LITFEST: Polari Literary Salon

Hosted by Paul Burston

With Rosie Garland, VG Lee and Max Wallis

Founded in 2007 by author and activist Paul Burston, Polari is a multi-award-winning LGBTQ+ literary salon. From its humble beginnings in a bar in Soho, the salon enjoyed a long residency at London’s Southbank Centre before relocating to The British Library and touring regularly across the UK. Come and enjoy an evening of high energy, thought -provoking performances at the Polari Salon.

This is a great way to engage with three established and emerging queer authors, each showcasing unique and fresh approaches to diverse LGBTQ+ lives.

Authors:

Paul Burston is founder of the Polari Book Prizes for LGBTQ+ writing; he also runs the Polari Salon at festivals, museums, theatres and libraries.

Rosie Garland’s poetry and fiction look beneath the skin to the multitudes inside: galaxies, creatures, wicked queens and fire – all roaring to be seen. ‘One of the most compelling LGBTQ+ writers in the UK today’ Val McDermid

VG Lee came to writing at fifty, with her novel The Comedienne (2001). Twenty-five years later, her sixth book, Our Shadow Selves – a psychological thriller about trauma, revenge and coercion – is due in March 2026.

Max Wallis is an award-winning poet. After recovering from complex PTSD, he founded The Aftershock Review. His latest poetry collection is Well Done, You Didn’t Die. ‘A jolt to the mainstream’ Guardian on The Aftershock Review.

AGE GUIDANCE: 18+