Higher education projects

As part of the Festival’s commitment to education, 20% of tickets are made available free of charge to students in full-time higher education. Please contact the Box Office for further details. Valid student identification is required upon collection.

Illustration students

Illustration students from Hereford College of Art received free access to a wide range of events during the Festival to develop their portfolios. Private talks for students and their tutors were arranged with critically-acclaimed illustrators appearing on the programme, allowing students to ask more analytical questions about the creative process and receive advice on the progression of their professional careers.

Garden in Transition

The Festival worked with Hereford Art College students and Transition Hay-on-Wye to design the Garden in Transition. The students were asked to take the principles of permaculture and sustainability and to interpret them in producing work for the Garden. The winning designs, which included suspended chairs, scarecrows, flags and digital installations, were installed in the Garden for the duration of the Festival.

James Smith from Hereford Art College said: “The excitement and creative buzz of working with the Hay Literary Festival is immense. Opportunities like this rarely come along and all of our students are thrilled to be a part of it. Permaculture will play an important part in their lives and this project gives them the chance to explore it creatively.”