Charleston Festival

About

Charleston unveils the full programme for Charleston Festival 2023, which returns for its 34th year between 17–29 May.

Featuring Annie Ernaux + Sally Rooney | Inua Ellams | Simon Armitage | Deborah Levy | Michael Morpurgo | Don Paterson | Margo Jefferson + Olivia Laing | Akram Khan | Helena Kennedy KC | David Baddiel | Caleb Azumah Nelson + Ekow Eshun | Hollie McNish + Michael Pedersen | Jeremy Deller | 50 Years of Virago Press: Sarah Waters + Chibundu Onuzo | Susie Cave | Osman Yousefzada + Alexandra Shulman | Jack Monroe + Kimberley Wilson | Sathnam Sanghera | Granta Best of Young British Novelists | Nu Civilisation Orchestra and Clod Ensemble | and many more

Charleston Festival is back with its biggest and most ambitious programme to date featuring over 150 speakers across more than 60 live, multi-art form events including conversations, workshops and performances for audiences of all ages – expect the very best literary programming alongside music, spoken word and dance. One of the longest running literary festivals, today Charleston Festival brings together leading writers, artists and changemakers alongside new and emerging voices from across literature and visual arts, politics and environmentalism, fashion, activism and more.

The festival is situated in Charleston’s unique grounds—once the former home and studio of artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, and the rural gathering place for the Bloomsbury group—in the heart of the South Downs National Park, Sussex. Taking its cue from the progressive thinking and experimental spirit of Charleston’s famous historical residents, the festival’s interdisciplinary line-up invites inclusive conversation around today’s important topics—everything from identity, feminism and sustainability to food poverty, civil liberties and everyday sexism.