Hay Festival 2015

Art has always been part of history. But we often think of it as outside history. When we look at a painting by Raphael, Rembrandt or Rubens it speaks to us directly, but it’s also an historical document, part of a living world. The Oxford art historian takes us on an extraordinary trip through art, from devotional works to the revolutionary techniques of the Renaissance, from the courtly Masters of the C17th through to the daring avant-garde of the C20th and beyond.

How do we measure how we’re doing, economically and demographically? What are the ‘facts’ about migration and the tax base, National Debt, growth, borrowing and GDP and how should they be interpreted? The Chief Economist and the Director of Population Statistics at the Office of National Statistics give us the un-spun skinny on what the numbers mean and where the truth lies… Chaired by Rosie Boycott.

In this first event celebrating the centenary of the Welsh poet Alun Lewis, Owen Sheers will read the poetry and Juliet Aykroyd will reveal how he and her mother, Freda, fell in love in India during World War II. Lewis’s letters to Freda, published in A Cypress Walk, prove him to be one of the great letter-writers.

The violinist plays Giuseppe Tartini Sonata in B minor No13, Johan Helmich Roman Assaggio for violin solo, Nicola Matteis Part II from Other Ayrs, Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber Passacaglia, and Giuseppe Tartini Sonata in A minor. Presented by Clemency Burton-Hill.

Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 – please arrive in good time.

Design and innovation company Tata Elxsi blend technology, creativity and engineering to transform ideas into solutions. Join their team to learn how to innovate.

12+ years

Book a seat in the Relish Festival Restaurant now and receive a free drink on us.

Enjoy a delicious meal from our Festival Restaurant buffet. Choose from a wide selection of hot and cold dishes created fresh on site by our team of chefs using the best local seasonal produce. You can view the menu online here.

Come up to the buffet and choose as much as you like from all the dishes on offer for just £20. 

By booking online you will receive a complimentary glass of wine, bottle of beer or soft drink, and guarantee your seat in the restaurant where our team will be waiting to give you a warm welcome.

Alex Gooch breads and water are free for every customer, with a selection of desserts to choose from as well as a full bar and barista coffees.

On St Crispin’s Day 1415, Henry V and his exhausted army of 9,000 long-bowmen and infantry defeated the 20,000 massed cavalry and nobility of France. It was a turning point in the Hundred Years War, and in the advance of weaponry.

Please click here to prebook lunch at Relish Restaurant on site

We are thrilled to launch the publication of the conclusion to the Ibis Trilogy with a rare interview with the novelist. It is 1839 and tension has been rapidly mounting between China and British India following the crackdown on opium smuggling by Beijing. With no resolution in sight, the colonial government declares war. One of the vessels requisitioned for the attack, the Hind, travels eastwards from Bengal to China, sailing into the midst of the First Opium War. The turbulent voyage brings together a diverse group of travellers, each with their own agenda to pursue. Flood of Fire follows a varied cast of characters from India to China, through the outbreak of the First Opium War and China’s devastating defeat, to Britain’s seizure of Hong Kong.

Photo: Jerry Bauer

The National Poet of Wales celebrates the centenary of Alun Lewis, with a close reading and exploration of his poems. His first volume Raiders Dawn and other Poems was published in 1942. Ha! Ha! Among the Trumpets, which contains his masterpiece All Day It Has Rained was published posthumously in 1945. Introduced by Cary Archard.

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Design and innovation company Tata Elxsi blend technology, creativity and engineering to transform ideas into solutions. Join their team to learn how to innovate.

12+ years

Come and draw with CORPSE TALK’S Adam Murphy. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a first time comic reader, Adam will help you dig up the best tips and tricks to help you put pencil to paper and create some AWESOME characters! Bring your imagination and prepare to be amazed!

PLUS join other Phoenix creators (some of the UK’s best comic artists) as they show how to construct a brilliant comic from even the craziest ideas – they’ll take you through some top character creation tips and send you away with your very own brilliant comic!

www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk

Book a seat in the Relish Festival Restaurant now and receive a free drink on us.

Enjoy a delicious meal from our Festival Restaurant buffet. Choose from a wide selection of hot and cold dishes created fresh on site by our team of chefs using the best local seasonal produce. You can view the menu online here.

Come up to the buffet and choose as much as you like from all the dishes on offer for just £20. 

By booking online you will receive a complimentary glass of wine, bottle of beer or soft drink, and guarantee your seat in the restaurant where our team will be waiting to give you a warm welcome.

Alex Gooch breads and water are free for every customer, with a selection of desserts to choose from as well as a full bar and barista coffees.

Drawing and walking in the surrounding landscape and hills participants will have a chance to engage with the changing weather and shifting light through drawing. By working in the live environment, students will heighten perceptions of their surrounding and enliven their drawing practice.

Walking shoes and warm and waterproof clothing are essential.

Suitable for all ages and abilities

There are many conflicts around the world at present that claim to be in the name of God – in Iraq, in Syria, in Gaza, and elsewhere. Rabbi Sacks argues forcefully that a true understanding of religion will enable and inspire the world to bring peace, not war; that far from leaving religion on the sidelines, it should be put at the heart of peacemaking efforts. Chaired by James Harding, head of BBC News.