Deptford Literature Festival returns from March 27 for a four-day celebration of South East London’s creativity and diversity through stories and words.
The event will welcome 2,000 visitors to various venues across Deptford and Lewisham over a long weekend.
Spread the Word, a Deptford-based charity, has once again collaborated with independent creative producer, Tom MacAndrew, to offer a programme of 48 events, 45 of which are free.
Engaging the local community is central to the organisers.
MacAndrew said: “It’s about engaging local audiences who know the Albany and Deptford Lounge, encouraging them to take a step into something they wouldn’t ordinarily go and see.
“Rather than kind of hitting audiences that go to loads of literature stuff already, it’s about trying to bring these things to audiences that perhaps wouldn’t encounter it normally.”
Last year’s festival saw the launch of a campaign to declare Lewisham as London’s first Borough of Literature. The organisers are hoping to continue the momentum at this year’s festival.
Spread the Word’s Director, Ruth Harrison, said: “The campaign is an ongoing thing that’s nurturing, supporting the community’s voice, and the stories that they may want to be telling, whichever way they want to be telling them.”
Celebrating Lewisham’s rich diversity is also at the heart of the festival.
“Lewisham is a borough of migration, it’s got over 75 languages at least. We want to recognise that plurality of language and voices within the borough,” Harrison said.
Speakers at this year’s event include award-winning novelist Caleb Azumah Nelson, screenwriter Nathan Bryon and journalist and South London music expert Emma Warren.
MacAndrew said: “The point of the festival is about showing that literature doesn’t happen over there, it’s here on our doorsteps, and it’s happening all around you even if you don’t know it.”
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