Featuring headline names Siri Hustvedt, John Pilger, Clive Stafford Smith, Andy Kershaw, Noo Saro-Wiwa, Will Self, Stella Duffy and Mark Haddon.

3rd-12th July

Southbank Centre present the first ever UK performance of Don DeLillo’s The Word For Snow, and bring you Capital Stories, a playful and provocative look at the city that the world calls home. Experience our city afresh through graphic short stories, debate, oral history and poetry.

The world comes to London this summer with a global array of writers, artists and activists from across Africa and the Arab region and dispatches from Mumbai, China and the Caribbean. We unpick the complexities of the Arab Revolutions in day of discussion, performance and exchange.

In an unforgettable weekend of spoken word performance, don’t miss Shake the Dust, the biggest UK youth poetry slam featuring top spoken word artists Saul Williams and Kate Tempest and nine teams from across the country competing in the final. Prepare to be blown away by the energy, originality, honesty and virtuosity of this new generation of writers and performers.

Some of our top picks include:

The Poetry Library's Live and on Loan with poet and storyteller Rachel Rose Reid in residence.

Granta: Britain in the World- what do Britain's writers think about the country they call home?

Storyslam:Live- The literary version of the X-factor