Black to the Future

An Afrofuturist celebration of outstanding Black writers, poets, performers, scientists and thinkers from around the globe; a joyfully radical offering for the cultural landscape and zeitgeist. A new biennial hybrid Arts festival curated by Irenosen Okojie MBE.

BLACK TO THE FUTURE is an Afro-Futurist celebration of outstanding Black artists, a space for visionary imaginings to thrive.

BTTF begins as British Black History month ends; launching late October and running until US Black History Month in February 2024, to accompany the British Library’s upcoming major exhibition: Fantasy: Realms of Imagination.

Curated, founded and directed by Irenosen Okojie MBE, in collaboration with the Royal Society of Literature and the British Library.

Founder and Director Irenosen Okojie MBE is an award-winning author who has curated for the Southbank Centre, the BBC, Duckie and programmed the Maverick Women and The Moon strand at Moon Festival featuring Margaret Atwood. She co-presented Turn up for the Books podcast on BBC Sounds with Simon Savidge and Bastille front man, Dan Smith, and judged the 2023 Women’s Prize. She is a Vice Chair of the Royal Society of Literature.

Creative Director Sara Veal has worked with spaces and festivals including The Book Club, Trapeze, Larmer Tree, Port Eliot, Shambala, ALSO and Primadonna, and is Workplace Experience Manager at Uplift Games, the studio behind the most-played experience on Roblox, Adopt Me. Sara specialises in immersive events, and created an edible book launch catered by London Afro Vegan for Irenosen’s Nudibranch, winner of the Ako Caine prize. She is Vice Chair of GamesAid.

Promoter and Producer Elliott Jack has developed, curated and delivered thousands of events over the years, from intimate performances in pods on the London Eye to festivals attracting more than 100,000 people. His baby is Book Slam, which since 2005 has revolutionised how Londoners look at books, and remains a touchstone of London literary life.