Black British Book Festival 2027

The Black British Book Festival (BBBF) was launched in 2021 with a mission "to create a space where Black British authors were celebrated, not sidelined". Held annually, the one-day BBBF has been described as Europe's largest Black literature event. The festival's founder is Selina Brown, a British author of Jamaican heritage.

Language

English

Genres

general lit

Format

in-person

Founded

2021

Next edition

TBA (confirm blackbritishbookfestival.com)

Author participation

Programme / exhibitor pathways when announced

Attendance published by the festival

5500

Audience

First held in October 2021 in Birmingham, where Brown was born, the BBBF drew 800 attendees in its inaugural year, attracting twice that number in the next year.

Age policy

In 2023, the BBBF opened the Croydon Black Book Community Library, a dedicated space for Black literature in South London, where children and readers can discover books reflecting their experiences and heritage.

Accessibility

mission is to make Black British literature more visible, more valued and more accessible, and to build lasting cultural infrastructure for generations to come

Language notes

Listed working language: English

Genre notes

Primary focus: general lit

Programme

A new community-led publishing model was also announced between the festival and four-year-long sponsors Pan Macmillan, including the "Writers on the Rise" mentorship programme, which connects emerging writers with Pan Macmillan editors to provide one-to-one guidance and industry support.

Past guests

David Olusoga, Lenny Henry, Jasmine Richards, T. L. Huchu, Penguin Random House, BookTrust, Clive Myrie, Oti Mabuse, Fats Timbo, Gary Younge, Candice Braithwaite, Dawn Butler

Past editions

1982, 1995, 2015, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Festival site