Live stream schedule
Thursday 29 January 2015
19.30–21.00 CET: Lavinia Greenlaw, reading and in conversation with Cordelia Borchart (follow our Live blog on Facebook)
Friday 30 January 2015
09.30–11.00 CET: Philip Hoare, reading and in conversation with Lavinia Greenlaw
11.30–13.00 CET: Francis Leviston, reading and in conversation with Lavinia Greenlaw
14.30–16.00 CET: Panel discussion with Frances Leviston, Philip Hoare, Will Self, Deborah Levy, Helen Oyeyemi, chaired by Lavinia Greenlaw (follow our Live blog on Facebook)
16.30–18.00 CET: Helen Oyeyemi, reading and in conversation with Lavinia Greenlaw
20.00–21.30 CET: Will Self, reading and in conversation with Dr Gregor Hens
Saturday 31 January 2015
14.00–16.00 CET: Deborah Levy, reading and in conversation with Lavinia Greenlaw
Join us live in Berlin or online and experience new British literature up close and personal
Attend the full seminar: From 29-31 January, our British Council Literature Seminar brings together six contemporary British writers for a mixture of readings, discussions and workshops on the topic "Form in Tension". You can still sign up to engage with the writers Philip Hoare, Frances Leviston, Deborah Levy, Helen Oyeyemi and Will Self.
Attend the free evening events: Come to one of the public readings and discussion with Lavinia Greenlaw on 29 January and Will Self on 30 January at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Follow the seminar online: Watch our live stream and send us your questions on Twitter using the hashtag #BritLiBerlin.
Six authors, three days, one literature seminar
The British Council Literature Seminar brings together an impressive group of contemporary British writers over three days in January for a mixture of readings, discussions and workshops. It offers students, academics, publishers, translators, journalists and literature fans from across Europe the chance to hear the latest writing from the UK and engage with the writers and their work at first hand.
In its 30th year, the seminar is organised in cooperation with the Centre for British Studies of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and will take place at the university's buildings in the centre of the city. The theme of the 2015 seminar is "Form in Tension" and it will be chaired by poet and novelist Lavinia Greenlaw.
As well as the three-day seminar there are two evening events: The seminar opening on 29 January at 19:30, and a reading with Will Self on 30 January at 20:00. All events are in English.
Participating authors
"Form in Tension"
"This seminar will look at literary form under pressure. Are we creating new forms or reverting to old ones? Does it matter? Is form an aspect of writing which should always be under tension? Can writing escape form and should it? Six leading British writers who operate across genres and for whom breaking formal boundaries is a fundamental part of the literary process will discuss how the novel, poetry and non-fiction are responding to the 21st century. Is the idea of form redundant? Is form reinventing itself or restoring tradition? What does ‘tradition’ mean now?" (Lavinia Greenlaw)
Registration and further details
The seminar will begin with a public reading on Thursday 29 January at 19:30, and will finish around 16:30 on Saturday 31 January. The full seminar programme is available for download by clicking on the link below.
There is a seminar fee of €120 (reduced fee of €90 for students).
If you are interested in attending, please download and complete the registration form, and return it to the British Council by 20 January 2015.
For questions or further details please contact Marijke Brouwer or Matt Beavers.