Picador Professorship for Literature

Imagination is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.

We celebrate 20 years of ! In two decades 39 authors from the US and UK came to Leipzig creating a literary lifeline across borders, crises, and politics.

Join us for the anniversary and an amazing evening with current Rachel Khong (). Her latest collection „My Dear You“, which was written through years marked by political extremism and fear, is reflecting on the importance of imagination.

Because in a world shaped by wars, unrest, and the rise of autocracies, we need imagination to save us. It helps us absorb the present, transform it, and return it to us in forms we can finally feel, question, and understand.

Let’s celebrate these Lifelines of Words in over 20 years together. ✨

📅 Thursday, May 7, 2026
📍.leipzig
🕕 6:00 PM

Free admission, tickets are limited. Link in bio!

The Picador Professorship is a project of , , and . In cooperation with , and their project .

Two decades of remarkable writers, inspiring classes, and vibrant conversations. The Picador Guest Professorship for Literature, a collaboration between , , , and , has brought authors from around the world to teach, share their work, and connect with students and the creative community.

From the very first professors to our current guest Hannah Michell, each writer has left their mark on this program. Thank you for being part of this journey.

SAVE YOUR SEAT (and afterdrinks hehe)

We often imagine activism as something loud and visible — marches, speeches and grand acts of defiance. But stories are where power first takes hold: in what is remembered, and in what is erased. Let’s dig into this and join the talk between and on November 25 at .leipzig.

The Picador Guest Professorship is brought to you by Uni Leipzig, American Studies Leipzig, DAAD Artist Program and Holtzbrinck Berlin. This Event is in cooperation with EDIT Magazine.

What breaks first when courage meets fear? How can resistance live quietly, and still be heard? Current PicadorProf invites us to explore the small, invisible acts that ripple far beyond themselves and the stories that refuse to be forgotten.

The evening will be hosted by .

📅 November 25 | 18:30
📍 .leipzig
🎟️ Admission free! Reserve your spot now!

Presented by Uni Leipzig, American Studies Leipzig, DAAD Artists Program, Holtzbrinck Berlin, Picador U.S., and in cooperation with .

Be part of an evening that reflects on how art does more than accompany activism. It transforms it, reshaping the narratives that define what we dare to imagine as possible.