What to expect at our Brussels Salon
Details of what you'll do, see, eat, drink and learn!
Dear Friends,
We’ve been working hard on our programme for this year’s Annual Salon in Brussels, and even we are stunned by how incredible the weekend is shaping up to be.
For those considering coming—and for the more than 60 writers who have already booked—we’re delighted to tell you more about our programme and activities.
The salon will take place 12-14 September 2025 at the beautiful Full Circle venue in Flagey, the Art Nouveau and Art Deco cultural heart of Ixelles.
Booking is open and full weekend places have nearly sold out, so don’t take too long to decide!
Presenters and Speakers
Here are some of the speakers leading panels, discussions and workshops. Others to be confirmed soon.
(From left to right: Sergei Sadohin, Victoria Belim, Leo Cendrowicz, Balsam Karam, Kit de Waal, Terry Craven)
Kit de Waal was born to an Irish mother and Caribbean father and raised in Birmingham. Her debut novel, My Name Is Leon, was an international bestseller, shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award, longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize, winner of the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award for 2017 and adapted for television by the BBC. She has published other novels, an anthology, and a memoir. Kit founded the TV production company Portopia Productions and the Big Book Weekend, a free digital literary festival, and was named the FutureBook Person of the Year 2019. Kit is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and Professor and Jean Humphreys Writer in Residence at Leicester University. Her new novel, Best of Everything, was released in April 2025. Kit will join our panel on Saturday evening to discuss our theme of Rooted/Unrooted
Balsam Karam is of Kurdish ancestry and has lived in Sweden since she was a young child. She made her literary debut in 2018 with the critically acclaimed novel, Event Horizon, which was shortlisted for the Katapult Prize and won the Småland Literature Festival’s Migrant Prize. Her second novel, The Singularity, originally published in Sweden in 2021 and by Fitzcarraldo Editions in 2024, was shortlisted for the European Union Prize for Literature, the August Prize and Svenska Dagbladet’s Literature Prize. Balsam will also join our Saturday night panel.
Sergei Sadohin is an author, columnist and communications professional in Brussels. He has published in Brussels Times, New Eastern Europe and Open Democracy. His passion for existentialist philosophy and languages led him to write Hiding in Plain Sight: What Language Says About Being Human, a deeper exploration of human existence through language. Serghei will lead a session asking what it means to inhabit language and the role of language in rooting (or unrooting) us in reality.
Victoria Belim is a Ukrainian writer, translator and journalist who grew up in the USA, studied political science at Yale University and speaks 18 languages. A translator of modern Persian literature, Victoria's works delve into themes of family history, identity and the intersection of political events and personal lives. Her book ‘The Rooster House’ gained international acclaim for its exploration of Ukraine's Soviet past and its effects on the present. She has contributed to the Financial Times, New York Times Magazine, Independent, Flair, and Marie Claire. Victoria will lead a session on Crafting Memoir and Personal Narrative, designed to help writers articulate their personal stories.
Leo Cendrowicz is the Brussels correspondent for the i newspaper and the editor of The Brussels Times Magazine. Usually based in Brussels, his work often involves explaining the arcane workings of the EU machine. He has reported from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, covered Mars missions and chased Somali pirates. He was the longtime correspondent for TIME magazine in Brussels, and his work has appeared in The Guardian, The Independent, Financial Times, The Hollywood Reporter, The Huffington Post, New Statesman, and United Press International (UPI). Leo will join a panel exploring European identity in the current moment and our particular response as writers.
Terry Craven earned his bookselling experience with 7 years working at Shakespeare and Company, Paris, before heading to Spain, where he now resides as a painter, editor and co-founder/co-manager of Desperate Literature bookshop, Madrid. He also runs the Desperate Literature Prize for Short Fiction. Terry will tell us tales from the bookstore and join a panel discussing how to build literary community.
Keep an eye on your inbox for more presenters and workshop hosts being confirmed soon.
Our Programme
Friday: Open mic salon—nearly sold out!
On Friday night, please join us for drinks, dinner and an open mic salon at Full Circle. Make new friends, hear words from around Europe and maybe even read your own. Only 15 full weekend tickets left, so book quickly if you want to join.
Saturday: Workshops and panels
On Saturday, we’ll spend the day at Full Circle. Sessions include:
Paris, Mon Amour! Writing the European City - Writers have always used the European City (or their yearning for it) as character, inspiration, setting and plot device. We’ll use prompt texts to inspire our writing about European cities we love or loathe.
Dare to dream—Create a Sense of Place, Home and Belonging - In this poetry workshop, we’ll explore what sustains us. We’ll create new dreams and awaken wishes—weaving all of this into a sense of place and belonging.
Demystifying the Agent Submission Process - Hear from writers who have successfully secured an agent about their experience of the querying process. Ask them anything and pick their brains. They promise to be honest!
Breathe Life Into Your Words: A Breathwork Session - Breathwork is a powerful practice that combines ancient wisdom with neuroscience to shift the nervous system from a high-alert, stress-driven state into one of relaxation and receptivity. No prior experience necessary, just a willingness to explore how working with the body can open new doors in your writing process and well-being.
First-Timers Salon - Have you always wanted to read for an audience but felt too nervous? Would you like to read to a warm and supportive audience of other first-timers? If so, this is the (unintimidating) salon for you!
A Sense of Belonging—Turning Self-Doubt Into Coaching - In this session, we’ll explore using coaching techniques with fellow writers, coaching ourselves and each other on how to turn doubts into strengths.
Building Literary Community: Here’s How We Do It! - How do you bring writers together and create a space where creativity thrives? In this panel, we’ll hear from people who have done just that. Whether you want to plan meetups of your own or better support existing networks, come get ideas, inspiration and advice.
Sunday: Out and about in Brussels
On Sunday, we’ll have a relaxed morning out and about in the beautiful city of Brussels. Options will include:
Literary-inspired walking tour of Brussels led by a professional guide, taking in some of Brussels’ most famous tourist spots, some unknown gems and sampling local delicacies (this is an optional extra, with an additional price)
Prompts in the park - follow creative prompts, bring a notepad and something to sit on and explore Parc d’Egmont, one of Brussels’ hidden gems
Thrift store tour and writing session - Brussels has a fantastic range of thrift stores. Explore some that are open on Sundays, pick up some bargains, then use what you find as prompts for writing
Book Club discussion in a beautiful literary cafe inside Galerie Bortier, a gallery with a bookstore and many interesting restaurants and spaces to explore
Coffee tour and writing session - try out some of Brussels’ finest coffee spots, hear some coffee-inspired writing and maybe write your own
More options will be confirmed nearer the time. You are also welcome to spend the time doing quiet writing of your own. We’ll send a list of good places to write nearer to the time.
Food and drink
Brussels is full of culinary delights to explore and sample. Here are some of our plans.
Friday - On Friday evening, we’ll have a catered dinner and drinks at Full Circle before the salon. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are all available.
Saturday - On Saturday, those who choose this option will have lunch at Full Circle and afternoon coffee. Others can explore the many places nearby.
Dinner plans will be confirmed nearer the time but are not included in the ticket price.
For those who like to party late, we’ll suggest places to meet for after-hours drinks Friday and Saturday.
Sunday - No food will be provided on Sunday, but there’ll be many options for buying food before and after our sessions. We’ll finish our formal programme at 12pm and then have two options—bring food to the park and join us for a picnic, or head to a food hall with many cuisines and indoor and outdoor seating. Both are voluntary!
We’re also fortunate that one of the nicest patisseries in existence anywhere in Europe happens to be next door to Full Circle!
Connections and community
We hope you’ll come away from our weekend with renewed energy and creativity, a host of new friends, connections and community. We know many people will come alone and that many writers are introverts or neuro-diverse, and we’ve designed the weekend with this in mind.
Our venue has a range of spaces—large, small, quiet and busy. And sessions will be a mix of large and small. Feel free to attend all sessions or drop in and out as you please.
Our weekend hosts—Kik Lodge, Tom Vowler and Moyette Gibbons—will be on hand to welcome you and provide advice, as will the rest of our Steering Group and Management Committee.
We look forward to welcoming you as part of the European Writers Salon—a community for all of us.
Warmly,
Deborah, Barbara, Eleonora, Katherine and Roya
