Black Book Festival and Education Expo 2026
About this Event
This grassroots festival is aimed at the African and Caribbean community and is a platform to showcase authors, publishers and booksellers.
The event provides an opportunity for the global community to:
- listen to new and exciting Black writers and publishers
- learn how to write the book they always knew they had within them
- learn about the global Black book industry
- identify opportunities to publish and exhibit books on the Black experience.
Another aim of the festival is to raise much needed funds for Simon Education's SEADS Project, that provides free education resources and teacher training resources to schools in Africa and the Caribbean. The project currently supports 38 schools in 10 countries with a total student population of 35,000.
Entrance guidelines:
- Free entry to book expo with 45+ stalls.
- Paid entrance to seminar presentations and book expo.
- Paid ticket holders to go to the front of the queue. Seminar tickets can be booked online or at the venue and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served, basis.
Festival DJ/Music
Provided by our own in-house Music (RnB, Afrobeats and Reggae) featuring DJ Rak
Writing & Publishing seminars (Paid ticket holders only 11.30am - 5 pm)
- How to Write, Publish and Market Your Book with author David Simon 11.30am
- Celebrating 100 Years of Black History with authors Sista Shanice, Tyrone Smith and Kandace Chimbiri 12.15pm
- Bestselling author Paige Lewin in conversation with author Sandra A. Agard 1pm
- Evadne Bygrave in conversation with the pioneering publisher Margaret Busby 1.55pm
Education seminars (Paid ticket holders only 11.30am - 5pm)
- Your Career: Launching Into AI and Automation presented by AI consultant, Chinyere Simon 2.50pm
- AI and the Education of the Black Child with author, David Simon 3.35pm
- Black Scientists and Inventors with publisher and author Michael Williams 4.20pm
Main stage
- Songs of Liberation performed by Suzanna Emmanuel 1.30pm
- African-Caribbean dance performance by Irie Dance Theatre 2.15pm
- Drumming and storytelling with Irie Dance Theatre 3.15pm
Family Tent ( Free) Each workshop lasts 40 minutes)
- Black people in science and creative workshop with Dr Simon-Bleasdille 12pm
- Fun critical thinking workshop with Dr Simon-Bleasdille and Mary Anderson 1.15pm
- Rich Minds, Rich Kids with Apet 2.30pm
- Arts and craft workshop with Mary Anderson 3.45pm
Special STEM Workshop (8 years plus)
- Interactive STEM workshop with African American collective Bridges of Excellence 12pm to 2pm
- 100 Black British Doctors' team presentation 3pm to 3.45pm
Festival Exhibition (main hall)
- Artist Shyaam will be featuring his collection of African inspired art
Awards: 4.15pm
- Bookseller of the Year Award presentation to Sulaiman Lee
- Lifetime Achievement Award to Arthur Torrington of the Windrush Foundation
About Simon Education
Simon Education was founded in 1987 by David Simon and Dr Leonora Simon-Bleasdille to run Saturday Schools in south London. The Saturday schools grew to ten in total and started publishing Africentric education books and fiction books in the 1990s. It is estimated that Simon Education's services have supported 6000 students in the UK and 35,000 students in Africa and the Caribbean.
By the mid 1990s a new director had joined, Nneb Akpom-Simon, and the three directors set about making the company into an international organisation, which now sees it operating in 10 African and Caribbean countries through its SEADS Project. The SEADS project provides free teacher training to schools and free education resources. Simon Education has won numerous national and international awards for its published books, training programmes and educational services.
www.simoneducation.com
Highlights of the 2024 and 2025 Black Book Festivals.
The Black Book Festival and Education Expo team will make this year's event one to remember.
The legendary Margaret Busby, the UK's youngest and first Black book publisher, will be interveiwed on her new book, Part of the Story: Writings from Half a Century.
Come and listen to Paige Lewin with Sandra A. Agard talk about her new book, How to Love Your Afro and her work championing natural hair.
Author and educationalist, Neil Mayers, will be book signing at the festival so come and get your signed copy.
Author and educationalist, David Simon, will be discussing The Education of the Black Child and AI.
Technology consultant, Chinyere Simon, will be revealing the secrets to building a career in AI.
Publisher and author, Michael Williams, will be talking about his latest education platform on Black Scientists, Inventors and Artificial Intelligence.
Author Kandace Chimbiri will be part of the panel celebrating 100 years of Black History Month, originally started by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926.
The 100 Black Doctor's Team will be talking about their journey as medics to inspire the next generation. Come and listen to them speak and get your book signed.
This year's festival art exhitbion features the dynamic artist, Shyaam Caine, whose work explores themes and images of ancient African cultures.
Inspired by ancient times, various civilizations, architecture, mythology, and forgotten stories, Shyaam creates works that explore the connection between history and imagination. Through expressive drawing and painting, they reinterpret elements of the past while giving them a contemporary artistic voice.
Start your own education business with support from Simon Education. Read more about our amazing 4 module course and see how you can work for yourself within just a few months. Enrol at: https://simoneducation.com/courses/
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00 to GBP 12.00
