About Us - Black British Book Festival

About Us About Black British Book Festival

Welcome to the Black British Book Festival!

The Black British Book Festival (BBBF) is more than just an event—it’s a movement dedicated to uplifting and celebrating Black British literature. Since its inception, BBBF has become a powerful platform for amplifying the voices and stories of Black British authors, creating spaces where diverse narratives can flourish, and nurturing a vibrant community committed to enhancing visibility and opportunities for Black British writers.

Each year, the festival grows in both scope and impact, drawing thousands of attendees to experience the richness of Black British literature. With our dynamic line-up of events, workshops, and panel discussions, we bring together celebrated authors, emerging talent, and passionate readers, fostering connections and sparking conversations that resonate far beyond the festival itself.

In addition to championing Black British literature, a core aim of the BBBF is to promote reading for pleasure within marginalised communities. We believe in the transformative power of literature to inspire, educate, and empower, and we are committed to making books and reading accessible to all, especially those who have been historically underrepresented in the literary world.

Our journey so far has been marked by significant milestones:

UK-wide Book Tour: In 2023, we took 40 Black British authors on a nationwide tour, bringing their stories directly to readers across the country.
Cultural Collaborations: We’ve proudly curated literature events at some of the UK’s most prestigious festivals, including Glastonbury, Cheltenham Festival, Hay Festival, and We Out Here.
Manchester Central Library Takeover: We took over Manchester Central Library, welcoming 1,500 attendees to a day of literary celebration and community engagement.
Mentorship Initiatives: We partnered with Pan Macmillan to launch a 12-week mentoring programme, empowering the next generation of Black British writers.
Scriptwriting Support: Our Storyteller Summit, in collaboration with Paramount, provided a vital platform for emerging Black scriptwriters.
Community Building: We launched the Black Book Community Library in Croydon, London, in collaboration with Dell Technologies, offering a space for readers to access and celebrate Black literature.

Our recent 2023 festival at the Southbank Centre in London was a resounding success:

Over 4,000 attendees joined us for a day of inspiring talks, workshops, and performances.
Major sponsors including Penguin, Audible, the Booker Prize Foundation, Pan Macmillan, and National Express supported our mission.
Extensive media coverage from outlets like BBC News, Cosmopolitan, and The Guardian highlighted the festival’s significance.

2024: A New Chapter

As we look forward to our fourth edition on Saturday, 5th October 2024, we are thrilled to announce that the Black British Book Festival will be partnering with the iconic Barbican Centre in London for the first time. This exciting new venue offers a larger stage for us to showcase the incredible talent within the Black British literary community.

Join us as we continue to create opportunities for Black British writers, celebrate their contributions to literature, and inspire future generations. The 2024 Black British Book Festival promises to be our most dynamic and impactful event yet—an unmissable day of culture, creativity, and connection.

Stay tuned for our line-up and ticket information, and be part of a festival that champions the stories that need to be told and encourages a lifelong love of reading in marginalised communities.

Selina Brown

Founder and CEO

Selina Brown, an award winning Author, Marketing Consultant, and Event Producer. She became the Youth MP for Nottingham at 16 and later founded Little Miss Creative, an award-winning Female Development Agency. In 2020, she wrote the popular Nena picture book series and in 2021 launched the internationally renowned Black British Book Festival to celebrate emerging Black British authors.