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Charleston Festival speakers announced

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Charleston has revealed the first names for Charleston Festival 2025, one of the UK’s longest-running cultural festivals, returning for its 36th year from 14–26 May 2025. 

The initial line-up includes Richard E. Grant, one of the nation’s most beloved actors, celebrated for his iconic roles in Withnail & I and Can You Ever Forgive Me?. Known for his warmth, humour and candid reflections, both on and off screen, Grant offers heartfelt insights on love and connection, providing hope in an increasingly fractured world. 

Charleston Festival

Newly announced for the 2025 festival is a new commission by Travis Alabanza for the Festival’s flagship event, The Charleston Monologue. Alabanza, the award-winning writer and performer whose work explores gender, trans identity and race will debut I thought this would feel good, a new 30-minute piece written in the weeks leading up to the festival. Previous authors of The Charleston Monologue have included award-winning playwright Benedict Lombecritically acclaimed performance artist Bryony Kimmings and internationally renowned writer and curator Inua Ellams. 

Other highlights of the diverse programme include: 

  • Shirley Collins, legendary English folk singer and a pivotal figure in the revival of traditional music. 
  • Roxane Gay, best-selling author, cultural commentator and unapologetic voice in feminist thought. 
  • Abdulrazak Gurnah, Nobel Prize-winning author whose works, including Paradise and Afterlives, explore themes of migration, colonialism and the complexities of identity. 
  • Deborah Levy, acclaimed author of Hot Milk and The Man Who Saw Everything, whose work delves into memory, intimacy and the female experience. 

Over two weeks, Charleston Festival will bring together bold voices and brilliant minds to share stories, spark ideas and explore contemporary issues. The festival’s rich programme features over 50 talks and performances with more than 100 speakers, all set within the idyllic grounds of Charleston in the Sussex South Downs. Inspired by the progressive spirit of the Bloomsbury Group, the festival continues to address today’s most pressing cultural and societal questions. 

The full programme for Charleston Festival 2025 will be announced on 20 February 2025, with priority booking for Charleston’s supporters opening on 25 February and general sale on 27 February 2025. 

Discover more here: charleston.org.uk/festival