Lost and Found: A European Literary Map of London

The launch event on 24th October in the South Cloisters, marked the opening of the public exhibition.

Curated by UCL European Institute and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities with UCL Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, the Lost and Found: A European Literacy Map of London interactive, online map features more than 70 entries in over 20 European languages and allows the user to explore London through the eyes of Europe’s writers, artists, and intellectuals, through the ages.  

The launch event on 24th November in the South Cloisters, marked the opening of the public exhibition. Attendees had an opportunity to explore the exhibition, learn more about the online map and hear from four brilliant speakers, who have greatly supported the project and related projects such as the Writer in Residency programme: 

• His Excellency Pedro Serrano, EU Ambassador to the United Kingdom 
• Professor Alan Thompson, Pro Provost (London) and Dean of the Faculty of Brain Sciences  
• Rosie Goldsmith, Director of the European Literature Network
• Lucy Shackleton, UCL European Institute 

The Lost & Found: Mapping European Literary Exhibition was open to the public from 25th October 2023 to 31st May 2024 in the South Cloisters, attended by 200 people. The online interactive map is available and encourages viewers to reflect critically or playfully, on the role of the city as a place where journeys and languages intersect; where people and cultures meet and are transformed. It can be explored by theme, by language, by free word search or (soon) by genre or historial period.

The project team is actively looking to expand and diversify the entries on the map, by finding passages by authors from diverse or under-represented groups. At present, there is an over-representation of white, male writers that risks reinforcing Europe’s historic and enduring inequalities. See their call for contributions and submit an entry here.

A Writer in Residency Programme has been developed in partnership with EUNIC London, the European Literature Network and the Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom. UCL will be selecting a European writer to spend up to four weeks at UCL in Spring 2024, to produce new writing on London engaging with one or more of the map's themes, and to run a small number of bespoke sessions with UCL students and school students from surrounding schools. This project also linked with the European Writers' Festival, taking place on 18th - 19th May 2024. Priority will be given to writers from diverse or otherwise under-represented groups. 

Their vision is that the map, and associated projects, will not only be an illustration of London’s enduring relevance for European culture, but will also help to diversify how we collectively imagine and understand both London and Europe.

The project has received several positive comments and feedback: 

This exhibition and the wider European Literary map of London project illustrate beautifully the longstanding and enduring cultural connections between the UK and the European continent, and the important role of the written word in building cross-cultural bridges and expanding our collective understanding."  His Excellency Pedro Serrano, EU Ambassador to the United Kingdom 

Diversity is our city’s greatest strength, and this engaging exhibition celebrates London’s rich blend of people and cultures and the fascination of European writers through history with the capital. It also highlights the power of art and creativity and their significant role in our history." London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons OBE 

I think the Literary Map of London is great and have used it myself a lot in my translation classes, making researching and translating passages about London, based on the map, into class projects for students." Prof. Mererid Puw Davies, Professor of German Studies, UCL SELCs 

Larisa Faber’s workshop for BA CAH students today was excellent. Larisa demonstrated creativity and rigour and connected to each student in different ways appropriate to their individual responses. I am so glad that your writer residence programme enabled this: thank you." Professor Gregory Thompson, Professor in Creative and Collaborative Enterprise, UCL