Dua Lipa to interview Zadie Smith at London Literature festival

Dua Lipa is stepping into a new role as the guest curator for the 2026 London Literature Festival. The event runs from October 21 to November 1 at the Southbank Centre, marking the venue’s 75th anniversary.

Lipa will anchor the programme by interviewing several notable authors and thinkers. On October 24, she sits down with Zadie Smith to revisit the impact of White Teeth, which launched Smith into the public eye in 2000. The following night, she interviews Patti Smith about her memoir, Bread of Angels.

Beyond these headline conversations, the festival includes appearances from poet and musician Mustafa, Nobel peace laureate Nadia Murad, and a discussion between Ta-Nehisi Coates and Tareq Baconi. The schedule also features a night of music and poetry with Kae Tempest and a session on free expression hosted with English PEN.

This appointment builds on Lipa’s existing work with her Service95 book club. She previously curated a display of 100 challenged books at Livraria Lello in Porto. Tickets for the London Literature Festival go on sale to members starting August 3, with general sales opening on August 5.