British Academy celebrates fairy tales and folk tales for Literature Week 2015

In May 2015 the British Academy explores the fantastical and the magical with a week of free events on fairy tales and folk tales. Authors, academics, cultural figures and writers will explore some of the oldest genres in literature.

The week launches with an In Conversation with author and critic Marina Warner and award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick. The art of translating fairy tales and folk tales, Angela Carter and her retold fairy tales, and African Folklore and the Tales of Anansi will be explored in three British Library Lunchtime Sessions, and award-winning novelist Lionel Shriver will entertain audiences with an evening of short story telling and discussion at the Academy’s first PinDrop event.  

Over the weekend there will be an exclusive performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, part of the Globe Education’s Shakespeare Untold series, and a specially created fairy tale themed walking tour of London. Throughout Literature Week, the British Academy and The Folio Society are holding a pop up exhibition bringing fairy tale illustrations from all over the world together for the first time.

All events are free to attend, registreation and further information is available at:www.britishacademy.ac.uk/literatureweek2015