While TED talks are a chance to hear from some of the world’s most influential figures and learn about a wealth of different topics, many of London's finest cultural institutions host live and virtual talks, featuring some of today's best thinkers and creatives as special guests.
Here, we round up the most exciting talks happening in London and online.
To mark the release of her eagerly anticipated third novel Beautiful World, Where Are You, Sally Rooney (Conversations With Friends, Normal People) is speaking at the Southbank Centre, in conversation with fellow Irish author Emma Dabiri (Don’t Touch My Hair, What White People Can Do Next). The novel, which is published on the day of the event, centres around the relationship between successful novelist Alice and her best friend Eileen. Through a string of emails, the two share their concerns over everything from climate change to identity politics and their respective relationships with warehouse worker Felix and childhood friend Simon.
Price: £10 - £20
Bimini Bon Boulash, celebrated drag queen and star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, invites audiences to join her for an evening of frank conversation and no-holds-barred humour at Hackney Empire. Boulash will be discussing the release of her first book, Release the Beast, an inspiring guide to transforming your life through drag that fizzes with celebrity anecdotes (Boulash credits models Kate Moss and Katie Price as among those who have inspired her). Plenty of time will be left for questions, so be sure to bring your best.
Price: £29 (includes a copy of the book)
Join V&A curator Oriole Cullen and author Justine Picardie to discuss the influence of Dior’s younger sister Catherine on the designer's life and work, in particular his signature perfume. The talk coincides with the publication of Picardie’s new book, Miss Dior, and is taking place on Zoom.
Price: £8
Stanley Tucci’s life is delicious – on screen and off. In this live event at the London Palladium, the Italian-American actor (The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games) speaks to journalist and best-selling author Dolly Alderton about his new memoir Taste, a culinary voyage through the memorable meals and recipes that have punctuated his life. Look forward to humorous anecdotes on Tucci’s growing up in Westchester, NY, falling in love over dinner and filming for foodie titles including Big Night and Julie & Julia.
Price: £40 - £51.20 (includes a copy of the book)
Costume Designer Gabriella Slade has vividly reimagined the corsets and puffed sleeves of Tudor times, elevating them from page to stage with sassy, sartorial twists for the award-winning production of Six the Musical. In this Zoom talk hosted by the V&A, Slade speaks to the museum’s senior curator Simon Sladen about the nuance behind her needlework.
Price: £5
To celebrate the publication of Ramble Book, author, comedian and podcast host Adam Buxton is speaking at the Southbank Centre this September. From parenthood and 80s culture to wet dreams, boarding school trauma and grieving the death of his father, the book covers it all, and this talk is a chance to hear more from the man behind the pen.
Price: £18 - £25
To celebrate the release of her new psychological thriller Magpie, journalist and How To Fail podcast host Elizabeth Day is in conversation with her friend and frequent collaborator Dolly Alderton (Ghosts, Everything I Know About Love). Together, the pair discuss the core themes of the book: envy, motherhood, possession and power. With her trademark brand of thoughtfulness and honesty, Day reflects frankly on her experience of returning to fiction, and may throw in some anecdotes on failure, too.
Price: £29 - £39 (includes a copy of the book)
In celebration of his new book Chewing The Fat, a mouthwatering collection of his most devilishly funny columns, restaurant critic and MasterChef judge Jay Rayner is in conversation with outspoken comedian Jo Brand. Uncork a bottle, settle into your seats and allow Rayner to recreate some of his most memorable dinner dates of the past, while answering some of your own foodie queries along the way.
Price: £34 (includes a copy of the book)
After three decades as a trailblazing writer, teacher and activist, Booker Prize-winning novelist Bernardine Evaristo (Girl, Woman, Other) moved from the margins to centre stage, taking up her well-earned place in the spotlight. Her journey was a long one, but she made it, and, in so doing, she made history. In her powerful new book Manifesto, Everisto describes how she climbed the literary ladder while refusing to let any obstacles stand in her way. Here, Evaristo talks to writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch about staying true to yourself and to your vision.
Price: £15 - £25
Bask in the company of national treasure and Bafta-winning actor Miriam Margolyes (Harry Potter, The Age of Innocence) as she shares stories from her remarkable life. At the age of 80, Margolyes has finally put her story down on paper in her memoir, This Much Is True. Join Margolyes live at Alexandra Palace for a night of jaw-dropping anecdotes; with a cast stretching from Scorsese to Streisand and a cross-dressing Leonardo di Caprio to Isaiah Berlin, we’re expecting juicy things.
Price: £32 - £44 (includes a copy of the book)
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