Dua Lipa is curating the 2026 London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre, bringing together a star-studded lineup of writers and thinkers. The pop star will interview Zadie Smith, Patti Smith, Mustafa, and others as part of the festival, which runs from 21 October to 1 November.
High-profile interviews and events
Lipa will sit down with Zadie Smith on 24 October to discuss her 2000 debut novel, White Teeth, published when Smith was just 24. The pair are expected to reflect on "learning to live with an artistic legacy earned at such a young age" and how the novel's characters might fare in Britain today. The following night, Lipa will interview Patti Smith about her memoir Bread of Angels, which charts Smith's life from childhood through her marriage to Fred "Sonic" Smith and her return to music after his death.
The programme also includes appearances from Sudanese Canadian poet and musician Mustafa, Nobel peace laureate Nadia Murad discussing her memoir I Choose My Beginning, and a conversation between Ta-Nehisi Coates and Tareq Baconi on Baconi's new book about Palestine. Other events feature a translated fiction showcase, a poetry and music night with Kae Tempest, and Censorship Live!, a collaboration with English PEN examining threats to free expression.
Lipa's literary advocacy
Lipa, who launched her Service95 book club in 2023 as an extension of her cultural platform, said curating the festival had been "a true joy." She wanted to bring together "some of the most exciting writers, poets and thinkers from around the globe" alongside more familiar names. Last month, she opened a permanent collection of 100 banned, censored, and challenged books inside the historic Livraria Lello bookshop in Porto, Portugal.
Mark Ball, the Southbank Centre's artistic director, said Lipa's "deep curiosity about the world" made her a fitting curator for the venue's 75th anniversary. "It's a milestone year and she's the perfect curator to help us celebrate it," he added.
Festival details and history
The festival, now in its 19th year, includes free family events and a wider national programme as part of the Southbank Centre's efforts to reach a million people across the UK in 2026. Last year, the festival was curated by Self Esteem, and previous headliners include Ai Weiwei, Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Margaret Atwood, Philip Pullman, Tom Hanks, and Yulia Navalnaya.
Tickets go on sale to Southbank Centre members on 3 August, Service95 members on 4 August, and the general public on 5 August.
