I am often invited to give readings and to talk about my books and other projects for audiences in all kinds of places around the world, from bookshops to literature and music festivals, in libraries, museums and galleries, in universities and at spoken word nights, in pubs and nightclubs, and on the radio. For upcoming events, scroll down.

I enjoy giving live readings. I consider it a central part of my work as a writer, and would love to welcome you to forthcoming events. If you’d like to receive invites to future events and launches, you can subscribe to an occasional mailing list here.

I am always happy to hear from anyone about a reading or a talk. Scroll down to foot of page for a word about bookings!

2025 dates include

September 30 2025: Liquid Reflections – Tony White in conversation with Liliane Lijn. Join us for an evening with trail-blazing contemporary artist, Liliane Lijn, whose seminal kinetic artworks redefined the possibilities of creative and artistic expression. From her motorised Poem Machines of the early 1960s that infused language with additional meaning through movement, to her iconic spinning Koans and mesmerising masterwork, Liquid Reflections, Lijn merged industrial materials, movement, myth, and poetry in ways that were decades ahead of their time. Lijn will be at The Minories to discuss her acclaimed new memoir, Liquid Reflections, with author Tony White. Critics have hailed it as “utterly gripping, enraging, entertaining—and important” (Jennifer Higgie) and a portrait of “a unique and self-renewing force of creativity for six decades” (Marina Warner). EA Festival, The Minories, 74 High St, Colchester, CO1 1UE. Doors 6:30, one-hour talk commences 7 pm, followed by book signing. Bookings and info…

August 30 2025: I’m not a poet, but I’ve been invited to read alongside poets from the IPLA Collective at The Bouda Gallery, 132 Palace Gardens Terrace, London, W8 4RT. Starts 7pm. FREE no booking. Running order: Stephen Mooney, Shani Cadwallender, Agnieszka Studzinska, Lavinia Singer, Cat Woodward, Tony White, Hannah Kaip, Eleanor Wilders & Matthew Sokulsky. Some readers will know that the Bouda Gallery is on the site of the noted former Notting Hill Books – you can read Charles Boyle’s post about the bookshop and its founder/manager the late Sheila Rammage here. Bouda Gallery is part of the Czech Centre London.

June 29 2025: ‘THE BIG READ II: A Dagger of Crime Writers’ at The Bread & Roses Theatre, featuring Heidi Amsinck, Julie Anderson, Alice Castle, Anne Coates, Victoria Dowd, Jennie Ensor, Ivy Ngeow, Tony White, and Diana Wilkinson. Join us for an atmospheric afternoon of crime fiction. This event brings together crime writers reading gripping excerpts from their novels—live, raw, and unfiltered. Expect thrilling storytelling, dark twists, and literary intrigue, all in the intimate setting of one of London’s best fringe venues. The Bread & Roses Theatre, 68 Clapham Manor Street, London SW4 6DZ, 2–4pm FREE, booking recommended!

June 19 2025: European Poetry Festival, Flanders Poetry Night: Three Flemish poets visit London to present brand new collaborations made with British counterparts, just for this special night of ‘Camarade’ collaborative poetry. Celebrating the remarkable contemporary Flemish literary scene and exploring both literary and experimental poetry, this event is held in the beautiful environs of Flanders House, in the heart of London. The event will open with solo readings by Lies Gallez, Tijl Nuyts and Astrid Haerens, followed by new collaborations featuring: Tony White and Benedict Taylor, Lies Gallez and Mischa Foster Poole, Astrid Haerens and Mark Waldron, Tijl Nuyts and James Wilkes, Elif Duygu and Eleanor Wilders. Flanders house, 1A Cavendish Square. London. W1G 0LD – Free, booking essential. More info and tickets…

May 2 2025: VD72 CLUB VERBAL DISCHARGE – the sixth anniversary of Insurgent Press’s spoken word night. The Queen’s Larder, 1 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR – info and booking

April 2 to April 25 2025: ‘Thirty-one Years of Piece of Paper Press: artists’ books, artworks and ephemera, 1994–2025’ – UPDATE exhibition closed Friday 25 April 2025. Matt’s Gallery, 6 Charles Clowes Walk, Nine Elms, London SW11 7AN. New opening times: Weds–Friday 12–6pm. Read more…

March 9 and 23 2025: I will be invigilating in the gallery all day both Sundays for ‘Thirty-one Years of Piece of Paper Press: artists’ books, artworks and ephemera, 1994–2025.’ Matt’s Gallery, 6 Charles Clowes Walk, Nine Elms, London SW11 7AN. Opening times: Weds–Sun 12–6pm.

March 9 2025: BENNETT — a tribute to Malcolm Bennett. An event to mark 10 years since we lost Malcolm Bennett: poet, author, inspiration and supporter. “With acclaimed author Tony White, Jessica Tyler & Vincent Raison.” Venue: The Shirker’s Rest, 9 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London SE14 6PP, 7pm. Free and open to all!

March 7 2025: Piece of Paper Press publication launch – TONES by Andrew Mottershead (POPP.046), and NO DIMENSIONS by Katie Cuddon (POPP.047). Join us for the launch of two new publications released by Piece of Paper Press in association with Matt’s Gallery as part of the archival display Thirty-one Years of Piece of Paper Press: artists’ books, artworks and ephemera, 1994–2025 at Matt’s Gallery. The books will be given away free during the evening, and will then be a free giveaway to gallery visitors while stocks last (to 23 March). Matt’s Gallery, 6 Charles Clowes Walk, Nine Elms, London SW11 7AN. Friday 7 March, 6–8pm, FREE NO BOOKING REQUIRED

January 29 – March 23 2025: ‘Thirty-one Years of Piece of Paper Press: artists’ books, artworks and ephemera, 1994–2025.’ Matt’s Gallery, 6 Charles Clowes Walk, Nine Elms, London SW11 7AN. Opening times: Weds–Sun 12–6pm. Private View: January 26, 2–5pm.

Matt’s Gallery is pleased to present an archival display of artists’ books, artworks and ephemera from Piece of Paper Press, dating from 1994 to the present day. Piece of Paper Press is an ongoing artists’ book series founded by author Tony White in 1994. The project was designed to address the economic conditions of the period, but has continued unchanged: a lo-fi, sustainable format used to commission, publish and distribute limited editions of new writings and visual works by artists and writers. Each book is made from a single A4 sheet, printed both sides then folded, stapled and trimmed by hand. Piece of Paper Press editions are always given away free. For Matt’s Gallery, White presents a vitrine-based display of all Piece of Paper Press titles to date alongside a wealth of artwork, ephemera and clippings from the project’s archive. Contributors include Ian Bourn, Pavel Büchler, Peter Bunting, Barbara Campbell, Mikey Cuddihy, Stevie Deas, Joolz Denby, Tim Etchells, Stephanie Fawbert, Rose Frain, Jane Gifford, Bruce Gilchrist, Halford + Beard, M John Harrison, David Hayden, Christopher Hewitt, Steven Hull, Sharon Kivland. Liliane Lijn, Elizabeth Magill, Andrea Mason, Penny McCarthy, Susana Medina, Katharine Meynell, Michael Moorcock, Andrew Mottershead, Courttia Newland, James Pyman, Borivoj Radaković, Sheena Rose, Pete Smith, Gordana Stanišić, Selina Thompson, Suzanne Treister, Alison Turnbull, Joanna Walsh and Tony White.

Thirty-one years of Piece of Paper Press: artists’ books, artworks and ephemera, 1994–2025 will take place in the Outset Archive on the Mezzanine at Matt’s Gallery, alongside Katie Cuddon’s exhibition No Dimensions in the gallery space. Both exhibitions will be open on the same dates and times, with their private views held together. Read more on the Matt’s Gallery website…

2024 dates include:

November 28 2024: Clearspot: Literature Live, 8:00 pm on Resonance 104.4FM. London author Tony White presents readings and chat with some of the best novelists and short story writers around, in an occasional programme focusing on live literature, and authors reading from their fiction live on the air. This month: Tony is joined live in the studio by the authors Emma Curtis and John Williams. Free to listen on 104.4 FM and DAB in London or online. Listen again on the Resonance archive on Mixcloud…

November 21 2024: Brixton Brewery LiBARary Pop-up at the Brixton Tap — Live readings and Q&A with authors Andrew Grumbridge and Vincent Raison of ‘Deserter’, reading from Shirk, Rest and Play: The Ultimate Slacker’s Bible; Zelda Rhiando reading from her latest novel, Night Shift; Tony White reading from his novel The Fountain in the Forest. Hosted by Brixton BookJam: Brixton TAPROOM – Arch 548 Brixton Station Road, London, SW9 8PF. FREE BUT BOOKING REQUIRED

November 10 2024: Strength, love, art, politics: 40 Years of Forced Entertainment. Online, by invitation only (more info here). A 90-minute mix of live readings by the company from texts used in performances across four decades, alongside video clips and conversations. Interspersed will be presentations by a special selected group of artists, performance makers and writers who hold the company and its work dear,  presenting personal reflections, memories, observations and readings inspired by the group’s work over 4 decades. Includes contributions from Tim Etchells and Forced Entertainment, Jennifer Hodgson, M John Harrison, Lois Keidan, Ocean Stefan Chillingworth, Laura Hopkins, Tanuja Amarasuriya, Lara Pawson, Tony White, Lesley Ewen and others. Sunday 10 November, 7pm (UK time).

November 4 2024: Brixton Book Jam are back, in a new venue! Feed your brain with our congenial, intelligent, unpredictable event for readers and writers, featuring Tony White, Daniel Tizon, Johnny B, Amelia Kyazze, Fran Lock, Caspar Addyman, Dave McGowan, and Zelda Rhiando — OFF THE CUFF, Arch 645, Railton Road, London, SE24 0JN (right next to Herne Hill station) — FREE!

September 26 2024: Tregolls Lodge Book Club, Truro, Cornwall

September 20 2024: Join us from 6-8pm at Matt’s Gallery, London, for the launch of SOIL by Katharine Meynell, a publication released in a numbered limited edition of 150 copies by Piece of Paper Press. Up to half of the print run will be given away free during the evening. Strictly one copy per person, while stocks last. Free, no booking necessary. Read more…

July 5 2024: London. Guest speaker, MIRLive, Keynes Library, Birkbeck University of London, 6:30 pm.

February 23 2024: Talk – I will be speaking about my books, my career, and creative practice to Table 52 Writers – a writers’ group based in Richmond, London. N.B. this is a private event.

BROWSE MY ARCHIVED EVENTS LISTINGS SINCE 2012…

A word about bookings:

I enjoy doing live readings and consider it a central part of my work as a writer.

I’ve performed at festivals including Glastonbury, Port Eliot, Sheffield’s Off The Shelf Festival of Words, Manchester Literature Festival, Durham Book Festival, Richmond Literature Festival, TULCA Festival of Visual Arts in Galway, Festival Poligon in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and many more, as well as at universities including King’s College London, the Royal College of Art, The Slade, Westminster, UCL, and Brunel University London, at Macquarie University, Sydney and the Victoria College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia. I’ve done solo events and panel discussions in bookshops including Waterstones in Oxford and London, and at celebrated independent bookshops all over the country, including the Golden Hare, Storytellers Inc., The Bookseller Crow, Bookartbookshop, and Housmans.

I’ve given masterclasses at The Guardian and for Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature. I’ve also spoken and given readings at museums and art centres including Turner Contemporary, The Whitworth in Manchester, The MAC in Belfast and the ICA, London, as well as galleries including Cabinet, PEER and The Approach. I’ve given readings in pubs, libraries, museums and nightclubs, in churches and at spoken word gigs, from Faber Social to Brixton Book Jam, and at performance art venues across the UK and around the world: from London to Lancashire, Soho to Split, from Sir George Gilbert Scott’s chapel at King’s College London to the Dissenters’ Chapel in Kensal Green Cemetery.

I am always happy to hear from anyone about a potential event or reading. If you run an events programme or festival etc. and are interested in booking me to read or participate in some way then please feel free to get in touch as far in advance as possible with as much information about your event(s) as you can. I need to know where and when it will be (venue, date, time etc), what kind of event it is, as well as information about travel and accommodation, and by when you would need me to send you any blurb and press photos. It would also be useful to know more about the audience and how you plan to publicise the event; how I might be able to add to that.

My technical requirements are very simple: at the most basic these would be a PA and a microphone on a mic-stand, enough light to read by(!), and a small table upon which I can place a glass of water and whichever books I am reading from.

You should also, ideally, let me know what the fee is. I mention money because this is what I do for a living. I think that writers should be paid and expenses should be covered. Too often it seems that everyone but the writer (the festival staff, the crew, the bar staff, the DJ, etc.) is being paid! FYI, the Society of Authors suggest a basic author appearance fee of £150.00 plus expenses.

However, I do know that some events, and arts projects of various kinds, can be run on less than a shoestring, and that payments are not always possible, especially if you’re trying to start something from scratch. I’ve done this myself; started things from scratch. I’m interested in the grass-roots live literature scene, and I understand that there are other kinds of value than purely financial. So, long-short, artists and writers should be paid, but it is also true that if I need the warm-up or if I’m simply into what you’re doing then I still might. Just ask.