Gibraltar at the Oxford Literary Festival

Gibraltar was represented at the Oxford Literary Festival as part of the partnership between the Oxford Literary Festival and Gibraltar’s International Literary Festival.

The Minister for Culture and Tourism, Christian Santos, attended on behalf of Gibraltar, accompanied by April Smart-Devincenzi, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Equality, Employment, Culture and Tourism, and Davina Barbara, Head of Development at Gibraltar Cultural Services.

The 2026 Oxford Literary Festival, which is marking its 30th anniversary, hosted the Gibraltar Lecture, during which Mr Santos interviewed comedian and author Alison Larkin about her latest book, Grief: A Comedy.

Larkin is an award-winning comedian and producer who has headlined at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles for three years and has acted on and off Broadway. She is also the author of The English American, an autobiographical novel about an adopted English woman who finds her birth parents in the United States.

The discussion explored how Larkin has navigated life’s challenges through her work.

Mr Santos said: “I am really pleased to have had the opportunity to personally take part in the Gibraltar Lecture, and it has been a privilege to interview Alison Larkin. Her warmth, creativity and talent came through in our conversation. The continued partnership between the Gibraltar Literary Festival and the prestigious Oxford Festival shows our commitment to nurturing and promoting literature, culture and creativity in Gibraltar and beyond.”