT community. In the first of two events, the multi-award winning writer and journalist Philip Hensher presents his critically-acclaimed new novel The Friendly Ones ​ ​ ​ ​ in an evening which also features Kate Bradbury, Derek Farrell, Amanda Jennings and ​ ​ Polis Loizou and the announcement of The Polari First Book Prize 2018 longlist (26 Jun, ​

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RFH L5FR). The following month The People’s Book Prize-winning author Lesley Thomson ​ headlines the Polari line-up, following the release of her latest novel The Death Chamber, in ​ ​ an evening which also announces the shortlist for The Polari First Book Prize 2018 (24 Jul, RFH L5FR).

FIFTY YEARS OF GREAT ART WRITING BOOK LAUNCH (10 May) ​ In anticipation of the Hayward Gallery’s 50th anniversary in July 2018, Hayward Gallery Publishing celebrates this milestone and its long-lasting commitment to independent art publishing with the release of a new publication. Fifty Years of Great Art Writing is a ​ ​ collection of essays about modern and contemporary art as commissioned across half a century by Southbank Centre’s Hayward Gallery from some of the world’s leading writers, artists and thinkers including Leon Kossoff, Bridget Riley, Ali Smith, Will Self, Geoff Dyer and Grayson Perry. The release of the publication will be marked by a free launch event in the Hayward Gallery Shop featuring an informal discussion panel with British novelist and critic Marina Warner, art writer and critic Adrian Searle and chaired by Hayward Gallery Director ​ ​ ​ Ralph Rugoff (10 May). ​ LONDON LITERATURE FESTIVAL (17 – 28 OCTOBER) Southbank Centre’s twelfth London Literature Festival runs from 17 – 28 October 2018, with the programme to be announced in the summer. An established highlight in the literary calendar, the festival will once again feature emerging and established authors, poets, playwrights and spoken word artists. The programme will include special live readings, debates and the return of the Young Adult Literature Weekender. ​ ​

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For further information and to buy tickets please visit the following websites: www.southbankcentre.co.uk www.nationalpoetrylibrary.org.uk Tickets for Gordon Brown, Caitlin Moran, Anthony Horowitz, Isabelle Huppert reads Marquis de Sade, (B)old Festival and Man Booker 50 Festival are already on sale. Remaining tickets ​ ​ ​ ​ go on sale to Southbank Centre members on Wednesday 9 May and to the general public on Friday 11 May.

Join the Conversation: Southbank Centre is @southbankcentre @litsouthbank National Poetry Library is @wetblackbough

Press Images HERE ​

For further press information please contact: Naomi French, Press Officer, [email protected], 020 7921 0678 ​ Louise Gilbert, Press Manager, [email protected], 020 7921 0780

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For further information on Man Booker 50 Festival please contact: ​ ​ Laura Steele, [email protected], 020 3697 4241

LISTINGS Please find a link to full event listings in date order HERE ​

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Southbank Centre Southbank Centre is the UK’s largest arts centre, occupying a 17 acre site that sits in the midst of ​ London’s most vibrant cultural quarter on the South Bank of the Thames. The site has an extraordinary creative and architectural history stretching back to the 1951 Festival of Britain. Southbank Centre is home to the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery as well as The National Poetry Library and the Arts Council Collection. For further information please visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk ​

About Southbank Centre’s National Poetry Library Southbank Centre’s National Poetry Library is the largest public collection of modern poetry in the world and is housed at Southbank Centre in London. Founded by the Arts Council in 1953 and opened by poets T.S. Eliot and Herbert Read, the library contains over 200,000 items spanning from 1912 to the present day, extensive resources for poets, academics, schools and families. Hosting exhibitions and events, the library is free to use www.nationalpoetrylibrary.org.uk ​

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