Austrian Cultural Forum

Explore London through the eyes of Europe’s literary, musical, artistic and scientific minds.

For centuries, writers have come to London from across Europe and beyond – as honoured guests and anonymous aliens; tourists and refugees; students and wanderers. 

In the squalid slums of the East End, in the glitter and glamour of Belgravia, in the unspoilt expanse of Hampstead Heath, these writers lose – and find -themselves. Their encounters with the city leave a mark: on the writer, on their work and, sometimes, on London itself.  

‘Lost and Found: A European Literary Map of London’ uncovers these literary traces, revealing London and a Europe of the imagination.  

Curated by UCL European Institute and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities with UCL Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, this 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 Map encourages us to reflect on the role of the city as a place where journeys and languages intersect; where people and cultures meet and are transformed. It is conceived as a teaching and research tool, as well as a catalyst for strategic external engagement. 

Exhibition and Launch: An exhibition based on the map, 'Lost and Found: A European Literary Map of London', will run in the South Cloisters from Oct 2023 onward. A new version of the map will be launched in October.

Residency: An associated Writer in Residency programme will be delivered, in partnership with EUNIC, in the 2023-24 academic year. 

Ongoing Call for Contributions: UCL are looking for descriptions of different sites/encounters with London, by writers writing in European languages beyond English, from any time period and across literary genres. 

More info here.