Hay Festival has today revealed its free Programme for Schools for this spring’s edition, bringing writers and young people together online for a series of inspiring interactive activities and workshops, 24-28 May 2021, ahead of the main programme running 26 May-6 June.
Parents, teachers and young people can register for the free sessions now at hayfestival.org/schools.
Five sessions will be broadcast daily for pupils across KS1-4 with each event accompanied by free teaching materials and active learning activities, available to view live or on replay throughout, along with the Festival’s full Programme for Schools archive, part-funded by Hay Festival Foundation.
All events will be captioned in Welsh and English and compered by either Welsh poet Anni Llŷn or writer and presenter Radzi Chinyanganya.
KS1 pupils can enjoy performance poetry from Joseph Coelho, outdoor adventures with Michael Holland (I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast), timely tips on How to Change the World with Rashmi Sirdeshpande, Simon Mole (I Love My Bike) and fun with Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (Little People, BIG DREAMS).
KS2 pupils will be invited to get creative in events with Matt Lucas and his Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Silly Book of Pranks, to go on location with Frank Cottrell-Boyce (Noah’s Gold) and Abi Elphinstone (The Crackledawn Dragon), to join Robert Winston as he explores the world of science, to explore the Earth’s Incredible Oceans with Jess French, and to take part in conversations with Patience Agbabi (The Time Thief), Alex Wharton and Katy Riddell (Daydreams and Jellybeans), Zanib Mian (Planet Omar), Adam Kay (Kay’s Anatomy), David Baddiel (Future Friend) and Konnie Huq.
And KS3&4 pupils will find inspiration in dynamic events led by authors, poets, illustrators and performers exploring important issues for young people to consider today, from the environment and sustainability to inclusivity, wellbeing, and the importance of reading for pleasure. Guests include Benjamin Dean (Me My Dad and the End of the Rainbow), Robert Muchamore (The Cherub Series), Liz Kessler (When the World Was Ours), Phil Earle (Surrounded by Stories), Liz Hyder (Bearmouth), Manjeet Maan (The Crossing), Jeffrey Boakye (Musical Truth), Lisa Williamson (First Day of My Life), and Patrick Ness (A Monster Calls) on screenwriting.
Alongside today’s announcement, the Festival has also released two digital Beacons Project workshops aimed at emerging writers aged 16-18 at hayfestival.org/beacons-project, featuring a pair of acclaimed creatives: Bafta, Olivier and Tony award-winning screenwriter and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child playwright Jack Thorne discusses the adaptation of Phillip Pullman's trilogy, His Dark Materials, produced by Bad Wolf and Screen Alliance Wales, while acclaimed Welsh poet, author and playwright Owen Sheers leads students through a creative writing workshop inspired by and filmed in the landscape of Wales.
Aine Venables, Hay Festival Education Manager, said: “In a year of enormous challenges for young people and schools all around the UK, we’re pleased that our new digital formats enable us to bring writers and young people together in sessions that can inspire and entertain. Our free Programme for Schools and Beacons Project workshops aim to meet that need with vibrancy and joy. Everyone is welcome. Join us.”
While the main Festival programme will not be announced until the end of April, plans include an inspiring array of conversations, debates, workshops and performances online, kicking off with the inaugural Hay Festival Opening Night Gala on Wednesday 26 May. Over the 11 days that follow, more than 200 acclaimed writers, global policy makers, historians, poets, pioneers and innovators will take part, launching the best new fiction and non-fiction and interrogating some of the biggest issues of our time; from building a better world post-pandemic to tackling the compound crises of climate change, inequality, and challenges to truth and democracy.
Hay Festival is supported by the lead sponsors Visit Wales and Baillie Gifford. While events are free to attend, donations to Hay Festival Foundation will be welcomed throughout at hayfestival.org/donate to secure the Festival for generations to come.
Find out more about the Hay Festival Programme for Schools and Beacons Project here.