Lincoln Arts Centre Book Club

The LAC Book Club meets at Lincoln Arts Centre on Tuesday 27 October, and the book on the table this time is A Fate Worse Than Drowning by Sarah L Hawthorn. It's held in the Cafe Bar, so it's more of a gathering than a formal session — a chance to sit down and talk through the month's read with other people who've done the same.

The club is a new addition to the Arts Centre's programme, and it's run by two people you'll likely recognise from around the building: Lou Bright (they/them) and Payslee Chardoux (she/they), both Front of House Supervisors and avid readers. Lou is a University of Lincoln alumnus with a BA and a Master's in Theatre who also works on cosplay and similar artistic ventures; Payslee is a Lincoln local, a locally published writer and freelance editor who also works as a bookseller at Lindum Books on the Bailgate. Between them, they bring together a fair bit of local literary and theatrical experience.

They started the club with a particular motivation in mind: a 2024 Reading Agency study found that many young people aged 16 to 24 have become 'lapsed readers'. The idea here is to create a welcoming, inclusive space where students and the public can express their love of all things literary, with books drawn from authors across the world. Each month brings a fresh read and a variety of genres, accompanied by writing prompts and the chance to read, write and workshop together in a cosy atmosphere.

It's free to attend, though you do need to book your place. The session is on Tuesday 27 October at the Cafe Bar in Lincoln Arts Centre, so if you've read A Fate Worse Than Drowning and fancy talking it through, that's where you'll find them.