Will Self will be giving an hour-long talk for the How To Academy in a livestream at 6.30pm on Wednesday July 29 on the subject of creativity. For tickets and further details, visit the How To Academy website here.

Will is going to be appearing in a debate, The End of the Whitewash, with Adjoa Andoh, Kehinde Andrews and Joanna Kavenna on Saturday May 23 at 7.45pm at the HowTheLightGetsIn festival. Visit here for details and tickets.

“We celebrate diversity, and in the arts many support colour blind casting. From the film The Personal History of David Copperfield to the musical Hamilton, stories are cast to reflect the racial diversity of our culture. But critics argue that, far from being progressive, such practices in fact paper over the racist Victorian society of Dickens’s novels and the white colonial history of America. Should we applaud the overcoming of historical accuracy in favour of racially blind representation, and ignore race as a relevant characteristic in all circumstances? Or is colour blindness a liberal mistake – a dangerous denial of racial realities, and of the long history of white supremacy?”

Will has a couple of appearances coming up, first at a Telepoetics event to discuss the theme of “Communications and Phone” at the Dana Research Centre and Library at the Science Museum in London on 27 May, 10times.com/telepoetics-symposium and then at the Idler Festival on 10-12 July.

Will is giving a Funzing talk entitled “Is the left dead?” at The Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street, London, SW1P 3DW on Tuesday 31 July, from 6.45pm to 8.45pm. “With the far-right on the rise and the left in disarray, what does the future hold for socialism?” For more details and to book tickets, visit uk.funzing.com.

On Wednesday 11 July there is a very rare opportunity to learn about psychogeography and how to enact the dérive (drift) – the Situationist’s method for creatively remaking the world – with Will, starting at the Chandos House Treatment for Addiction in Bristol.

The morning session will be for Chandos House residents, as part of their ongoing therapy – and the second will be open to those who’d like to contribute something to support the work of the facility and learn something about this technique. Will stresses that you don’t have to be an artist or writer to gain from the dérive, but that people who work creatively may well find it extremely helpful.   More...