British Council Literature Seminar

Cities in Contemporary UK Literature

How do we write about the cities that we live in? How does the urban environment inspire and influence contemporary British literature? #BritLitBerlin 2019 connected writers, academics and lovers of reading alike in readings, discussions and workshops. Join the discussion online by tweeting about your experience of cities in writing using #BritLitBerlin.

The livestream has now ended

Thanks to everyone who tuned in - we'll be uploading video highlights to YouTube soon.

An introduction to the seminar by Michael Symmons Roberts

"More than half – and rising – of our world’s population lives in cities. They are engines of social and political change, crucibles of conflict and transformation. Our cities are as complex and diverse as we are, even more so if we take in the wider ‘urban’ constellation of towns and edgelands.

This Berlin seminar - as befits a city with so many novels and poems in its honour – will explore how British writers have shaped and reflected all kinds of cities – real and mythic, utopian and dystopian, concrete and virtual."

Seminar programme

Take a look at the programme and tune in on the day

Please note: all times refer to the German time (GMT+1).

Thursday 24 January

Public Reading: Michael Symmons Roberts chaired by Felix Sprang

Time	Live stream
19.30	Greeting by Rachel Launay, Director, British Council Germany Reading: Michael Symmons Roberts chaired by Felix Sprang

Friday 25 January

Time	Live stream
09.30	Reading: Susan Barker chaired by Michael Symmons Roberts
11.30	Reading: Liz Berry chaired by Matthias Kniep
14.00	Panel Discussion: “The City as Subject” with Robin Robertson and Susan Barker chaired by Michael Symmons Roberts
16.00	Reading: Niall Campbell chaired by Cortina Butler
19.00	Public Reading:Robin Robertson Chaired by Helge Nowak

Saturday 26 January

Time	Live stream
14.00	Panel Discussion: The City as Practice with Niall Campbell, Susan Barker, Olivia Laing and Liz Berry chaired by Michael Symmons Roberts
16.00	Public Reading: Olivia Laing chaired by Michael Symmons Roberts
19.00	Public Poetry Performance: Young Identity Group chaired by Shirley May

*please note that the programme might be subject to change.

Any questions?

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email us at literature@britishcouncil.de.