Speakers – Frequently Asked Questions

Hay Festival 2025 will run from Thursday 22 May to Sunday 1 June.

The Artist Liaison team is the main Hay Festival point of contact for festival speakers, publicists and agents. We can help you with travel and accommodation arrangements and anything else you might need to make your visit to Hay Festival easy and enjoyable.

Contact Us

You can contact us in the lead up to the festival via the following:

• 01497 822 620
• artists@hayfestival.org

During the festival:

• 07399 602 367
• artists@hayfestival.org

Key Dates & Deadlines

Artist Itineraries

• Sent out: The first week of May

Accommodation

• Accommodation request deadline: Wednesday 16 April 2025

Transport

• Courtesy car request deadline: Wednesday 14 May 2025

How can I book accommodation?

If you are appearing as part of the festival programme then the Artist Liaison team is happy to book accommodation on your behalf. We will work within your requirements and budget as best we can (most rooms in and around Hay range from £100-£400 per night over the festival period).

We charge a 15% admin fee to cover our time in finding, vetting and booking accommodation. This fee will be added to the cost of your accommodation when we invoice you.

What details do I need to provide?

• Exact dates required
• Occupancy required (if attending with children please provide their ages)
• How you are travelling to the festival (car or train)
• Any special requirements (accessibility, cots, allergies etc)

What’s the deadline to book my accommodation by?

To ensure we can find you suitable accommodation please make your request by Wednesday 16 April 2025.

I’m a publicist/agent, can you book a room for me?

Unfortunately, we only hold enough rooms for festival speakers. Please try our accommodation partners at Findmeabed.co.uk who can help you find somewhere suitable.

When will I receive my accommodation details?

Your full festival itinerary will be sent out to you at the start of May. This will include details of your accommodation and travel, complimentary tickets, technical and event details.

How do I check in/out of my accommodation?

Your festival itinerary will include full accommodation details. This includes the address, contact details, directions, any parking availability and check in/out times. Please contact your accommodation provider in advance of your stay to confirm arrival times.

What will my accommodation be like?

Hay-on-Wye has only one main hotel, and a limited number of B&Bs. Because of high demand we use some local pop-up B&Bs in private homes. We do vet all of the accommodation we use, and we go back to the same reliable providers year after year.

What if I no longer need my room booking?

If you need to cancel your booking please let us know asap. If you cancel your room after Wednesday 7 May we will do our best to refill the room with another booking but cannot guarantee this. If we can't, we are still obliged to pay for the room and will have to pass this cost on to you.

Where is Hay-on-Wye?

Directions and travel options can be found on our travel page.

What is the nearest train station to Hay?

Hereford Train Station is the closest to Hay-on-Wye, a 45-minute drive. If you're a festival speaker arriving by train we can arrange a courtesy car from Hereford Train Station to Hay and back. Please inform us of your train arrival and departure times as soon as you know them, the deadline for transport requests is Wednesday 14 May. We leave Hay one hour before your return train is due to depart.

What to do if my transport is delayed?

If your train is delayed or you are caught in traffic, please call our transport desk on 01497 570 877 to inform us of your new arrival time.

Is there artist parking available on site?

We have a small car park, including disabled parking, opposite the festival site for artists. Speakers may only use this car park on the day(s) of their event(s). You will need to state your name and your event number to the security staff on the gate to gain entry. Please use alternative parking if you are visiting the festival site on other days.

Your event(s) number and the car park address will be shared as part of your artist itinerary at the start of May.

Can I use Festival courtesy cars/shuttle buses?

Our festival courtesy cars are in great demand during the festival. We can collect and return you to the train station, and if necessary we can bring you to the festival site for your event. Please book these journeys before the festival begins. For all other journeys please use alternative transport. The festival site is only a 10-minute walk from the centre of town, and we can provide shuttle bus passes at the Green Room Artists Reception on site. Below are some local taxi firms:

Book Town Taxi - 07881 726 547

Haytaxibus - 01497 820 444 / 07974 106 656 / info@haytaxibus.co.uk

Talgarth Taxis - 07894 458 400

Blueline Taxis Hereford - 01432 343 435

When should I arrive at the festival?

Please plan to be at the festival at least 1 hour before your event start time. On arrival at the festival please come to the Green Room Artists Reception to check in and let us know you've arrived.

What should I do if I have a PowerPoint or technical requirements for my talk?

In order for our technical team to ensure that everything is ready for you on the day we ask that you send details of your technical requirements and any presentations in advance.

Our technical team can be contacted on technical@hayfestival.com.

How long will my event last?

Events at Hay Festival last for an hour (unless otherwise specified). A typical one-hour event consists of a 40-minute talk (either by a single speaker or as an 'in conversation' between a chairperson and one or more speakers); and we usually open the last 20 minutes of the session to audience Q&A.

Will my event be recorded?

To reach the broadest possible audience, we have always recorded events for our online archive, Hay Festival Anytime.

If you do not wish your session to be recorded please contact adrian@hayfestival.org.

Do I get any complimentary tickets?

Speakers can request two tickets to their own event(s), plus up to six complimentary tickets to other events (subject to availability). We reserve an allocation of tickets for speakers, so in some cases when an event is sold out to the public, we may have a few seats left for speakers.

Complimentary tickets must be requested in advance through our online form sent out at the beginning of May.

Do you need my contact details?

Please let us know your mobile number so we can contact you on the day if needed. Email artists@hayfestival.org.

Who do I contact during the Festival?

Artist Liaison team: mobile +44 (0)7399 602 367

Transport: Contact the Drivers Desk on +44 (0)1497 566 049

Need to contact a specific department?

Head to our Contact Us page on our website

Further questions?

Contact artists@hayfestival.org.