Hay Festival 2026

We use AI to help us with everything from making dinner to finding love. But what happens when we hand over judgement, decision making and critical thinking to algorithms? Will we forget how to do things for ourselves? Join leading AI experts for a provocative Hay Festival conversation. Jamie Bartlett, author of How to Talk to AI (and How Not to), journalist Aleks Krotoski, author of The Immortalists, tech journalist Madhumita Murgia, author of Code Dependent, and AI safety researcher Nate Soares, co-author of If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies, examine how AI is already reshaping our behaviour – and explore what it truly means to stay human in an age of artificial minds.

Travel back in time for an immersive tour of the extraordinary library of the Mesopotamian king Ashurbanipal, which was burnt to the ground in the seventh century but rediscovered thousands of years later. Despite the burning, the texts, carved on clay tablets, were baked and preserved by the heat. They are written in cuneiform, a language only a few hundred people on earth can read.

Assyriologist Selena Wisnom brings Mesopotamia to life in this session, illuminating the culture of the time and its impact on us today. Casting back to the customs of Mesopotamian civilisation, she will also perform haruspicy live on stage – the ancient art of divination using a real-life liver! Wisnom is lecturer in the heritage of the Middle East at the University of Leicester.

As a celebration of the books we’ll be reading in summer 2026, Steve Jones talks to two authors about their remarkable new novels, which are already attracting huge attention. One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary fiction, Maria Semple – author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette – discusses Go Gentle, an eargerly anticipated novel this summer: the thrilling story of one woman’s mid-life transformation. Alongside her, Ana Kinsella introduces the epic and unforgettable story of how two people can shape and define each other’s lives, the subject of her hotly tipped Frida Slattery As Herself.

The authors discuss what makes these books so irresistible – is it the pull of the writing, characters or plot, or something else entirely? And what do they themselves love to read? Join us for a lively conversation and a joyful celebration of the pleasure of reading, including a few recommended summer reads from the authors themselves.

Feel the power of two stories from South America as award-winning Mexican author Brenda Navarro and acclaimed Ecuadorian storyteller Mónica Ojeda discuss kinship, memory and survival in the face of collective trauma. Navarro’s Eating Ashes, which is set to receive a film adaptation releasing in Autumn 2026, follows the experience of a woman caught between rage and heartbreak in the wake of her teenage brother’s suicide. In Ojeda’s psychedelic novel Electric Shamans at the Festival of the Sun, a wild tale of two women attending an underground music festival high in the Andes gives way to a heartfelt meditation on love, family and kinship.

Navarro and Ojeda speak to Guardian literary critic Chris Power, exploring themes of violence, displacement and loss in tandem with courage and hope.

Cartoonist, writer and long-time-anxious-person Gemma Correll takes us on a relatable and riotous journey through her struggles with anxiety, and introduces her graphic novel Anxietyland. Take a trip to a theme park like no other, where rides include the Hormonal Rollercoaster, the Overcaffeinated Teacups and the Train of Overthinking.

Correll discusses her struggles with anxiety, her search for relief and the realisation that it is possible to feel ok again. Correll is an award-winning cartoonist, writer and illustrator whose work has featured in the New York Times, Elle and more.

The team behind Private Eye magazine’s podcast, Page 94, brings a live recording to Hay Festival. Guaranteed to contain a healthy dose of political satire. Highly likely to cover some combination of Trump, Farage, whoever is Prime Minister by the end of May, and much more besides.

The year ahead is a gift that has been given to you. What might you do with it? In a world of unwanted distraction, where AI is attempting to replace the human imagination, how can we ensure we continue to look, read and think for ourselves? Who can remind us of the joys of creativity? What can we do to bring the necessity of artful living to our day?

Dive into the year with the wisdom of artists and writers. Gathered from interviews and personal conversations, Katy Hessel’s How to Live an Artful Life collects thoughts, reflections and creative insights for every day of the year. Featuring Marina Abramović, Nan Goldin, Lubaina Himid, Louise Bourgeois, Tracey Emin and more, each entry offers wisdom from some of the greatest artists of all time.

Katy Hessel is an art historian and author of The Story of Art without Men, the international best-seller and Waterstones Book of the Year 2022. She talks to historian and broadcaster David Olusoga.

An interactive evening of storytelling, song and performance from Dead Ringers actor Jess Robinson, as she brings to life the wartime diaries of her grandmother, Rosi, and her own early journals. She reads extracts from both diaries, interwoven with short live performance moments, to illustrate how stories of survival and identity create bonds across the generations. The event ends with a rendition of ‘The Impossible Dream’, a song that deeply connects her to her grandmother.

Leading game industry expert George E Osborn exposes how dictators, populists and violent extremists are using video games to influence the world around us. Russia is funding the development of video games to promote their world view, Saudi Arabia has acquired one of gaming’s biggest publishers and Steve Bannon used tactics learned from online game communities to propel Donald Trump to the White House. Osborn helps us to understand this new frontier for political influence and sets out what democracies must do to protect play. He talks to former political and foreign correspondent Robert Nisbet, now a partner at the consultancy 5654 & Co.

In a match made in artisan heaven, Neal’s Yard Creamery’s Charlie Westhead pairs his fresh, mould-ripened and mouthwatering cheeses with Artistraw’s wild fermented natural cider.

This is a hyper-local tasting from highly passionate people involved in every single part of the process. For Neal’s Yard Creamery, this is more than just working with local suppliers, it’s being able to practically name the cows the milk comes from. For Artistraw (who you may have seen on BBC Countryfile), it’s hand-picking the – local, organic, biodiverse – fruit for the cider, designing the label and even sticking it on with a plastic-free glue they’ve invented themselves.

This is the best of the Black Mountains, the finest of the Welsh Marches and a truly authentic Hay-on-Wye experience.

A screening of Buster Keaton’s critically-acclaimed 1926 silent comedy, which was inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase, a true story from the American Civil War.

After being rejected by the Confederate military, not realising it was due to his crucial civilian role, an engineer must single-handedly recapture his beloved locomotive after it is seized by Union spies, and return it through enemy lines.

Directed by Buster Keaton (1926). Film duration: 1 hour 19 minutes. Certificate U.

Hold on to your stomachs, as comedian Alan Davies presents a night of reflections and revelations about middle age. Think Ahead is Davies’ first stand-up show in more than a decade. Expect the unexpected as he challenges us to laugh at anything from his own traumatic childhood to air pollution.

This entertaining and immersive event turns maps into theatre, bringing them to life in a way you’ve never seen before. In its Hay Festival debut, the award-winning podcast What’s Your Map? comes to the stage with host Jerry Brotton, a leading authority on the history of maps. He asks each of his guests to unfold a map that’s special to them and share the story that lies behind it. Each map will be projected large-scale and discussed in all its rich detail. Tim Marshall is former diplomatic editor at Sky News and author of Prisoners of Geography. Historian and broadcaster David Olusoga is author of Black & British: A Forgotten History. Emma Jane Unsworth is a BAFTA-nominated screenwriter and best-selling novelist. A perfect way to spend the evening for anyone fascinated by history, adventure and culture.

Enjoy an evening of spoken-word virtuosity from World Poetry Slam Champion Harry Baker, as he tackles the subject of fatherhood with hilarity and wonder. In his signature witty, heartfelt and rhythmic style, Baker performs from and discusses his new collection Tender, which gives snapshots into life with his newborn son as they get to know each other. Lighthearted yet sincere, this session with the relatable rhymer offers consolation against the exhaustion of parenting.

Baker became the youngest ever World Poetry Slam Champion in 2012 and his third collection, Wonderful, was published in 2024 alongside a 40-date sell-out tour of the same name. His Ted talk ‘A love poem for lonely prime numbers’ has been viewed two million times.

Come and celebrate Wales, land of legend and song, known for its stories that span countless generations – and a place where, out of this rich heritage, new tales are always being told.

In this unique and immersive evening of stories and song illuminating work steeped in Welsh culture and history, writers Tom Bullough, Lucie McKnight Hardy and Sadia Pineda Hameed tell new stories from Wales, including specially commissioned work from the latest issue of Folding Rock magazine. They are stories inspired by folklore, and salute today’s blooming creative landscape.

Featuring music by folk singer-songwriter Martha O’Brien, the evening is hosted by Folding Rock’s editor and co-founder Kathryn Tann. Folding Rock was founded in 2024 to help put Wales and Welsh writing on the UK map.

An hour of movement and breathwork, led by a highly-skilled Hay-on-Wye practitioner, to start your day at Hay Festival with open heart and mind. Whether you need grounding and recharging before a busy day at the Festival, an opportunity to stretch and move your body, or simply an hour to focus on your breathing, this yoga class is open and accessible to all. The class leader will adapt to different levels of experience, so that each student takes what they need from the practice.

Should world leaders stand up to President Trump or keep him onside? Hard to decide when you don’t know his next move. Get rare and first-hand insight from General Sir Tim Radford, who was second in command at NATO between 2020 and 2023, international writer for the New York Times Katrin Bennhold, who was in the room at Davos when President Trump told world leaders he was determined to acquire Greenland, and author and geopolitics specialist Tim Marshall. They talk to Helen Lewis from The Atlantic.

What’s it like to be a famous comedian? If you’re Alan Davies, it’s a life full of uplifting highs and painful lows, success and excess – and it’s hard to survive. Davies tells the story of how he became a stand-up comedian, how he made it on TV and how he coped with the unwelcome realisation that most people knew him from a bank advert and thought he had a perm. Really honest, sometimes painful, always funny.

On the eve of Oak Apple Day, our panel of nature experts explore the distinguished folklore of the oak tree, sharing extraordinary tales of the nation’s forests and how they enrich our lives, as well as the threats to them and what we can all do to make a difference.

Join Jules Acton, author of Oaklore, Anita Roy, country diarist for the Guardian and editor of Gifts of Gravity and Light, and Tamara Ullyart, who leads the Woodland Trust’s ‘Forgotten Forests’ campaign, for a close-up look at the glory of the greenwood with Andrew Simms, director of the New Weather Institute.

Watch a selection of short films, curated by MUBI, throughout the morning. The day’s schedule will be listed each morning at the venue – pop along and take a look.

Step into the magical world of Bird & Blend Tea Co., discover the secrets of tea mixology and create your own perfect blend in an immersive and interactive Tea Mixology Experience led by an expert mixologist. This hands-on workshop invites you to taste up to six unique blends and test your tea knowledge with an engaging and fun tea matching game.

With expert guidance, you’ll get to craft two custom tea blends to take home and pair with your next fave book! You’ll also learn about different tea types and brewing tips to enhance your tea-making ritual at home. There’ll be an opportunity to ask questions, plus you’ll get a goody bag with free samples. Visit the Bird & Blend Tea Co. stand afterwards for a free gift with purchase (find a special token in your goody bag). Book now – it’s going to be TEArrific!

Come on a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye, led by guides from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. You’ll be joined by local experts who will give their insights into this treasured landscape.

Hay-on-Wye is located within 520 square miles of beautiful countryside that makes up the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The National Park is driving change to bring about a sustainable future, meeting our needs within planetary boundaries. Their Hay Festival series of walks take you into the town’s local environment while offering the opportunity to learn more about the Park’s work.

Spend a morning visiting Whiskery Paw, where kittens abound in the brand new series from award-winning creator Laura Ellen Anderson. Meet the extraordinary cast of new characters in Star Kitties, including Tabitha Flair and her feline friends. Laura will show you how she creates magical new worlds, and invite you to help her design an exciting new Star Kitty. Then get your pencils at the ready and learn how to draw one of Tabitha’s adorable friends for yourself!

Join expert art historian and best-selling author Katy Hessel for an interactive journey through history and landscape, to celebrate her new Guide to Amazing Women Artists. Hessel has adapted her global sensation The Story of Art Without Men to bring the untold stories of art to a young audience, shedding light on the lives of women artists who have gone uncelebrated for too long.

From the Renaissance to the Second World War, and from Cornwall to Manhattan, Nigeria, Japan, step into the extraordinary lives of these women artists and marvel at the art they made, with its striking styles, hidden messages and calls for women’s rights. Discover how they changed the world with their art, and explore how to bring art into your every day.

Joanna Quinn is very excited to run this fun animation workshop, where she will introduce her endearing heroine, Beryl, and share the skills and knowledge of behind-the-scenes animation processes from her Oscar-nominated animation career.

Joanna’s creation Beryl is an unconventional heroine, a middle-aged factory worker pursuing her dream as an aspiring artist. Joanna’s film about Beryl and her eccentric family, Affairs of the Art, was nominated for Academy and BAFTA awards. An independent animator and director, Joanna holds over a hundred international awards, including four BAFTAs and two Emmys.

An opportunity to get crafting! Activities differ every day, including everything from print-making to junk modelling with recycled materials. Get messy and creative in these interactive sessions delivered by artists and discover that your imagination is the only limit.

Book for the session and you can drop in at any point during the 1.5 hour duration. Accompanying adults: please stay in attendance at all times, but you do not require a ticket.

Step inside Hay Castle – a border stronghold shaped by myth, power and reinvention. Visit the current BorderLands exhibition delivered in partnership with Meadow Arts, and enjoy full access to the castle, from cellar to rooftop. Explore rooms layered with stories, including Matilda’s room, the Richard Booth space, historic costumes and the castle cellar.

Experience the new, interactive exhibit on the second floor, then climb to the viewing platform for wide views across the Wye Valley. Your ticket also includes unlimited return visits for a full year, so you can come back as the seasons – and the castle – change.

This ticket allows you to visit the castle at a time of your choice on the day selected, and also gives you entry into the Meadow Arts BorderLands exhibition.

Step inside Hay Castle during Hay Festival 2026 and explore a place shaped by power, survival and reinvention. Led by an expert volunteer guide, this tour traces 800 years of life inside the castle – from medieval plots and royal whispers to its rescue, restoration and reimagining as a place for ideas today. You’ll move through rooms, stairways and towers, hearing stories of the people who lived, schemed, dreamed and partied here. Along the way, take in sweeping views across the Wye Valley – a reminder that this is a border castle, built to watch and be watched.

Guided tours run daily at 11am and 2pm. Tour price includes entry into the Castle for a year including the current exhibition: BorderLands.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was held in an Iranian prison for nearly six years, accused of trying to overthrow the Iranian regime. She survived, she says, through craft. She managed to get hold of scraps of material and a sewing machine. Soon she was teaching her fellow prisoners how to sew, how to knit – how creativity can save you. In an extraordinary conversation that opens the next chapter in her life, Nazanin tells broadcaster and psychologist Dr Sian Williams about the healing powers of creativity and her plans for the future.

Broadcaster and writer Zakia Sewell is on a quest for a different Britain. Criss-crossing the island from Somerset to Scotland, she joins acclaimed historian, David Olusoga, in search of stories beyond divisive national myths and symbols. Together they consider ancient legends, Celtic rites and the mystic stone circles that punctuate our landscape, and ask whether this alternative history could help unite an increasingly divided country. A thought-provoking session offering a fresh, hopeful perspective on British identity.

The past comes back to life in this new book about a secret kept for decades. In 1960s Italy, Edith is to support her sister Lydia through the final weeks of her pregnancy. Once the baby is born, she makes a phone call that will change their lives forever. Years later, Edith’s best friend receives an email from a stranger claiming to be her brother and Edith must face the truth of her past to help her friend.

Acclaimed author Sarah Moss is assistant professor of creative writing at University College Dublin. Her previous novels include Ghost Wall and Night Waking. She talks to the Guardian literary critic, Chris Power.

Following last year’s sold out scratch choir session, Juliet Russell returns to create a magical rendition of a classic pop banger with a room full of strangers in under 60 minutes. Uplifting, inclusive and hugely enjoyable, this is a session for singers, secret singers and ‘I’ve never sung in my lifers’.

With her warm and knowledgeable approach, Juliet is adept at bringing the best out of every singer, from the terrified to the confident. As a vocal coach and arranger on Netflix’s breakout hit show Building the Band, Juliet helped shape the voices that captivated millions globally. Come and be part of the magic. All are welcome, with no previous experience needed.

 Enjoy undersea antics with Aoife Dooley as she presents her hilarious, zany and action-packed graphic novel Squid Squad. Spongebob Squarepants meets Bunny Versus Monkey in this cartoon chronicle of ocean mayhem. Join naughty best friends Ollie the vampire squid and Zing the toxin-squirting sea bunny as they cause chaos in the deep sea with the rest of their wacky crew, from the stinky Blob to the crafty Hypno-snail and the mysterious Snakey Unicorn Thing…

Aoife Dooley is an award-winning Irish illustrator and graphic designer who shares how an autism diagnosis helped her to truly understand herself. Squid Squad is a celebration of imagination, friendship and being completely unique.

Join award-winning author-illustrator Ed Vere for a story-time session celebrating Waffles and Julius: No Hugs Please – a new, brilliantly funny picture book about friendship and respecting each other’s differences.

Waffles loves hugs and would very much like to hug his friend Julius. Julius, however, doesn’t want a hug right now. Can Waffles wait? Ed will bring his crayons to show you how to draw Waffles and Julius… Sketch along with Ed and see how easy it is to draw this loveable duo!

An opportunity to get crafting! Activities differ every day, including everything from print-making to junk modelling with recycled materials. Get messy and creative in these interactive sessions delivered by artists and discover that your imagination is the only limit.

Book for the session and you can drop in at any point during the 1.5 hour duration. Accompanying adults: please stay in attendance at all times, but you do not require a ticket.

Bear Grylls is one of the most recognised faces of survival and outdoor adventure in the world. His adrenalin-filled life reads like an action thriller – three years with 21 SAS, a life-changing parachute accident, climbing Mount Everest – all by the age of 23. His next chapter saw him become a world-renowned TV presenter, leading the likes of Julia Roberts and President Obama on epic survival adventures. He’s somehow found time to write over 100 books, including two best-sellers, and spends part of the year on a secluded, off-grid island in Wales. In this thoughtful conversation with presenter and podcaster Jamie Laing, Grylls reveals the books that hold a special place in his heart and have helped him through the ups and downs of his incredible life.

Celebrate the best of Scottish writing with two giants from the country’s literary scene. This rare and exciting conversation between Jenni Fagan and Irvine Welsh will see them explore their own writing, discuss creativity and reflect on modern Scottish literature. They talk to writer and presenter Jude Rogers.

Fagan won the Gordon Burn Prize for her memoir Ootlin. Her new novel The Delusions is about Edi, who has spent almost 50 years processing the newly dead and waiting to be reunited with her son when he dies. Irvine Welsh has described the story as “1984 for the afterlife”.

Welsh’s latest novel Men in Love sees him revisit the beloved characters – Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie – from his era-defining novel Trainspotting at the end of the 1980s and the dawn of the 1990s, as they wonder if love is the answer to their dreams.

Art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon uses previously undiscovered archives to paint a vivid new picture of the life of artist Johannes Vermeer, most famous for his painting ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring’. Following new leads, and drawing on a mass of historical evidence, some of it freshly uncovered in the archives of Delft and Rotterdam, Graham-Dixon uncovers the painter’s unknown friendships, and reveals his previously undetected allegiance to a radical movement driven underground by persecution.

Experience evocative storytelling that bridges page and screen, in this screening of BAFTA-winning actor and writer Steve Pemberton’s narration of Kazuo Ishiguro’s contemporary classic.

The Remains of the Day is Ishiguro’s beautiful and haunting evocation of life between the wars in a great English house. Heartbreak and longing take centre stage as Pemberton embodies the stoic head butler, Stevens.

The Read is a series of outstanding performance readings of iconic British novels. Each episode offers a richly immersive celebration of literature.

Premièred at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, How to Build a Library takes us to Nairobi to witness how two Black women tackle the rebuilding of what was until 1958 a whites-only library. The documentary is a fascinating study of colonisation and the power of individual and collective action.

Following the screening, director Maia Lekow and founder of Book Bunk Angela Wachuka will discuss the film with freelance journalist and editor Kitty Corrigan. Book Bunk is a firm driving the restoration of some of Nairobi’s most iconic public libraries.

The blockbuster Skandar series concluded last year with fifth book Skandar and the Spirit War, and is set to hit the big screen with Sony Pictures. This is an unmissable opportunity to hear about it all straight from the unicorn’s mouth, as author AF Steadman shares the inspirations behind her unlikely heroes, elemental magic, sky battles, ancient secrets and ferocious single-horned beasts.

Come prepared to create your own bloodthirsty unicorn, take part in the Chaos Cup and discover elemental magic!

Jay Hunt, Creative Director for Apple TV+ in Europe and chair of both the BFI and Hay Festival, will draw on her extensive experience to offer invaluable insights and advice for a career in TV production.

Before joining Apple, Hunt was Chief Creative Officer of Channel 4. She has also served as Controller of BBC One and Director of Programmes at Channel 5. In 2023, she was named one of the Top Twenty Most Powerful Women in Global Entertainment by The Hollywood Reporter.

Joanna Quinn is very excited to run this fun animation workshop, where she will introduce her endearing heroine, Beryl, and share the skills and knowledge of behind-the-scenes animation processes from her Oscar-nominated animation career.

Joanna’s creation Beryl is an unconventional heroine, a middle-aged factory worker pursuing her dream as an aspiring artist. Joanna’s film about Beryl and her eccentric family, Affairs of the Art, was nominated for Academy and BAFTA awards. An independent animator and director, Joanna holds over a hundred international awards, including four BAFTAs and two Emmys.

Come on a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye, led by guides from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. You’ll be joined by local experts who will give their insights into this treasured landscape.

Hay-on-Wye is located within 520 square miles of beautiful countryside that makes up the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The National Park is driving change to bring about a sustainable future, meeting our needs within planetary boundaries. Their Hay Festival series of walks take you into the town’s local environment while offering the opportunity to learn more about the Park’s work.

Step inside Hay Castle during Hay Festival 2026 and explore a place shaped by power, survival and reinvention. Led by an expert volunteer guide, this tour traces 800 years of life inside the castle – from medieval plots and royal whispers to its rescue, restoration and reimagining as a place for ideas today. You’ll move through rooms, stairways and towers, hearing stories of the people who lived, schemed, dreamed and partied here. Along the way, take in sweeping views across the Wye Valley – a reminder that this is a border castle, built to watch and be watched.

Guided tours run daily at 11am and 2pm. Tour price includes entry into the Castle for a year including the current exhibition: BorderLands.

The wonderful Dame Mary Berry reveals her second great love: gardening. It’s been a life-long passion, starting when she was a small girl who watched her father growing vegetables. Here she tells us how getting hands-on in her own garden has been a constant source of joy throughout her life. An uplifting conversation filled with personal anecdotes and practical guidance, all illustrated with beautiful photos from Mary’s own garden.

A conversation to lift your spirits, as leading scientist Professor Daisy Fancourt reveals how art and culture can directly improve our health and wellbeing – mending us as well as moving us. Talking to Tamsine O'Riordan, Vice President for Science Books at Springer Nature, one of the world's leading research publishers, Fancourt explores the extraordinary links between creativity and health from songs that shape children’s brains to paintings and performances that ease pain, stress and depression. Learn how engaging with art and culture can reduce loneliness, build resilience and even help us to live longer. Is there a better reason to book a place at this optimistic and refreshing conversation?

Join acclaimed novelist and poet Ben Okri for an exclusive look at his new novel Waking the Warriors, ahead of its publication.

In Waking the Warriors, Tanas has risen to become the modern dictator of a great western nation, and is now sweeping across the world, subjugating all in his wake. His reign seems unstoppable, until he meets a small band of people that form a resistance.

Okri discusses his inspirations with broadcaster Francine Stock, the legacy of storytelling he writes within, and his long career. Okri is author of a number of critically acclaimed novels, including The Famished Road, which won the Man Booker Prize in 1991.