The best talks to book: London, 2023
Which famous faces are speaking in London? Gripping, informative, calming or funny, we round up the talks you won't want to miss
Night of Ideas with Zadie Smith, Institut Français
Novelist and playwright Zadie Smith (White Teeth) joins French Ambassador to the UK Hélène Duchêne and Ted Hodgkinson, Head of Literature and Spoken Word at Southbank Centre, to open the 2023 Night of Ideas at the French Institute. She’ll be reflecting on her writing (perhaps revealing more about her upcoming book The Fraud?) and what the festival's theme of ‘More?’ means to her. Stick around after for further talks and a closing concert with French composer roscius.
The Subject and Me: Katy Hessel, Chantal Joffe and Christina Kimeze on Alice Neel, Barbican Centre
In an exciting coming together of the visual arts world, art historian Katy Hessel joins artists Chantal Joffe and Christina Kimeze to discuss the distinctive style and enduring legacy of artist Alice Neel, whose retrospective at the Barbican is a highlight of London's arts calendar this year.
Creative Futures with Punchdrunk’s Livi Vaughan, Woolwich Works
Part of its collaboration with the University of Greenwich, Woolwich Works is hosting Livi Vaughan, designer and creative director of immersive theatre company Punchdrunk (The Burnt City), for a talk about working in the arts. Aimed primarily at young people looking to break into the industry, the talk is a chance to hear from one of its leading creatives about designing an immersive world audiences can explore. Livi is in conversation with Greenwich University’s Senior Lecturer in Theatre and Scenography David Hockham. The talk is being followed by a networking session in the Visitors’ Book Café.