The Aesop Queer Library returns this summer for its sixth UK edition, taking over the brand’s Soho store from July 3rd to 5th, 2026. Titled Body of Work, this year’s programme presents a curated selection of books by LGBTQIA+ authors and allies, with every title available free of charge and no purchase required.
For the first time, the initiative extends beyond Soho with dedicated Reading Rooms in Spitalfields and Brighton, creating new spaces for readers to encounter stories that challenge conventions, celebrate self-expression, and amplify underrepresented voices.
LGBTQIA+ authors at the heart of ‘Body of Work’
Focusing on the queer body as a site of visibility, imagination, and resistance, this year’s selection highlights how literature preserves histories, questions norms, and gives voice to lived experience.
Spanning fiction, memoir, cultural criticism, and community histories, the library invites visitors to explore a wide range of perspectives shaping contemporary queer culture.
A key highlight is The Log Books by Tash Walker and Adam Zmith. Drawing on archives from Switchboard, the UK’s national LGBTQIA+ support line, the book traces decades of queer life through real conversations, personal testimonies, and historical records—reflecting the library’s commitment to safeguarding and sharing queer heritage.
Reading rooms across Soho, Spitalfields, and Brighton
Alongside the flagship Soho library, new Reading Rooms will open in Spitalfields from 3–5 July, followed by a Brighton edition from July 31st to August 2nd, 2026.
These welcoming spaces encourage discovery, reflection, and connection through literature. Visitors can browse the curated collection, choose a complimentary book, and engage with stories centred on identity, belonging, and community.
This year’s programme also highlights organisations such as Switchboard, the volunteer-led LGBTQIA+ helpline that has supported millions since 1974.
Courtesy of AESOP
