A Little Bit of Austria in London
Knightbridge, where the Austrian Cultural Forum is based. Photo: © F.Hardy
At the Austrian Cultural Forum
Last night was my first live talk of the year – my 14th altogether – in The Austrian Cultural Forum at Rutland Gate in Knightsbridge. The mid-19th-century white stucco building is seven storeys tall, and it’s the cultural section of the Austrian Embassy. The ACF’s job is to promote cultural contacts between the UK and Austria by organising free events and supporting artists and projects in music, performing arts, visual arts, film, science, and literature.
It was my literary event that took place there on the evening of Tuesday 30th January and it was in the most impressive venue in which I’ve given a talk so far. The space for my talk was fabulous, a large room with a polished wooden floor, a huge Persian carpet, two dangling chandeliers, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Felice in conversation with Austrian journalist Tessa Szyszkowitz, Photo: © Hannah Kaip/Austrian Embassy London
I was ‘in conversation’ with Austrian journalist Tessa Szyszkowitz, who asked some excellent questions. Sadly, due to the train strike in the south east, numbers were depleted, but I still had a good, really engaged audience. Among them was my niece, a second cousin I hadn’t seen for 13 years, my best friend from school, a work colleague from a job I had in my 20s, and my publisher from AdLib. There were quite a few Austrians in the audience as well.
After my talk, we pushed back the chairs for a reception with Austrian wines. As we live in Somerset, organisers Waltraud and Hannah from the ACF offered Peter and me one of the guest rooms in the building for the night. It meant we could relax and not rush for the last train back to Frome in Somerset.
It was my first talk of the year, but there are more to come, so watch this space for details and dates, and if you haven’t already bought my book, you can do so by clicking on the blue button at the top right of this page!
Felice in conversation with Tessa. Photo: © Hannah Kaip/Austrian Embassy London
