In times of upheaval, we often turn to writers who bear witness, who resist, who speak out despite the risks of doing so.
But what does it mean to write and act from conscience? Must a writer always be bound by their conscience? What are the costs of doing so – or not doing so? And does the responsibility of the writer start and end with the written word?
This special English PEN x Charleston commission invites journalist and author Reni Eddo-Lodge, poet Alice Oswald and novelist Ahdaf Soueif to explore the choices and possibilities faced by writers today: the consequences of speaking out, and the ways imagination can confront, subvert or transform the world.
Tickets are available from the Charleston Festival website from 24 February 2026.