JLF London at the British Library expands 2026 line-up with global voices and cross-cultural themes

Highlights

• Festival runs from 5 to 7 June at the British Library
• New speakers include Alexander McCall Smith, Abir Mukherjee and Tahmima Anam
• Programme spans literature, politics, history, poetry and performance

A literary meeting point shaped by global conversations

The 2026 edition of JLF London at the British Library is set to bring together an expanded line-up of writers, historians and performers, reinforcing its position as a meeting ground for South Asian and international voices. Produced by Teamwork Arts, the festival continues its format of blending multilingual literary traditions with contemporary global debates.

Across three days, the British Library will host discussions, readings and performances that range from fiction and poetry to geopolitics, food and cinema, turning the venue into a space for exchange and storytelling.

From Agatha Christie to ‘Desi Noir’

The festival opens with a special session marking 50 years since the death of Agatha Christie. Authors and curators, including Lucy Foley and James Prichard, will reflect on her legacy in conversation with Shrabani Basu.

Subsequent sessions explore a wide range of themes. “Desi Noir” brings together crime writers such as Vaseem Khan and Abir Mukherjee to examine the appeal of crime fiction. In “The Narrative Arc: South of South”, writers including Tash Aw and Tahmima Anam discuss identity, displacement and memory.

Other conversations turn to mythology and storytelling traditions, with speakers including Namita Gokhale and Marina Warner, while political and historical panels examine subjects ranging from Indian civilisation to the evolving idea of American democracy.

Poetry, politics and the closing conversation

The programme also features performances such as “Poetic Imagination”, bringing together voices like Nikita Gill and Jeet Thayil. Discussions extend into technology, economics and biography, with contributors including Fredrik Logevall and Ruchir Joshi.

The festival concludes with a live recording of The Empire Podcast, featuring William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, reflecting on the legacy of empire and its continuing influence on global politics and identity.

With more than a decade of editions behind it, JLF London continues to position itself as a space where literature meets wider cultural and political questions, bringing together diverse perspectives under one roof.