We are delighted to announce that Spread the Word will become London Writers Centre from 10 December 2025.

Why London Writers Centre?

In our 30th year, we are stepping forward with a new name and brand that reflects our purpose: opening doors to great storytelling, supporting underrepresented writers and connecting communities to the stories that matter.

London Writers Centre will continue to change the landscape for writers and the stories we see, read and hear. In 2026 alone, we will host the fifth edition of Deptford Literature Festival, the second Wellcome Collection Non-Fiction Awards and the sixth London Writers Awards. We will be partnering with Eve White Literary Agency for There is Only Narrative: Non-Fiction Demystified, which includes a competition and masterclasses. Other programmes include the Lewisham Youth Club Project, Young Writers Collective and the CRIPtic x London Writers Centre Salon.

Our future ambitions are for London Writers Centre to have a physical space – creating a vibrant hub for writers to gather, learn and collaborate, and a visible centre for London’s diverse literary life.

Why now?

Celebrating three decades of championing intersectional voices and stories in publishing, the change from Spread the Word to London Writers Centre marks our intention to future proof and expand our mission – for underrepresented writers to get their work into the world and connect communities with words and stories. It represents our response to an urgent and continued need to discover and advocate for writers and communities often left out of mainstream narratives.

Founded as Spread the Word in 1995 by Booker Prize winning novelist Bernardine Evaristo and Chair of English PEN, Ruth Borthwick, London Writers Centre is now led by Ruth Harrison. Under her leadership, the organisation has continued to present and support career changing opportunities for underrepresented writers through festivals, partnerships, research, awards and programmes in London, nationally and internationally. 

Ruth Harrison, Director of London Writers Centre, said: “In 2025, with a desire to raise the profile of the organisation and reach more people, we have changed our name to London Writers Centre. We’ve spent three decades nurturing writers, championing unheard voices and making literature accessible to all. Under our new name, we are still working towards the same vision: a world in which literature is accessible to everyone.”

Bernardine Evaristo commented: “So much has happened in society, culture, education and literature in the past thirty years. The literature landscape has become a lot more inclusive and it’s heartwarming to know that Spread the Word – brilliant, pioneering, legendary – has always been part of that drive towards change, and is still going from strength to strength. Spread the Word has earned the right after 30 years to call itself the London Writers Centre.” 

Ruth Borthwick said: “Spread the Word’s mission was to create a literary scene in South London. In a nation where we seem to be going backwards, it’s vital that the London Writers Centre builds on the work of thirty years to widen our literary landscape further and bring new and exciting voices to eager readers.”

Aimée Felone, Chair of London Writers Centre, said: “Spread the Word has an incredible legacy of creating space for writers and stories, in multiple forms, that have and continue to be disregarded. This new evolution as London Writers Centre is an incredible cementing and evolution of the work that has been done and the new spaces we want to expand in.”   

Our 30th Anniversary was marked with a newly commissioned work from Momtaza Mehri. Momtaza Mehri said: “London Writers Centre has played a profound role in my journey as a writer. Through mentorships and development programmes, it’s provided an encouraging space for writers taking tentative steps, honing their craft, and finding literary community. I don’t know where I would be without this support. It made the writing life a less lonely one, and above all, seem stirringly possible.”

The London Writers Centre’s new website and brand launch on 10 December at www.londonwriterscentre.org.uk.

We are also taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge to raise funds towards our Lewisham, Borough of Literature campaign. Visit biggive.org/campaign to find out more and donate.

Image: Kashif Haque.

Posted Thursday 27 November 2025.