What do paradise, psychoanalysis, spoil heaps, steelworks, careers, clowning and tennis all have in common? They feature in our Spring 2023 season of events, of course!

You’ll be hearing from a dazzling array of writers, thinkers and artists in the coming months, from Fiona Shaw to Elf Lyons, David Olusoga to Geoff Dyer, Damian Barr to Zadie Smith, Harriet Walter to Juliet Jacques.

We’ll be travelling far and wide in this season’s subject matter. With our range of in-person, hybrid and online events, you’ll be able to join us from wherever you are. There will be personal reflection, practical advice, short stories, life stories, laughter and dance.

We’re delighted to be partnering with our good friends at the British Library, New York Public Library, Kings College London, BBC Radio 3, Lit Hub, Royal Vauxhall Tavern and Crack Magazine.

Excited to explore this star-studded season? Simply scroll down, and find out more on our What’s On page.

Pico Iyer and Cal Flyn: Paradise Distorted
Join Pico and Cal as they discuss their books of wonder, written whilst embarking on new travels and whilst making sense of old ones, mixing fact with feeling. They cover tourism, surprises, hope, holiness, the human and nonhuman in this prerecorded conversation, part of our Vital Discussions On Demand series.

RSL 200 Literature Matters: Patrick McCabe and Fiona Shaw
It’s been nearly thirty years since Patrick McCabe and Fiona Shaw worked together on the film adaptation of Patrick’s acclaimed novel, The Butcher Boy. Patrick and Fiona had many a conversation around a kitchen table during the making of the film, and now they come together again, in an exclusive event for the Royal Society of Literature at the British Library, to pick up where they left off.

Nuar Alsadir and Elf Lyons: Shaking with Laughter
Poet, psychoanalyst and author of Animal Joy, Nuar Alsadir, is joined by comedian Elf Lyons to discuss silliness, seriousness and spontaneous outbursts. The pair will consider laughter’s revelatory capacity and the brutal honesty involved in clowning around.

Careers In Literature
Our annual event, chaired by RSL Fellow Edmund Gordon, explores the varied working lives of those in the literature sector, and how to get started in your own career in words. During this 90 minute Zoom webinar, each panellist will speak about their own work, followed by an opportunity for you to ask questions to people who have been there and done it.

Juliet Jacques and Eliza Clark: Variations and Arrangements
Join these two inventive, subversive writers to discuss their Influx Press titles: Variations, the debut short story collection from Juliet Jacques and Boy Parts, Eliza Clark’s debut novel. Witty, original, obsessive, compelling, these books explore gender, expose taboos and tell stories which have gone unheard for too long.

RSL x RVT: An Evening with Damian Barr
For the first time, the Royal Society of Literature joins forces with the legendary Royal Vauxhall Tavern for a night of celebration and conversation, marking the tenth birthday of Damian Barr’s acclaimed memoir, Maggie & Me.

Emma Warren and Kieran Yates: Home Is Where the Dance Is
Emma Warren and Kieran Yates, two writers committed to creating and conserving space, explore the dancefloors and dancehalls, front doors and hallways they have known.

NYPL Transatlantic Conversations: Geoff Dyer and Chloe Cooper Jones
It’s often said that a good conversation is like a game of tennis. Join us for a good conversation that will, in part, also be about tennis. Author and RSL Fellow Geoff Dyer is joined by Chloé Cooper Jones to discuss sporting matches and everyday battles; failure and triumph; what it means and what it takes to live life to the full, and when and how to bow out.

In Memory of Hilary Mantel
Join David Olusoga, Kamila Shamsie and Harriet Walter to celebrate the life, work and legacy of RSL Fellow and multi-award-winning writer, Hilary Mantel. Our speakers will discuss Mantel’s writing and her impact on their own work, as well as her instrumental role within the Royal Society of Literature. A cast of actors including Dame Harriet Walter will read extracts from some of Hilary Mantel’s most loved literature.

Dalloway Day 2023 – Zadie Smith On Virginia Woolf
Dalloway Day will return on Wednesday 14 June 2023, reimagining and examining Woolf’s writing today. There will be workshops, panel discussions and a headline event with none other than writer and RSL Fellow, Zadie Smith.