Dua Lipa to Curate 2026 London Literature Festival at Southbank Centre: Celebrating Books, Authors, and Culture

Dua Lipa to Curate 2026 London Literature Festival at Southbank Centre: Celebrating Books, Authors, and Culture

The Southbank Centre has revealed that Dua Lipa, the renowned music artist and founder of the Service95 Book Club, will be the curator of the 2026 London Literature Festival. Lipa will oversee a series of events during the festival, including the opening weekend and various activities with her book club. She expressed her excitement about the opportunity to explore her passion for books and engage with talented authors at the iconic Southbank Centre.

Since its inception in 2023, the Service95 Book Club, initiated by Dua Lipa, has evolved into a cultural platform where she selects a book each month and hosts discussions with the authors on the accompanying podcast. Lipa is a strong advocate for reading and aims to support marginalized readers facing obstacles to accessing books, such as those impacted by book bans or incarceration. The London Literature Festival, now in its nineteenth edition, will be a part of the Southbank Centre's 75th anniversary celebrations and coincide with the National Year of Reading.

Mark Ball, the Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre, highlighted the festival's significance in bringing together global creative talents to celebrate the unifying power of arts and culture. He praised Dua Lipa for her cultural influence and dedication to promoting literature, expressing excitement about her involvement in the flagship London Literature Festival. The festival will feature a diverse lineup of established and emerging writers, curated by Dua Lipa, and will offer a mix of ticketed and free events.

In addition to the London Literature Festival, the Southbank Centre's 75th anniversary program includes various events such as You Are Here, Harry Styles' Meltdown, Goalhanger: The Rest Is Fest, and Anish Kapoor's return to the Hayward Gallery. The celebration extends beyond the Southbank Centre with a national program of art, literature, and music, aiming to engage audiences across the UK. Dua Lipa's curatorship of the festival will focus on connecting audiences with a range of writers and providing engaging programming for all attendees.

As part of the festival's efforts to promote reading among young people, special events and workshops will be organized to engage children and teenagers with books and storytelling. The festival aims to address the decline in reading among children, as highlighted by a survey conducted by the National Literacy Trust in 2025. With a focus on inclusivity and creativity, the London Literature Festival under Dua Lipa's curatorship promises to be a vibrant celebration of literature and culture.