Sir Ben Okri
Sir Ben Okri OBE is a poet, novelist, and playwright. His novel, The Famished Road, won the Booker Prize in 1991. His works have been translated into 26 languages. He has been a Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Ben Okri's books have won numerous international prizes. His book Astonishing the Gods was chosen by the BBC as one of the most influential novels written over the last 300 years. His latest books are The True Artist Breaks Out of Jail and Waking the Warriors.
Upcoming Events
5 Speakers, 15 Minutes Each - September 2026
Videos
Ben Okri @ 5x15 - Grenfell Tower Poem
Ben Okri is a Nigerian poet and novelist considered one of the finest African writers within the postcolonial tradition. In 1991 he was awarded the Booker prize for his novel The Famished
Ben Okri @ 5x15 - Collaboration
Recorded at the Tabernacle in November 2017.
5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are
Past Events
Art and Nature: 5x15 Live at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
A unique 5x15 drinks party co-curated with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the glorious setting of the Orangery, celebrating creativity, imagination and the natural world.
SOLD OUT
5x15 & English Heritage present an inspiring evening of storytelling celebrating London's blue plaques scheme & the figures they commemorate
SOLD OUT
As COP26 draws to a close, we’re looking forward to the road ahead and exploring the power of imagination to drive change – for humans, for animals, for flora and fauna.
Join us in February for an evening of urgent and immersive storytelling from 5x15.
In the middle of the COVID-19 crisis, when global cooperation is needed more than ever, Indian Summer Festival and 5x15 come together to present a special global edition.