Tottenham Literature Festival 2022 | FULL PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED
14 - 20 November 2022
A bold festival of words right here in Tottenham.
The Bernie Grant Arts Centre’s Tottenham Literature Festival is back from Monday 14th November until Sunday 20th November. Our bold festival of words returns with its joyous and vibrant programme celebrating enriched, diverse stories by Black authors, poets, and artists from Tottenham and beyond. This year’s festival theme is ‘Healing Stories’. Join us as we explore the healing power of words and how writing ourselves into history transforms everything from community, to self-preservation and love.
This year’s programme promises to be our most ambitious yet with lots for families, young people and adults to enjoy. To be as accessible as possible, we have a significant free programme, with the rest of the program operating a Pay What You Can model, with tickets starting at £4. We are also delighted to introduce Tottenham’s very first Big Read, where we will be giving out 1,000 free books to our local community.
Join us in the cafe for our free programme including: author interviews, our books & crafts market & pop-up performances.
#TLF22 authors include: Travis Alabanza, Lemn Sissay, Paterson Joseph, Anthony Joseph, Bridget Minamore, Dean Atta, Dzifa Benson, Lisa Allen-Agostini, Yvonne Bailey-Smith, Christian Adofo, Tippa Irie, Tobi Kyeremateng, Nadifa Mohamed, Leone Ross, Victoria Adukwei-Bulley, Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, Jendella Benson, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, Maame Blue, Tola Okogwu and others.
If you’d like to see how you can get involved by volunteering, make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter to be the first to know when we’re recruiting.
‘1000 Coils of Fear’ – Olivia Wenzel (Evening Talks Programme)
EVENING TALKS PROGRAMME: 14, 15 & 18 NOVEMBER
Celebrate Black literature in these special evening talks and performances during the week, ranging from authors you love and those you’re about to discover. Book your Evening Talks tickets here.
Evening Talk: More Fiya
Monday 14 November | 19:00 – 20:30 | BGAC Theatre
Tickets from £8 (Pay What You Can)
Join #TLF22 with ignited poetry performances celebrating More Fiya anthology of Black British poets edited by Kayo Chingonyi featuring Anthony Joseph, Bridget Minamore, Dean Atta, Dzifa Benson and others. In partnership with Canongate. BSL interpreted.
Evening Talk: 1000 Coils of Fear
Tuesday 15 November | 19:00 – 20:00 | BGAC The Hub
Tickets from £8 (Pay What You Can)
‘I have more privilege than any person in my family. And I’m still screwed.’ Hear from acclaimed Afro-German author Olivia Wenzel as she discusses her award-winning novel, 1000 Coils of Fear. Described as ‘exuberant, inventive, brainy, sensitive and hilarious,’ 1000 Coils of Fear is now translated from German to English. In partnership with Dialogue Books and supported by Goethe Institut.
Evening Talk: The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho
Friday 18 November | 19:00 – 20:30 | BGAC Theatre
Tickets from £8 (Pay What You Can)
Award winning British actor and author, Paterson Joseph, performs an extract from his incredible show SANCHO, and reads from his new book The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho, about Ignatius Sancho, a descendant of enslaved parents who became the first Black Briton registered to vote in the 1700s. Followed by an in conversation and Q&A with Paterson Joseph. BSL interpreted.
Keynote Speaker – Travis Alabanza (Festival Day Programme)
FESTIVAL DAY PROGRAMME: SATURDAY 19 NOVEMBER
Saturday 19 | 12:00 – 18:00 | BGAC
Tickets from £8 (Pay What You Can)
Join us for a full day of healing stories by incredible Black authors and a keynote lecture by multi-award-winning playwright & author Travis Alabanza. Ranging from talks, performances, workshops, and our arts and books market – there’s lots to choose from. Each talk will open with a performance or screening by d/Deaf artists curated by Deaffest. Talks in the BGAC Theatre will be BSL interpreted. All events listed below are part of our Festival Day Pass (excluding the free ‘Meet the Author’ interviews).
Book your Saturday Festival Day Pass here.
Workshop: Speed-pitch Your Book!
Saturday 19 November | 12:00 – 13:30 | BGAC The Hub
A fun, fast interactive workshop where you travel to ‘islands’ and pitch your book in under two minutes to a literary agent, publisher, editor or author to receive on the spot feedback. Your publishing expert will pick only a select few to pitch, so you need to come ready and prepared to share your idea. Featuring Kemi Ogunsanwo, Nancy Adimora and others.
Panel: Reclaiming Our Stories
Saturday 19 | 12:30 – 13:45 | BGAC Theatre
Panel discussion hosted by A Quick Ting On exploring Black British culture and history through the act of archiving, documentation and celebration, with Christian Adofo, Tippa Irie and Tobi Kyeremateng and others. BSL Interpreted.
Free: ‘Meet The Author’ programme in The Mezzanine
Saturday 19 November | Pop-Up – 14:00 – 17:00 | BGAC The Mezzanine
Part of #TLF22 free programming strand of interviews, featuring Kris Manjapra on his latest book Black Ghost of Empire: The Long Death of Slavery and the Failure of Emancipation plus others in the Mezzanine.
Panel: Internal Worlds
Saturday 19 November | 14:15 – 15:30 | BGAC Theatre
Panel discussion exploring Black character interiority and powerful worlds of imagination and escape within historical fiction (Nadifa Mohamed‘s The Fortune Men), romance and magic realism (Leone Ross‘s This One Sky Day), poetry (Victoria Adukwei-Bulley‘s Quiet), K Bailey Obazee (PRIM.BLACK) and others. BSL Interpreted.
Workshop: Travis Alabanza
Saturday 19 November | 14:30 – 16:30 | BGAC The Hub
A very special #TLF22 workshop with playwright and author Travis Alabanza, this year’s Artist in Residence for the Tottenham Literature Festival. Please note this session is for Black LGBTQ+ participants. Due to the bespoke nature of the session we have limited capacity, and there will be a simple application process. More details to be shared soon to Festival Pass holders. If you require BSL interpretation or have any other access requirements, please indicate this when applying for your place.
Panel: Black Love
Saturday 19 | 16:00 – 17:15 | BGAC Theatre
Panel discussion celebrating Black love in all its essence from familial, community, friendship, romantic, nature and self with Ayanna Lloyd Banwo‘s When We Were Birds, Jendella Benson‘s Hope and Glory, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn‘s Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? and Okechukwu Nzelu’s Here Again Now. Chaired by Maame Blue (author of Bad Love). BSL Interpreted.
Keynote Lecture by Travis Alabanza
Saturday 19 November | 17:30 – 18:00 | BGAC Theatre
Tottenham Literature Festival’s Artist in Residence, Travis Alabanza delivers the keynote lecture inspired by their debut None of the Above.
Refilwe Book Cover (Family Day Programme)
FAMILY DAY PROGRAMME: SUNDAY 20 NOVEMBER
We’re dedicating a whole day to family fun at #TLF22! Join us for a stellar line up of Black authors telling the most diverse children’s stories. We’ve got storytime readings, author talks, illustration tutorials, zine-making workshops, performances and buzzing our arts and books market! Featuring Lemn Sissay, Tola Okogwu, Cocoa Girl & Boy Magazine and others. Talks in the BGAC Theatre will be BSL interpreted.
See the full family day programme and book your tickets here.
Lisa Allen-Agostini (Virtual talks Programme)
VIRTUAL PROGRAMME: TALKS & MASTERCLASS: 14 – 19 NOVEMBER
Join us at #TLF22 wherever you are through our virtual, on-demand programme of talks and masterclasses all week long – including in conversations with Lisa Allen-Agostini and Yvonne Bailey-Smith as well as Derek Owusu’s “Kick-start Your Writing” masterclass in collaboration with Arvon.
See the full virtual programme and book your tickets here.
‘Don’t Ask the Dragon’ – Lemn Sissay OBE (Tottenham’s Big Read)
TOTTENHAM BIG READ: LEMN SISSAY
We are delighted to present Tottenham’s First Ever Big Read, in partnership with The Reading Agency. As part of#TLF22, we are giving away 1,000 books, free to the local community. Our inaugural Tottenham Big Read author is award winning poet, broadcaster and #TLF22 speaker Lemn Sissay OBE. Children can pick up a copy of Lemn Sissay’s Don’t Ask the Dragon and older readers/adults can get the abridged version of My Name Is Why. Copies will be available at BGAC during the festival week and in participating libraries. Read more about the initiative here, proudly delivered in partnership with The Reading Agency.