Bristol Festival of Ideas 2023 spring programme begins

Bristol Festival of Ideas has announced its first wave of events for 2023, with a rich and diverse programme mixing in-person and online talks and discussions.

Film critic and journalist Hanna Flint will be exploring the role of cinema in better reflecting and helping us to understand ourselves.

In conversation with Lisa Bortolotti and Rebecca Buxton, philospher Julian Baggini offers 12 key tenets of sound, rational thinking.

Hanna Flint – photo: courtesy of Bristol Festival of Ideas

Julian Baggini – photo: Antonia Macaro

For the February edition of Bristol Ideas: Book of the Month, author and cultural studies expert Kirsty Sedgman delves into the research underpinning her book On Being Unreasonable: Breaking the Rules and Making Things Better.

Award-winning author Ayòbámi Adébáyò discusses her second novel, A Spell of Good Things, a tale of family secrets, societal inequality and political corruption, set in her native Nigeria.

Ayobami Adebayo – photo: Tomiwa Ajayi

In the first in a new series of ‘Around the table’ events at Coexist Community Kitchen in Easton, Bristol-born debut novelist Moses McKenzie speaks to creative content producer for Bristol Ideas, Zoë Steadman-Milne.

They will be delving into the ideas that inspired McKenzie’s book An Olive Grove in Ends, before the conversation continues over a light dinner for all.

Moses McKenzie – photo: Gee Photography

Gary Younge is a leading UK political journalist with first-hand experience of some of the most historic events of the modern age, from Nelson Mandela’s election campaign trail to the jubilant scenes of Chicago in the wake of Barack Obama’s presidential victory, and New Orleans after it was rocked by Hurricane Katrina.

For Bristol Ideas, he will be reflecting on the lessons learned from 30 years witnessing the Black diaspora from around the world, and the significant challenges that remain.

Gary Younge – photo: Jonas Mortensen

“The spring programme reflects the wide range of interests we know our Festival of Ideas audiences share with us, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction,” says Zoë Steadman-Milne, creative content producer for Bristol Ideas.

“At the heart of all our events are interesting writers and thinkers – with plenty to explore and discuss. We look forward to all being in the same room again to share thoughts and ideas with one another.”

The festival organisers will once more be utilising a ‘pay what you feel’ pricing structure for the majority of their 2023 events. Stratified ticket costs enable those who are able to pay above the standard price to subsidise the cost for someone else. When the system was piloted in 2022, 37 per cent of audience members were supported by 63 per cent paying the recommended or ‘pay it forward’ rate for entry.

In the autumn, two additional festivals under the Bristol Ideas umbrella are set to return.

Firstly, on October 18-19, the Festival of the Future City comes back, and a month later on November 13-16, the Festival of Economics will be presented – this year in partnership with Economics Observatory, and co-programmed by Diane Coyle (University of Cambridge; Enlightenment Economics) and Richard Davies (University of Bristol; author of Extreme Economies).

For more information and details about all events in the 2023 Bristol Ideas programme, visit www.bristolideas.co.uk/attend.

Main photo: Gareth Iwan Jones (Kirsty Sedgman)

Read more: Bristol Festival of Ideas announces new patron

Listen to the latest Bristol24/7  Behind the Headlines podcast: