Brief
Dua Lipa curates London Literature Festival amid UK reading decline
Lipa will interview authors like Zadie Smith at the Southbank Centre while promoting the National Year of Reading.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Pop icon Dua Lipa, 31, is curating this month’s London Literature Festival, part of the Southbank Centre’s 75th‑anniversary programme, according to the Independent.
What happened
The festival runs in October 2026 and will feature Lipa’s interviews with authors including Zadie Smith, Patti Smith and Mustafa. Her involvement coincides with the UK’s National Year of Reading, a government‑backed campaign aimed at reversing a decline in reading among children.
What the reports add
The Independent notes that research by the National Literacy Trust found reading enjoyment among UK children fell to 32.7 % in 2025 – the lowest level in two decades. The National Year of Reading seeks to address this trend by encouraging people to rediscover the pleasure of books.
What was said
“There are phones, and so many distractions, and so much going on all the time in our lives – sometimes it’s hard to just find a moment to sit down and read,” Lipa told the Independent. She added that an app she uses blocks social‑media, giving her an extra hour each day for reading. “All right, I have my one hour a day that I can just quickly do what I have to do online, and not doom scroll,” she said.
How it came about
Lipa launched a book‑club platform, Service 95, in 2023, offering monthly recommendations and long‑form author interviews. Her curatorial role at the London Literature Festival builds on that platform and aligns with the National Year of Reading, which aims to combat the 20‑year low in children’s reading enjoyment reported by the National Literacy Trust.
Key facts
- Dua Lipa is curating the London Literature Festival as part of the Southbank Centre’s 75th‑anniversary programme. (independent.co.uk)
- National Literacy Trust research showed reading enjoyment among UK children fell to 32.7 % in 2025, a 20‑year low. (independent.co.uk)
- Lipa uses an app that blocks social media to create an extra hour each day for reading. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk
- [2] vogue.com
