The Southbank Centre has announced that Grammy and Brit Award-winning global superstar Dua Lipa will curate the 2026 London Literature Festival. This partnership marks a centerpiece of the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary and coincides with the UK’s National Year of Reading.
The festival, the capital’s longest-running celebration of the written word, will take place from 21 October to 1 November 2026. Dua Lipa—founder of the acclaimed Service95 Book Club—is set to curate the opening weekend’s events on 24 and 25 October, alongside a series of global culture collaborations throughout the fortnight.
A Passion for the Written Word
Since launching her book club in 2023, Dua Lipa has become a prominent advocate for literacy, particularly for marginalized readers. Commenting on her new role, she said: “Reading has anchored me through every chapter of my life... Curating the Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival is a dream come true. I’m thrilled to indulge one of my greatest obsessions: books and the brilliant minds behind them.”
Mark Ball, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre, hailed the singer as a "global cultural force" whose passion has inspired a new generation. "We’re absolutely thrilled that Dua will take the reins," he noted, "applying her incredible creative talent... to connect audiences to our finest writers."
Celebrating 75 Years of Culture
The 2026 festival arrives at a critical time; a 2025 National Literacy Trust survey revealed that only one in three children read in their spare time. In response, this year’s programming—supported by Bukhman Philanthropies—will feature free events, gaming collaborations, and workshops designed to re-engage young readers.
Dua Lipa’s curatorship joins a stellar 75th-anniversary lineup that includes a site-wide takeover by Danny Boyle, Harry Styles’ Meltdown, and Anish Kapoor at the Hayward Gallery.
The full festival lineup and ticket details will be released in Summer 2026. As Ted Hodgkinson, Head of Literature & Spoken Word, concluded: "Dua’s passion and insight have sparked a global conversation around books... It promises to be a momentous year."
