Take a peek inside our Annual Salon Programme
See what's happening in Brussels and around Europe...
Dear All,
When we started European Writers Salon, it was with the simple hope of connecting more writers in Europe. Our first event was just 20 intrepid writers converging on Brussels with ideas, dreams and a desire for waffles. Today, we are excited to reveal the programme for our first Annual Salon.
We hope this will be more than just a conference of writers—a place for people to truly connect, to bridge the gap between cultures and sensibilities and feel like a united artistic community. Our theme, Rooted/Unrooted will explore what this means for us as European writers at this moment in time.
We invited all participants to submit session ideas, to create a space where everyone had the opportunity to share ideas. And wow, they delivered. Our programme is an exciting mix of panels, workshops, tours and lectures. We hope you find it as exciting as we do—and if you can’t make it to Brussels, put 25-27 September 2026 in your diary, when we’ll be hosting our next Annual Salon in Madrid.
Read our programme here. (We recommend viewing on a big screen.)
Those who have already booked will soon receive a form to schedule individual sessions in advance. Please note that some times may change as we fine-tune details.
Events
Annual Salon 2025 - Only 9 places left!
When: 12-14 September 2025
Where: Full Circle, Brussels
We have a very small number of Sat/Sun places left for our 3-day Annual Salon extravaganza in Brussels. Join 91 other writers from across Europe as we explore Brussels, take part in workshops and panels and hear keynote speakers Kit de Waal, Philippe Marczewski and Balsam Karam.
Online Open Mic Salon
When: 15 July 2025, 7-8:30 pm CET
Where: Online via Zoom
Tickets are still available for our FREE quarterly online salon hosted by Kik Lodge. Expect a wealth of wonderful readings and the usual highly serious quiz, this time on the theme of road signs. Reading slots are now all booked, but please come along and listen!
Pop-up Salon: Madrid
When: 16 October 2025, 8 pm CET
Where: Desperate Literature, Madrid
We’re delighted to host an open mic salon in partnership with international bookstore Desperate Literature.
We'll listen to excellent readings, drink wine and get to know writers from Madrid and across Europe in Desperate Literature’s lovely new premises. Ticket prices include wine and soft drinks.
We’ll also arrange informal drinks on the evening of Wednesday 15th and a writing or literary walk on the morning of Friday 17th (at additional cost), so keep this in mind when booking travel and accommodation.
Who’s Speaking to Us and How? A Prose Writing Workshop
When: 25 September 2025, 6pm GMT/7pm CET
Where: Online
Some of you may know Graham Mort from our online salon, where he wowed us with his poetry. Graham is emeritus professor of Creative Writing at Lancaster University, an extraordinary professor at the University of the Western Cape, and a Higher Education Teaching Fellow. We are delighted that he will teach an online class for us in September for writers of all levels of experience.
Who's Speaking to Us and How? will be a friendly and interactive workshop for prose writers who want to take a fresh look at point of view in their narratives.
Places are limited, so book early. We hope to see you online!
On the far horizon…
For those who like to plan ahead, we already have a few events in the works for 2026:
Pop-up Salon: Berlin—26 March 2026
2026 Annual Salon—Madrid, 25-27 September 2026
In the planning stages are Paris, Athens and Amsterdam. Keep watching this space for more!
Become a Supporter
EWS is funded entirely by your support, and every penny goes back into our events. Support from our patrons allows us to put on better events, and to provide bursaries for writers who couldn’t attend otherwise.
Supporters receive a few perks:
Discounts and early booking for our events (with a better chance of a salon reading spot)
Discounts from literary organisations
Free access to Café Littéraire: European Book Club
And of course, our eternal gratitude! We couldn’t do it without you. You can support us simply be becoming a paying member of our Substack.
That’s it for now! Our listings of opportunities and events around Europe will come out in a separate newsletter later in the month. So keep an eye out!
We look forward to meeting you soon.
Warmly,
The EWS Team
