News / Big Tent Ideas Festival

Big Tent Ideas Festival coming to Bristol for first time

By Miles Arnold  Wednesday May 18, 2022

Open, unfettered discussion should be at the heart of any functioning society. And there’s nowhere in Bristol this summer that drives that fact home more than the Big Tent Ideas Festival.

Situated in Queen Square, the figurative “big tent” will become a literal one, with speakers from all walks of life converging under the tent roof for conversation, debate, and to pitch their ideas.

The festival has just released their programme for this year’s festivities, and it involves voices from across the political spectrum, from a business surgery session with the Conservative minister for science, research and innovation, to a discussion on how policy-making can be made more inclusive with Bristol West’s MP, Thangham Debbonaire.

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Previous years have been a thriving environment for debate – photo: Big Tent Ideas Festival

The festival is set on tackling four key areas across the day: net zero, achieving equality, better public services and new media. It aims to do this by hosting a wide range of speakers/discussions around an even wider range of topics.

Other highlights from the programme include a “where next for new media” panel discussion including the former head of European Twitter and the current public policy manager for TikTok; and a discussion on cancel culture with Bristol mayor Marvin Rees.

The Big Tent Ideas Festival is taking place in Queen Square on June 11. For tickets and more information, visit www.bigtent.org.uk/programme-2022

Main photo: Big Tent Ideas Festival

Read more: Bristol Old Vic kicks off a jam-packed 2022 summer season

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