What’s on this weekend at the Brighton Book Festival
Brighton Book Festival is a 6-day grassroots festival organised by Feminist Book Club and Afrori Books, made up of 20 events both at Brighton CCA and online. Their aim is to “make the marginalised mainstream” through promoting access to diverse literature, widening participation and improving representation.
The first few days of the festival have flown by with events like a special supper club by award-winning author and broadcaster, Lerato, in conversation with Jimi Famurewa and Frances Mensah WIlliams. The festival also hosted the Windrush 75th Anniversary Celebrations, hearing of experiences from authors and activists across generations, serving up some delicious Caribbean cuisine and being treated to performances by some brilliant poets and musicians.
This weekend, you can experience the whole festival for just £60 with an All Access Pass. Though, I want to also be vitally clear that the Brighton Book Festival offer concessions tickets from £1 and free tickets to those who are financially struggling. No judgement, no questions.
Below is a list of everything that you could go and see over the final three days of the festival, written in their own words.
Friday 23rd June
Both events cost £8 each.
Our pick of the day!
Poetry Workshop, 5-7pm, Brighton CCA
Come and learn how to write poetry!
An accessible and safe space to hear and learn from professional poets and to discover the poet in you. Hosted by Canal Laureate Roy McFarlane and Brighton's own AFLO. The Poet, this workshop is great for anyone with an interest in creative writing. Suitable for ages 16 and up.
It will be a relaxed, friendly session open to all levels with plenty of snacks and breaks. So do feel free to join even if you are just getting started!
A ticket for the workshop comes with a free pass to the poetry cafe in the evening, and there will be an opportunity for workshop attendees to perform if they choose.
Poetry Cafe, 7.30pm, Brighton CCA
It's Friday Night! Time to unwind with a series of performances from fantastically talented poets and spoken word artists from around the UK. Hosted by our wonderful Poet in Residence, Roy McFarlane, grab a drink, get comfortable and enjoy the sounds and sights of the Poetry Cafe.
Saturday 24th June
You can get a day pass for £28. Or all events cost £8.
Our pick of the day!
Family Festival, 10am-12.30pm, Brighton CCA
Join us for a fun filled morning!
We will be getting creative with the Afrori Books Craft team, our resident illustrator and all of our children visitors. We have our very own poet on the sofa, helping you create your own poetry, authors doing readings and answering questions. You can also Make a Manifesto with AFLO. the Poet & Little Green Pig.
With competitions, giveaways and prizes, it's a family celebration not to be missed!
Emerging Authors Showcase, 1.30-3.30pm, Brighton CCA
Are you an emerging author of adult prose fiction keen to get the word out about your book? Are you in the publishing industry and looking for new talent? Or are you a reader keen to hear about lesser known titles which could turn out to be the next big thing ?
Then join our emerging authors showcase!
We'll be inviting authors across genres to pitch us their idea and read a short extract in less than five minutes. Our judging panel, will then be responsible for selecting the most compelling pitches. There will also be an opportunity to network over coffee and cake.
The winning author will be offered a one-to-one mentoring session with a major publishing house or agent.
Who Cares About Education, 1.30-3pm, Brighton CCA
Unmet needs, censorship, racism, misogyny, pitiful salaries, strikes - we're starting to ask: who cares about education?
Hear from our fantastic panel of authors who are passionate about improving our education system and confident that these changes can have dramatic consequences for generations to come. We'll be looking at initiatives past and present, ask whether they work and explore why there can be strong resistance to change.
Help Yourself, 3.30-5pm, Brighton CCA
Self-care has become the latest buzzword in the predominantly white, wealthy, 'wellness' industry. But, self-care actually has a much more radical history, rooted in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and carried forward by black writers and activists such as Audre Lorde.
In this panel discussion we'll be looking at how the notion of self-care has been co-opted and marginalised groups have been excluded from self care spaces. We'll be talking to authors who have challenged the white, ableist, cis, heteronormative and exclusive self-care movements and asking how we can honor the radical history of self-care.
Your Story Matters Workshop, 5.30-6.30pm, Brighton CCA
Why do stories matter? I tell stories to make sense of the world as I see it.
The world I have lived and experienced, read about and heard about, and what I want it to be. I tell stories to make sense of myself.
Nikesh Shukla, author, writing mentor and bestselling editor of The Good Immigrant, knows better than most the power that every unique voice has to create change.
Whether it's a novel, personal essay, non-fiction work or short story - or even just the formless desire to write something - Your Story Matters will hone your skill and help you along the way.
The workshop will include exercises and prompts that will help you develop your idea, no matter what genre you're writing in. It will focus on letting you figure out what you want to write, how you want to write and why this is the best use of your voice.
You Cannot Be Serious, 5.30-7pm, Brighton CCA
Rom-coms and romances are among the best-selling and most lucrative novels in publishing and yet the genre is continually stereotyped as trashy, basic or formulaic. In this panel discussion we will be asking our brilliant panel of successful romance and rom-com authors, why should we take these books seriously? What value do they bring to us as a society? We will also be discussing issues around representation in rom-com and romance and the experiences of authors writing from the perspective of marginalised identities.
We are delighted to be joined by phenomenal authors Ore Agbaje-Williams and Tanya Byrne alongside the brilliant Maame Blue who will chair the discussion and audience Q&A.
Boyz 2 Men, 8-10pm, Brighton CCA
At our headline event on Saturday night we will be exploring transitions from boyhood to manhood.
Our esteemed panel of authors will be sharing the inspirations and personal experiences behind their depictions of boys and men in literature. They will look at stereotypes of manhood compared to the actual teachings across different cultures, and the challenges of navigating what it is to 'be a man' .
We are thrilled to announce our panellists for Boyz 2 Men are Brandon Taylor, Obioma Ugoala, Yomi Sode, Okechukwu Nzelu and Stephen Buoro. The event will be chaired by our Writer in Residence Nikesh Shukla.
Sunday 25th June
You can get a day pass for £28. Or all events cost £8, except the finale, which is £12.
Our pick of the day!
Bookish Brunch, 11am-1pm, Brighton CCA
Ever wanted to join a bookclub, but could never quite find the time? Are there books and genres you are inspired to talk to others about? Or would you love to chat directly to an author about their work? This is the place.
Find a table, pull up a chair and join our book brunch pop up book club/readers groups. With tables to cater for all age groups and hosted by authors, illustrators and TikTok superstars there is a space for everyone here.
We'll also be serving a delicious brunch with pastries, bacon rolls (vegan and gluten free options available), juices, teas and coffees all included in your ticket.
At the 2023 festival brunch we will have tables on:
Satire - hosted by Nels Abbey. Nels is a British-Nigerian writer, media executive and satirist. Prior to moving into media, he was a banker. Nels is the author of Think Like a White Man, has been published in major newspapers and magazines and is a co-founder of the Black Writers Guild.
Queer Joy - hosted by Matthew Mackinnon & Ryan Payne. As TikTok and social media stars, everyday Matthew and Ryan invite millions of people into their lives as a gay couple. For their new book Love is Love they have created the ultimate guidebook they wish they'd been given when they were discovering who they were. They share their inspirational journeys alonf with tips and advice on a range of topics including looking after your mental health, coming out, finding your tribe and feeling confident in your own skin.
Stories of the African Diaspora - hosted by writer, editor and artist Varaidzo. Her work is published in Whose Loving You: Love Stories by Women of Colour (2021) and The Good Immigrant (2018). She was previously the Digital Editor at Wasafiri and the Arts & Culture Editor at gal-dem. She has a particular interest in documenting stories of the African diaspora in the digital age, through film, art, audio and fiction and will be sharing some of her favourite stories.
Inner Worlds - hosted by psychoanalytic psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and writer with over fifteen years of clinical experience Maxine Mei-Fung Chung. Maxine is the author of What Women Want, a deeply intimate exploration into the inner lives of women based on hours of conversations between Maxine and her patients. What Women Want presents a fearless look into the depths of who we are, so that we can better understand each other and ourselves.
Graphic novels - hosted by Hannah Eaton. Hannah has written and illustrated two acclaimed graphic novels: Naming Monsters and Blackwood. She has worked with children and adults - including street sex workers, neurodivergent parents and children experiencing difficulties in the school system - for more than 20 years as an autism specialist, support worker, learning mentor and creative workshop facilitator.
What’s Next?, 1-2.30pm, Brighton CCA
With so many books hitting the shelves every single week how can you possibly choose what heads to the top of your TBR? Fear not, we've got you covered.
Our brilliant panel of authors are here to share all their hottest tips for 2023 including: personal highlights so far, most anticipated releases, unexpected gems and books to make you laugh, think and cry. Covering children's to YA through to adult fiction and non-fiction they are sure to help you find a book you can't wait to get your hands on!
Colourful Nature, 3-4.30pm, Brighton CCA
The natural world has long been the source of inspiration for novelists, poets and essayists alike. Join us for an interactive discussion with writers and poets who work closely with the environment around them.
We'll hear how their connections with landscapes including rivers, mountains, countryside and canals inform their writing and activism and be treated to a series of short readings and performances.
Searching for Home, 5-6.30pm, Brighton CCA
Join us for a very special discussion about identity, belonging and searching for home.
We will be talking to novelists who examine and explore the meaning of home and community in their writing.
We will be asking them about the inspiration behind their work, how their ideas of home connect with physical space - such as an individual's birthplace and current living situation, and emotional environment - where they experience feelings of belonging and community.
Together we will explore what does it mean to search for home and do you ever really know when you've found it?
Bridge Builders, 7-8.30pm, Brighton CCA
In the 2023 finale of Brighton Book Festival we will look at how books can help to build bridges across generations, cultures and identities. We will be talking to a panel of authors who use their writing to bring people together and encourage greater understanding, awareness and collaboration. We'll be asking them about what allyship really means and how our stories can help to foster cross-cultural engagement and togetherness.
We are proud community partners of the Brighton Book Festival this year and will continue to whole-heartedly champion their mission to make the marginalised mainstream.