Pop superstar Dua Lipa is set to curate the 2026 London Literature Festival, an 11-day event running from October 21 to November 1 at the Southbank Centre.

Dua Lipa, one of music's most influential figures, will lead London's longest-running celebration of books as part of the Southbank Centre's 75th anniversary. This appointment represents a strategic effort to engage new and younger audiences with the written word, leveraging the international reach of Lipa's Service95 Book Club. The collaboration aims to introduce millions of fans to a curated selection of established and emerging literary voices.

What We Know So Far

  • Pop artist Dua Lipa will serve as guest curator for the 19th London Literature Festival, which takes place at the Southbank Centre from Wednesday, October 21, to Sunday, November 1, 2026.
  • The festival is a cornerstone of the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary programming and occurs during the UK’s National Year of Reading, according to a report from the Evening Standard.
  • Lipa will curate a series of events across the festival, including a special takeover of the Royal Festival Hall during the opening weekend on Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25.
  • Her programming will be developed in collaboration with her Service95 Book Club and is expected to feature a diverse line-up of her favorite established authors alongside emerging new writers.
  • The Southbank Centre's anniversary year will also see musician Harry Styles curate the Meltdown festival, indicating a broader strategy of engaging major pop culture figures in its artistic programming.

Why Dua Lipa is Curating the 2026 London Literature Festival

The decision to appoint Dua Lipa as curator stems from a desire by the Southbank Centre to harness her considerable global influence to foster a renewed interest in reading. Mark Ball, the artistic director of the Southbank Centre, described the singer as a "global cultural force with millions of fans around the world," whose "passion for the written and spoken word has inspired a new generation of readers." In a statement reported by AOL, Ball expressed the organization's excitement, stating, "We’re absolutely thrilled that Dua will take the reins of our flagship London Literature Festival, applying her incredible creative talent, her advocacy and her reach to connect audiences to our finest writers."