A new edition of the European Writers’ Festival has been announced! On 18–19 May, 30 authors and poets, each from one European region or country, will gather together at the British Library for a weekend full of panels and performances, discussing the literature and ideas defining our countries and Europe today.
The ACF is particularly pleased to welcome the renowned Austrian author Milena Michiko Flašar in London to participate in this year's festival. Born in 1980 in St. Pölten, she studied German and Romance languages and literature in Vienna and Berlin. She is the daughter of a Japanese mother and an Austrian father. Her novels I Called Him Necktie, Mr Kato Plays Family and Above Earth, Below Heaven have won several awards and been translated into numerous languages. The author lives with her family in Vienna.
At the European Writers’ Festival, established and emerging writers will respond to this year’s theme Transformation. As we in Europe are once again shaken to the core by conflict and upheaval, the second European Writers’ Festival builds on the success of the 2023 festival and addresses the theme of Transformation, hoping to demonstrate that community, debate, entertainment, and storytelling can unite us in creating hope and positive transformation. Bigger, better, and braver, the 2024 Festival is a unique opportunity to enjoy some of the best European prose and poetry in English translation over one star-studded weekend. See the full program here.
Renowned names such as Laurent de Sutter (Belgium), Pajtim Statovci (Finland), Sasha Salzmann (Germany), Emma Dabiri (Ireland), Igiaba Scego (Italy), Nora Ikstena (Latvia), and Elisa Victoria (Spain) join a host of other brilliant authors, such as Joanna Elmy (Bulgaria), Larisa Faber (Luxembourg), and Alycia Pirmohamed (Scotland). See full list of authors here.
Organised by the European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC) London in partnership with the European Literature Network and the British Library, and with the support of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom and the European Parliament Liaison Office in the United Kingdom, the European Writers' Festival is once again curated by former BBC journalist Rosie Goldsmith, director of the European Literature Network.
The European Writers’ Festival 2024 is grateful for the partnership of English PEN, Guardian Europe, the Times Literary Supplement and University College London.
All events are in English and are chaired by a range of distinguished presenters, critics and academics. Read about the presenters here.
TICKETS for one or both days will go on sale via the British Library Events Page on Friday 8 March 2024
All events will take place in the Pigott Theatre, Knowledge Centre, British Library.
