Here you can access all six streamed events from the 2025 Deptford Literature Festival programme.
These will be available from the dates and times listed below. Each event will be available for one month from date of first broadcast. All streams are captioned.
Friday 28 March
7.30pm – Lewisham Lyricists
Saturday 29 March
12pm – Disabled Poets Prize 2025 announcement event
Sunday 30 March
10am – Meet the Agents
12pm – Meet your future favourite Science Fiction and Fantasy authors
2.30pm – Chapters: authors in conversation
4pm – South London Storytellers: from page to stage and screen
The Festival livestreams are free to watch. If you’re in a position to make a donation and support us in making future Festivals for free, please give what you can at: totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/deptfordlitfest
Thank you for being part of this year’s Festival. Please do join the Festival conversation on social media using #DeptfordLitFest
Step into the vibrant heart of Lewisham’s lyrical creativity at this unmissable event, celebrating the borough’s rich history of MCs and poets. From the fast chat pioneers of the Saxon Sound System era of the 1980s, to today’s contemporary wordsmiths, experience performances that honour Lewisham’s vibrant culture and celebrate its future. Curated by Lewisham resident Emma Warren, the event will include sets from Blakie, Belinda Zhawi, Cecil B and No Hats No Hoods (DJ set), a short film screening from SignKid, all accompanied by atmospheric and immersive soundscapes from the acclaimed Anja Ngozi. This one-of-a-kind evening bridges generations of creativity, capturing the heart and soul of Lewisham through spoken word and music. Join us for a celebration of music, language, rhythm and community that’s uniquely Lewisham.
Join Jamie Hale, founder and judge of the Disabled Poets Prize and fellow judges Polly Atkin and Khairani Barokka for the announcement of the winners and shortlisted poets of this year’s prize.
Available from Sunday 30 March, 10am
Connect with some of the leading agents working in the publishing industry today including Davinia Andrew-Lynch, formerly with Curtis Brown and now an independent agent operating under Andlyn, non-fiction specialist Emma Bal of Madeleine Milburn Agency, and Emma Leong of Janklow and Nesbit. You’ll get an insight into what an agent does and how they work with writers, and hear responses to audience questions about the publishing industry. The event will be hosted by Spread the Word’s Bobby Nayyar.
Available from Sunday 30 March, 11.30am
Looking for your next favourite read? One that will take you out of this world? Join Future Worlds Prize for Fantasy and Science Fiction Writers of Colour and meet three authors making waves on the SFF scene. M. H. Ayinde, Marve Anson and Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson discuss their books, creating epic new worlds, and what SFF tells us about the time and place we live in. The event will be chaired by award-winning author Tasha Suri and is curated by Future Worlds Prize.
Available from Sunday 30 March, 11.30am
Join Irenosen Okojie, Chris Bridges and Santanu Bhattacharya for an inspiring celebration of storytelling and creativity, chaired by Sara Jafari. “Chapters” brings together authors from different career stages—emerging voices to seasoned writers—for an engaging discussion about their work, creative journeys, and the evolution of their careers. Enjoy the power of words as the authors share readings from their books. Whether you’re a passionate reader, aspiring writer, or just curious about the lives behind the pages, this event promises to ignite your love for literature.
Available from Sunday 30 March, 4pm
Join us for an inspiring conversation with four of South London’s most exciting writers. Journalist and cultural commentator Natty Kasambala chairs this lively discussion featuring Caleb Azumah Nelson, award-winning novelist whose work has been optioned for television, Nathan Bryon, celebrated children’s author and screenwriter, and BAFTA-nomianted writer and playwright Yolanda Mercy. Together, they’ll explore how their craft intersects and how South London has influenced their stories.