Kells 2014

Are we witnessing the end of democracy? The foundations of freedom and civil liberties are being eroded around the world, and once-liberal countries are turning to populism. Renowned philosopher AC Grayling investigates the forces undermining our democratic ideals, and delivers an urgent wake-up call, offering bold solutions to fix our problems. Grayling is founder and principal of the New College of the Humanities at Northeastern University, London, and is author of best-selling books including The Meaning of Things.

We are in the midst of the most important cultural shift of our time, argues journalist James Marriott: a decline in reading. In this National Year of Reading, join the Times columnist in conversation with broadcaster Georgina Godwin as he looks at the fall in literacy and reading, and presents an impassioned defence of the written word.

In his book The New Dark Ages, Marriott draws on history and classic works of literature and theory to show that reading and writing are essential for innovation, creativity and critical thinking. As print dies, he argues, we risk returning to the chaos, tribalism and rage of a pre-literate society.

Award-winning author Claire Fuller takes us into the addictively propulsive plot of her new novel Hunger and Thirst, sharing her talent for making the ordinary extraordinary, with literary journalist Alex Clark. Decades after a tumultuous experience living in a squat with wild-child Sue, reclusive sculptor Ursula is living under a pseudonym when a true-crime documentary-maker begins digging into an unsolved disappearance. As her past catches up to her present, Ursula must work out whether the monsters are within her or without.

A must-attend event for literature lovers, this is a chance to hear Fuller talk about fictionalising everyday horrors and creating unsettling narratives. Fuller’s novels include the Costa Novel Award-winner Unsettled Ground, and the Desmond Elliott Prize-winning Swimming Lessons.

What do we leave behind when we move to a new place – and what do we carry with us, physically and emotionally, wherever we land? Colin Grant, director of WritersMosaic, draws out candid and moving stories of migration – foundational tales of arriving in a new land, along with rarely spoken tales of love and loss. This is a chance to listen to Britain, in all its richness and complexity.

He’s joined by storytellers sharing the secrets of their migrant songs and objects: Suzanne Harrington (The Liberty Tree), an Irish writer who travelled with an ‘introductory’ sick note from her psychiatrist; Eric Ngalle Charles (Homelands), a Cameroonian poet bestowed with an ancestral charm to ward off any danger encountered in Britain; and Amanada Vilanova (Hurricane Diaries), a Puerto Rican actor gifted her mother’s jewellery to sell in an emergency.

Batten down the hatches for the arrival of the next How to Train Your Dragon School adventure! Legendary author and illustrator Cressida Cowell is back, and she’s drawing up a storm. In this high-energy event full of chatting and sketching, Cressida will show you how Viking and Dragon Heroes are made.

In their latest exploit, Hiccup and his fellow Warriors-in-Training are learning Disastrous Lesson Number Two: Boarding-An-Enemy-Ship-At-Sea. Well, they’re supposed to be learning about enemy ships at sea. But when they come across a mysterious vessel, with a ripped sail and nobody driving it, Hiccup’s heart sinks. They really, really shouldn’t get onboard. But… as on so many occasions in Hiccup’s life, they are going to do it anyway.

Step into a mystical fae world with Welsh author Anna Fiteni as she takes you on a journey through the history and fantasy that shaped her homegrown YA debut novel, The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire.

Lush, romantic and hypnotic, Fiteni’s whimsical tale finds sensible Sabrina Parry drawn into a world of disarmingly attractive faeries after her sister vanishes in the woods. Budding writers and romantasy readers will love this event, as Fiteni offers practical writing tips, imagines a snapshot of Wales’s enchanting history, and takes a deep dive into the global influence of Welsh fantasy.

In this inspiring mixed media workshop, you’ll explore the legendary Persian bird, the Simurgh, and the folklore that surrounds it. The Simurgh is a mythical creature and an ancient symbol that appears across time and cultures and in different legends, often with varying roles, qualities and names. It is sometimes depicted with a head of a dog, lion’s claws and a peacock’s body. All materials and equipment provided – just bring your imagination!

University of Worcester staff and students from the Department of Illustration and the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society (ICPBS) return to Hay Festival with their engaging workshops to inspire all young creatives.

Come on a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye, led by guides from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, and learn more about the area’s iconic ancient and veteran trees.

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 and its treasured landscape.

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.

An incredible opportunity to hear from one of the most accomplished and successful actors of our times, as Emma Thompson reveals the books that have shaped her life. The conversation spans her early memories of childhood stories, the authors who’ve inspired her and the novels that have left a lasting impact. Expect a funny, moving and intensely personal conversation with best-selling author and podcaster Elizabeth Day.

One of literature’s most exciting names, Ocean Vuong, comes to Hay Festival for the first time to discuss his achingly beautiful novel The Emperor of Gladness. Exploring chosen family and unexpected friendship, the novel tells the story of 19-year-old Hai, who’s stopped from jumping off a bridge by the voice of Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia. The pair form a life-altering bond, and each find ways to heal through their extraordinary friendship. Join an unmissable conversation with the author who set the literary world alight with his best-selling novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. Vuong talks to Keshia Hannam, global editor-in-chief of Service95.

What does it mean to be a child today? And what will the future of Britain look like if we don’t care for those who will shape it? Join author and Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce as he talks to Observer literary editor Tom Gatti, casting a glaring new light on childhood in the 21st century. Cottrell-Boyce will share stories about the children and young people he has met during his work, and assess what the impact of successive crises – from the Covid pandemic to austerity and the pressures on the care system – mean for those growing up today.

This illuminating session is a call to arms to us all, to care for the children of today. Cottrell-Boyce is a multi-award-winning children’s book author and screenwriter, and began his two-year term as Children’s Laureate in 2024.

Experience evocative storytelling that bridges page and screen, in this screening of BAFTA award-winning actor and writer Reece Shearsmith’s narration of Robert Louis Stevenson’s defining Gothic horror.

Who is the real monster? Shearsmith explores alter-egos, drawing us into the strange and eerie world of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with a captivating narration that reimagines the nineteenth-century classic.

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

Spend the afternoon in the company of Welsh harpist Catrin Finch, as she performs a series of reflective new tracks composed for her 13-year-old self. Finch’s Notes to Self is her first album of solo compositions in a decade, and contains accompanying letters that underscore her personal journey and experiences as a gay woman, a cancer survivor, a sister, daughter and mother.

Following her performance Finch, who served as Royal Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales in her early 20s, will discuss the creative process and the realisation of her new work with actor, singer and writer Carys Eleri.

Paterson Joseph is an actor​ and author​. He is known for extensive theatre work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and acclaimed screen roles in Peep Show, Vigil and Wonka. Paterson will draw on his extensive experience to offer invaluable insights and advice for anyone interested in a career in performance. He talks to comedian and actress Cariad Lloyd.

This event is one of a Hay Festival series of sessions delivered by inspiring producers and practitioners from the creative industries, giving their insights, experience and advice on progression in their field.

Author and illustrator Jim Smith brings friendship, fun and toilet jokes galore to this event launching the fifth instalment in his graphic novel series My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary.

Join best friends Pedro, Olga and Ozzy – otherwise known as the Poopies – on a series of fun adventure stories, and help them solve mysteries of the most unexpected kind… such as the case of the unflushed poos.

In between author/illustrating, Jim Smith is a kids’ book spellchecker, and also designs cards and gifts under the name Waldo Pancake. As well as spellchecking, Jim offers a free smellchecking service with every book – these ones stink.

An opportunity to get crafting! Activities differ every day, including everything from print-making to junk modelling with recycled materials. The theme for today is rivers, with support from The Rivers Trust. 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.

In this inspiring arts workshop, supporting neurodivergent participants, you’ll use DIY print-making processes, recycled materials and mixed media to produce a portrait of yourself, or of somebody or something that you love. All materials and equipment provided – just bring your imagination!

University of Worcester staff and students from the Department of Illustration and the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society (ICPBS) return to Hay Festival with their engaging workshops to inspire all young creatives.

Who better to tell us about plant superstars – and how we can make them into delicious dishes – than River Cottage founder Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall? He makes heroes of ordinary vegetables, celebrating cabbage, leeks, carrots and tinned beans, among others, and showing how we can get the best out of these humble ingredients.

He’s passionate about the vital importance of fibre in helping society tackle the crisis of diet-related illness, and here he has the recipes and cooking tips to go with it. Come and feel inspired to change the way you shop, cook and eat. He talks to broadcaster and author Jules Hudson.

A candid conversation about a high-profile career played out in the glare of the public gaze. Scotland’s former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon talks to Decca Aitkenhead, the chief interviewer of the Sunday Times, about what she’s proud of and what she regrets. Sturgeon’s memoir Frankly looks back on her life, from her working-class roots in Ayrshire to becoming the most significant figure in Scottish politics, as the country’s first female and longest-service first minister. As well as an insider’s view of some of the key political moments of the recent past, from Scotland’s Independence Referendum to the challenges of the Covid pandemic, Sturgeon talks about the private battles she’s faced behind closed doors. An honest and insightful conversation.

Community, culture and compassion are at the heart of this discussion between Colombian writer Cristina Bendek and British author Shon Faye, in conversation with broadcaster Georgina Godwin. They convene as part of the Literary Pairs series from Hay Festival and the British Council, which brings together writers to discuss creativity, partnerships and their latest work.

In Salt Crystals, Bendek explores the histories and diasporas that bind together the island of San Andrés and its cultures, and proposes new ways of understanding the Indigenous Raizal people. Faye’s Love in Exile explores our collective ideas of love and worthiness, the boundaries of consumer capitalism, and how to love in more compassionate, healthy ways.

Prepare to be transported into the looming Welsh mountains with this major new literary voice. Liam Higginson, who was born and raised in rural North Wales, speaks to award-winning writer Claire Fuller about his debut novel The Hill in the Dark Grove.

Embedded in Welsh folklore, the book tells the story of Carwyn and Rhian, the last in a long family line of sheep farmers. When Carwyn stumbles across a stone circle and some sort of burial mound in one of the fields on their land, he quickly develops an obsession, while his wife, Rhian, is confronted with the growing realisation that the man with whom she shares her life and home is slowly becoming a frightening stranger.

Tomas Alfredson’s Swedish horror/romance was adapted by John Ajvide Lindqvist from his 2004 novel. Oskar, a bullied 12-year-old, strikes up a friendship with his new neighbour, the mysterious and moody Eli. Initially reserved, a sweet romance blossoms between them. But a dark, macabre secret revealing Eli’s connection to a string of bloody local murders threatens everything.

Join Bea Fitzgerald, Tiktok star and Sunday Times best-selling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen, as she talks about her latest novel A Beautiful Evil – a romantic reimagining of the myth of Pandora, the first ever woman, in which love may very well be the end of the world.

We’ll discuss our favourite romantasy tropes, reimagine myths for a young adult audience and connect with feminist themes in ancient tales. This event is for myth lovers and newbies alike, although vendettas against Zeus are highly encouraged.

A unique and uplifting celebration of the spoken word, bringing together local school children and high-profile artists from across the Festival to perform pieces they’ve learned off by heart. This gala forms the Festival highlight of our campaign to help improve the life chances of young people by working with them to improve their speaking skills.

A rollercoaster ride through some of the most dramatic and daring escapes executed by the SAS during the Second World War. Best-selling author Damien Lewis uses verified diaries, mission reports, debriefings and letters written in the heat of danger to bring to life some of the most impressive escapes of the war. From prison camps to enemy territory, these are stories of ingenuity, courage and extraordinary resilience. He'll also discuss one of the greatest escape stories of WW2 as told in his book SAS The Great Train Raid.

A former war and conflict reporter, Lewis combines meticulous research with thriller-like pace in his books. His work has reached the screen, including The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, adapted into a 2024 film by Guy Ritchie. The perfect Hay Festival event for lovers of history at full throttle.

In this exclusive and magical event, two titans of fantasy fiction dive into the rise of the genre, its huge popularity on TikTok, and the power of otherworldly narratives. Best-selling author of The Bone Season Samantha Shannon discusses her latest book – from a series inspired by the legend of George and the Dragon. She’s joined by fantasy novelist Saara El-Arifi (Faebound), whose newest book is a groundbreaking exploration of Cleopatra in her own words. Together they celebrate fantasy fiction and interrogate what fantasy reveals about us all. No dragons here, but this event will be fire.

A gripping discussion with the winner of the Eccles Institute & Hay Festival Global Writer’s Award, Jarred McGinnis. McGinnis talks about his memoir There is No Meant to Be, a family epic of love, masculinity and secrets, with British author and historian Colin Grant, who has written extensively about families in the aftermath of Empire.

In the memoir, McGinnis takes us on a journey to unearth the legends surrounding his Irish ancestors, his mother’s gift of foresight, and life as a survivor of the near-fatal accident that left him in a wheelchair. McGinnis was named one of the British Council and National Centre for Writing’s 10 best emerging writers in 2021.

A moving and nuanced look at what it is to struggle in the wake of distressing and painful life events, with forensic psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead. Calling on her expertise and long career working in the NHS, including in prisons and secure hospitals, Adshead brings to life the work of therapy, and shares stories of patients who have stepped out of the darkness of shame and fear to discover new possibilities. You’ll leave thinking in new ways about trauma, with myths about its toxicity and permanence burst.

Adshead, author of Unspeakable (co-authored with Eileen Horne), has worked as a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist in the NHS for three decades. She speaks to neuropsychology professor Catherine Loveday.

A race through Greg’s 58 years in 58 minutes. It started when he was born in St Asaph’s in Denbighshire, a good hour and 15 minutes from his home over the border in Shropshire, simply because his dad wanted him to be eligible to play rugby for Wales.

His life has been pretty absurd ever since. In conversation with Hay Festival Chair Jay Hunt, he explores his journey from secondary school teacher to one of our best-loved TV comedians.

An extraordinary examination of the conflict in Israel and Gaza, through the lens of architecture, ecology and infrastructure. Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Israeli architect Eyal Weizman discuss the politics of the physical environment – from Gaza’s underground tunnels to the militarisation of its surface. And they ask what impact this has on the potential for justice.

Albanese is an international lawyer, specialising in human rights and the Middle East and has just published When the World Sleeps: Stories, Words and Wounds of Palestine. Weizman is founder and director of Forensic Architecture, professor of Spatial and Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London, and author of Ungrounding: The Architecture of Genocide.

Calling introverts everywhere! Comedian Rhys James offers up a refreshingly honest look at modern life from the perspective of someone who doesn’t want to do anything. If you’ve ever been glad when plans were cancelled, actually quite liked the thought of another lockdown, and tried to control the outcome of everything you do, then this is the event for you.

There will be laughs aplenty as James discusses his book You’ll Like It When You Get There and, don’t worry, you’ll be home by 8.30pm. James has performed stand-up comedy around the world, including six solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe and two international sell-out tours. He talks to comedian and Austentatious member Cariad Lloyd.

Grab your garlic and prepare your pitchfork for this encounter with modern-day Gothic authors Charlotte Cross and Mairi Kidd. They discuss retelling horror classics to place women at the centre, taking the iconic stories of Dracula and Frankenstein and reimagining them from a feminist perspective.

Cross’s The Brides brings to life the three women who became the brides of Dracula – and the fourth who managed to escape. Kidd’s Poor Creatures follows a young Mary Godwin – who would go on to become Mary Shelley – as a troubled girl with a mysterious ailment.

See a different side to actor Larry Lamb as he shares anecdotes and his own personal poetry. Making you laugh and cry in equal measure, Lamb will cover the highs and lows, joys and sorrows of his career, taking us from 1983 right up to his life as it is now.

Lamb takes a journey through the years with his very personal poems, reflecting on his life at different stages from the womb to the tomb. The British actor and presenter’s career has spanned several decades, including his best-known roles in EastEnders and Gavin & Stacey.

A space for young, emerging artists to share their work with Hay Festival audiences. Spanning a diverse range of art forms, The Platform aims to help promote and develop outstanding young creative artists aged between 21 and 28 who are at the start of their careers. Join us to discover and support some of the best young talent, and look out for their work across the Festival site.

Join us for a surprise screening of an acclaimed book-to-screen adaptation, hand-picked by MUBI’s team of curators. Encounter a celebrated work of literature through its cinematic transformation – without prior knowledge, expectation or title. What unfolds is a rare opportunity to experience adaptation as discovery, where language gives way to image and narrative is met afresh. Come curious. Leave surprised.

Join musician, actor and author Joey Batey for an evening of music and eerie folklore, diving into his new novel It’s Not a Cult before taking to the stage with his band The Amazing Devil for a special acoustic performance – their first live show in ten years.

In conversation with fellow musician, actor and artist Madeleine Hyland and framed by the Gothic arches of St Mary’s Church, Joey takes us into the darkly comic Northumbrian folk‑horror tale. We follow the story of a hopeless band who find their gigs taking on a terrifying new significance when they start to sing about Northern gods of mishap and mayhem.

After a brief interval, The Amazing Devil will sweep us into an exclusive set, bringing their lyrical alt‑folk sound and emotionally charged storytelling to the stage. Atmospheric and otherworldly, spend your Friday night with the creative forces of Joey Batey and Madeleine Hyland.

Experience a powerful 20-minute one-woman play in the open air. Don’t Harm the Animals tells the story of a woman isolated at the top of a mountain, and deals with issues of PTSD in the aftermath of sexual assault. It shines a light on the lack of understanding given to victims and addresses the impact of secondary revictimisation. The play premiered at the Chain Theatre, New York, and has been described as “Scorching writing” and “A powerhouse of a performance”.

Joanna Pickering is a multi-award-winning British actress and playwright whose work focuses on strong female narrative and advocacy for women’s rights. Her play Lara’s Journey recently live-streamed from New York City to over one million viewers to raise awareness for Ukrainian refugees. Pickering recently secured a three-play deal for 2026, to be produced by a Broadway award-winning team. These initmate shows at Hay Festival will be directed by the award-winning Welsh writer and director, Philip John.

This is history – but not as we know it. Come on a sweeping journey through thousands of years of tyrants, seeing anew the lives and legacies of those who ruled through fear, manipulation and absolute power. Historian Ben Gazur shows the rise of ancient despots and modern-day dictators – how they maintained control, and how they ultimately fell.

A timely meditation on the nature of power and corruption, this gripping session looks at all forms of tyranny – political, personal, and psychological – from Julius Caesar to Adolf Hitler via Ivan the Terrible. Why have individuals always sought and abused power, and why does tyranny continue to resurface in new forms today? Gazur talks to the Times Literary Supplement’s politics and fiction editor Toby Lichtig.

The celebrated poet talks about and performs from her new collection exploring dyke counterculture and the queer underground. Through a cast of characters who meet in the Maryville butch bar over the course of many decades, Joelle Taylor examines queer class politics, the pain of oppression and the beauty and intimacy of community

This is a chance to see one of our best contemporary poets talking about and performing her work. Taylor is author of four collections of poetry and one novel. She won the TS Eliot Prize and the Polar Book Prize for her collection C+NTO & Othered Poems.

Join acclaimed writers Patrick McGuinness and Angharad Price in conversation with author and former Wales PEN Cymru director Dylan Moore for an exploration of how Welsh literature can forge renewed connections with European literary culture after a decade of post-Brexit isolation.

Both McGuinness and Price embody the cross-cultural exchange that has enriched Welsh writing: McGuinness, born in Tunisia to an English father of Irish descent and a Belgian mother, and living in Wales for over 20 years, writes between languages and national identities, while Price has published widely on Welsh literature, frequently within a broader European context. Together, they’ll discuss what has been lost and what might be regained as Welsh literature seeks to re-establish its place within the wider European conversation.

With whip-smart wit and a cavalcade of cads, dashing gents and fierce heroines, this is a legendary comedy experience for Austen fans and newcomers alike!

Austentatious is the improvised Jane Austen novel which has become a West End institution. An all-star cast in full costume takes an audience suggestion for an unknown Jane Austen book, and then you watch it unfold before your eyes. Previous suggestions have included Mansfield Shark, Double O Darcy, Bend It Like Bennet and The Taking of Pemberley 123.

An intimate performance from the critically-acclaimed singer, Gwenno. Featuring music from her latest album, Utopia, Gwenno sings in Welsh and Cornish, creating a sound that’s both ethereal and powerful, and deeply rooted in cultural heritage. Her soundscapes fuse different musical genres into an immersive world of sound, captivating longtime fans and newcomers alike. An unforgettable event from one of the UK’s most original and compelling performers, in a night of music that will linger long after the final note.

Begin the day with a guided tour of Hay Castle led by its director, art historian Tom True. Explore the castle’s layered history, meet some of the characters who once shaped it and hear how it is being reimagined today as a place for ideas, art and thoughtful encounters. The tour includes time to experience the castle’s new interactive interpretation on the second floor, followed by coffee and pastries.

Coffee and pastry included in the ticket price. Meet in the Great Hall.

A lively and entertaining discussion to start your day. The BBC’s international editor, Jeremy Bowen, brings together a brilliant mix of actors and authors for an energetic debate on the day’s news. Bowen is joined by actor and writer Carys Eleri, veteran of stage and screen Miriam Margolyes, journalist and author of Empireworld Sathnam Sanghera and author of We Need To Talk About Kevin Lionel Shriver.

Everyone expected Palestinian Aziz Abu Sarah and Israeli Maoz Inon to be enemies. Instead, the peace activists and social entrepreneurs forged a bond of brotherhood, connected by their belief in equality, dignity and the idea that Palestinians and Israelis can work together peacefully for a better future. They talk to the BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet about their book The Future Is Peace, a transformative journey across the holy land and a bold call for hope, humanity and empathy.

An ancient city brought vividly to life using extraordinary ancient sources, including acerbic letters between rival kings and bawdy drinking songs. Welsh academic Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones traces the history of the first metropolis from its foundation to world domination… and back to ruin. Babylon often appears more myth than history. But it was a real place teeming with life, a bustling mega-city which set the agenda for what civilisation meant. Llewellyn-Jones holds the chair in ancient history at Cardiff University and is author of Persians and The Cleopatras.

Come and listen to this year’s celebrated Hay Festival Writers at Work. This thrilling 2026 group of ten Welsh writers will share new fiction and poetry, in English and Cymraeg. See these rising stars at Hay Festival first!