What's hot next week

Next week in the world of literature, Bianca Jagger hosts a talk on the Rights of a child, Leigh Zimmerman gives a musical masterclass, and there’s a bundle of literary festivals launching, featuring talks from the likes of Judi Dench and Tom Sharpe. Not to mention free wine.

Signings and talks

James Patterson The author will be signing copies of his new book, The Jester, a swashbuckling saga set in 11thcentury France.

Sarah Dunant Continuing the series in which authors identify which classic has inspired them most, we have Sarah Dunant trumpeting Dante's Divine Comedy as her top tip, together with The Birth Of Venus, a thriller-cum-lurve story set in Renaissance Florence, written by... Sarah Dunant. Chaired by Mark Musa.

Bianca Jagger: Toy Soldiers Wearing her human-rights hat, Bianca Jagger leads a talk about the refusal of certain governments to sign an optional protocol to the UN Convention On The Rights Of The Child, which forbids the involvement of children under the age of 18 in armed conflict. ICA The Mall, SW1 (020-7930 3647) Thur 10 April, 6.45pm. £6-£8.

Pete McCarthy The Road To McCarthy( Hodder) is Pete McCarthy's second book, a comic travelogue from Cork to Alaska. McCarthy gives a performance based on the book and signs copies after.

Leigh Zimmerman The actress who played Velma in Chicago and currently appears in Contact gives a musical theatre masterclass and talks about her career.

Cristina Iglesias The Spanish artist in conversation with Adrian Searle talks about her first major presentation in the UK.

Cy Twombley: The Four Seasons Jonathan Jones gives a talk and leads a discussion in front of The Four Seasons, the Tate's major new acquisition of paintings by Cy Twombly.

The Aztec Influence on Literature Given by Ignacio Padilla, author and cultural attache, embassy of Mexico.

The Restoration at Crystal Palace Peter Culley lectures on behalf of the London Parks And Gardens Trust on the restoration at Crystal Palace.

Days Like These A one-day conference featuring work by 23 artists including Gillian Carnegie, Richard Deacon and Rachel Whiteread, chaired by Andrew Denton.

Literary Festivals

The Oxford Literary Festival

The concluding part of the OLF offers up some impressive names, including Claire Tomalin and Michael Frayn (making separate appearances), Antony Beevor, Jane Dunn, Andrew O'Hagan, Penelope Lively, Melanie Phillips, William Dalrymple and Graham Swift (Fri 4 Apr), John Carey, Miranda Seymour, Beryl Bainbridge and Sue MacGregor (Sat 5 Apr), Richard Dawkins, Roy Strong, Jane Lapotaire, Jenny Uglow and Humphrey Carpenter (Sun 6 Apr). www. sundaytimesoxfordliteraryfestival.co.uk.

Chelteham Festival Spring Weekend A literary canape - the real thing comes in October - but still with over 50 celebs, including Queen Noor Of Jordan, Michael Holroyd, David Starkey, Tom Sharpe, Dick King-Smith, Judi Dench, Helen Dunmore and Roy Hattersley, plus some who've been treading the boards over in Oxford (see below).