Kells 2014

Think about the last time you took a selfie. You probably took more than one to get it right. In an age of quick, throwaway snaps, what happens when we go back to the original self-portraits? Historian Simon Schama looks at what famous artists have seen in the mirror, in a fascinating presentation analysing the self-portraits of Rembrandt, Salvator Rosa, J-L David, Gustave Courbet, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Lucien Freud, David Hockney and Jenny Saville. A captivating deep-dive into how great artists translated their own reflections into non-disposable art for the ages.

Join gut health guru and best-selling author, Professor Tim Spector, for a lively dive into the bubbling world of fermentation. In conversation with lifestyle journalist Gaby Huddart, Spector reveals how everyday microbes – tiny invisible chefs – can transform our food, boost our health, and even put us in a better mood. From sauerkraut to kimchi, sourdough and even coffee, discover how fermented foods can profoundly influence our gut health, boost our immunity and kickstart our overall well-being.

Expect humour, fascinating science, and practical tips to make your kitchen a thriving microbial playground. Perfect for food lovers, science fans, and anyone curious about the quirky, powerful world of microbes that live inside – and alongside – us.

What awaits us in the deep? Dive into the power of the ocean with Tom Whipple for a live recording of BBC Radio 4's Inside Science. With amazing ocean guides Helen Czerski and Vincent Doumeizel alongside, Tom will illuminate the mysteries and challenge the controversies behind the sea science that’s changing our world.

Prepare for a raucous, high-energy Hay Festival event as multi-award winning comedian, Russell Kane, brings his love of pets – and his brand-new picture book – to life on stage. Brace yourself for the chaotic introduction of Brian, an adorable chihuahua, to Terry, the family’s loyal Burmese cat. Packed with jokes, games, fun facts and outrageous stories of pet rivalry, this show promises laughter for all ages. No pets were harmed in the making of this unforgettable comedy adventure.

MG Leonard returns to Hay Festival to tell us all about the latest adventure in her thrilling Time Keys series. Fans of Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson’s adventures in Hunt for the Golden Scarab and The Legend of Viking Thunder will love their new foray in The Impossible Gladiator.

The brave trio are enjoying a holiday in Rome when they’re swept up in the mysterious disappearance of world-famous illusionist Kinetic. Their search leads them through secret time doors to the spectacular Colosseum in Ancient Rome – can they survive long enough to find Kinetic?

MG Leonard will give special insight into the inspiration behind the book, and answer some of your burning questions. If you’re a fan of MG Leonard’s Adventures on Trains series and haven’t yet discovered the Time Keys, now’s the chance!

Come along to the Family Garden to meet Hay Festival 2026 Illustrator in Residence Charlotte Hepburn and join in this fun family activity. Charlotte’s illustration style is full of bright colours, bold shapes and lots of fun. She’ll guide families in the collective creation of a really big bug mural, featuring all your favourite creepy-crawlies! All materials are provided, just bring your imagination.

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.

Parliamentary sketch writer John Crace casts his sharp and acerbic eye over our current political chaos and governmental absurdity. Crace assesses whether the Labour government has provided any of the change the UK was expecting, looks at the erosion of the Tory party and the rise of Reform, and predicts what the future of our politics might be, in conversation with cross bench peer Rosie Boycott.

Crace’s newest book is a compilation of some of his much-loved Guardian columns. His other books include Taking the Lead: A Dog at Number 10, Depraved New World, Decline and Fail and I, Maybot.

A rare opportunity to hear from actor and rapper Ashley Walters on the release of his memoir. He discusses Always Winning, a candidly-written account of a turbulent past and a philosophy for turning his life around, with writer, presenter and former barrister Afua Hirsch.

Walters’ on-screen performances and rap career have been as explosive as his off-screen life. After experiencing London gang culture, prison and addiction, he completely changed his life – here he shares the framework he adopted to overcome challenges and find inner purpose.

A BBC Radio 3 lunchtime concert series exploring the music of Edvard Grieg and others. This first of three recitals recorded for broadcast features Claire Booth (soprano) and Anna Tilbrook (piano), who perform a programme including Grieg, Delius and Ravel.

Programme:

Percy Grainger Bold William Taylor

Percy Grainger The Power of Love (Danish Folk-Music Suite)

Edvard Grieg The Mountain Maid (Hautussa), Op 67

Agathe Backer Grøndahl Siklebækken, Op 30 No 9

Frederick Delius Seven Danish Songs (excerpt)

Maurice Ravel Cinq mélodies populaires grecques

Be in the audience for the BBC's daily news podcast – diving into the day's biggest news stories so you're never out of your depth.

Meet Hilda and Twig! Hilda is everyone’s favourite blue-haired heroine, and her best friend, deer-fox Twig, is the perfect companion as they explore the wilderness together. Come and develop your design skills with their Emmy and BAFTA award-winning creator Luke Pearson, who’ll show how to draw your favourite characters.

This is a brilliant and fun introduction to comics, and after sketching up a storm, you’ll get the chance to ask Luke your burning Hilda questions. Netflix have made a critically-acclaimed animated series based on the books, Hilda, and the mischievous duo continue their adventures in Hilda and Twig: Wake the Ice Man.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could share our thoughts with animals, and hear theirs in return? Trace what those thoughts might be with Nicola Davies as she introduces Skrimsli, her new fantasy adventure about the early life of the tiger sea captain who stole our hearts in The Song That Sings Us.

Skrimsli and his friends must escape the clutches of a tyrannical circus owner and his twin assassin-acrobats, then stop a war and save an ancient forest, helped along the way by a series of unusual characters. It’s a story full of excitement and danger, exploring friendship, loyalty, identity and love, in the context of some of humanity’s toughest problems. Nicola is Children’s Laureate for Wales 2025–27.

Step into the weird and wonderful world of Kitsch & Sync Collective. This high-energy comedy dance theatre workshop whirls through eccentric characters, time-travelling moves and toe-tapping tunes. Expect laughter, silliness and joyful movement for all. Led by Kim Noble, co-founder of the company.

Come on a walk through the beautiful surrounds of Hay-on-Wye, led by guides from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The Park’s expert ecologists will introduce you to some of the captivating local flora and fauna.

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.

At a pivotal moment for our climate, economist and academic Nicholas Stern comes to Hay Festival with a powerful message: we do not have to choose between prosperity and the planet.

Drawing on decades at the forefront of international climate policy – including his landmark Stern Review – Stern argues that climate action is the growth story of the 21st century. The real risk lies not in acting, but in failing to act. Bringing together economics, finance, politics and behavioural science, he sets out a bold, practical vision for transforming our economies to deliver sustainable, inclusive growth while tackling the climate and biodiversity crises head on.

As Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, Stern offers an unrivalled insight into what must happen next. Urgent, authoritative and solutions-driven – this is an essential Hay Festival conversation about the future we choose. He talks to the BBC’s Europe editor Katya Adler.

Master storyteller Helen Oyeyemi presents her playful new novel A New New Me.

Set over the course of a week, the book is the story of Kinga, who exists in seven different versions, Kingas A to G. When Kinga A discovers a man tied up in their apartment, the Kingas have to deal with the possibility that one of them might be planning to destroy them all.

Oyeyemi is the author of several novels including Parasol Against the Axe, and won the Somerset Maugham Award for White is for Witching. She talks to journalist Kirsty Lang.

Experience evocative storytelling that bridges page and screen, in this screening of award-winning actor Sacha Dhawan’s narration of George Orwell’s profoundly impactful and thought-provoking classic.

Dhawan gives an electrifying and fresh approach to Orwell’s chilling critique of totalitarianism and the dangers of unchecked power. Despite the book’s bleak tone, the compelling narrative ensures its enduring popularity and relevance.

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

If you enjoy discussing the books you love, this event is for you. Join Harriett Gilbert and well known guests from the worlds of literature and entertainment for BBC Radio 4’s hugely popular programme A Good Read. Harriett and her guests each choose a favourite book to debate and discuss. It’s an honest and entertaining chat about the joy of reading and celebrating good writing with a diverse range of opinions.

Author Sir Michael Morpurgo and broadcaster Clare Balding discuss the children’s classic Black Beauty, Anna Sewell’s story about the kind-spirited horse and the compassion and cruelty he witnesses, and its parallels with Michael’s best-selling novel War Horse.

Michael has recently retold this unforgettable story set in Victorian Britain for today’s readers. He has often said it was Black Beauty that showed him how he might tell the story of War Horse, through the eyes of a horse that witnesses the horror of war from both sides. War Horse, which was published over 40 years ago, has been adapted into a hugely successful stage play by the National Theatre.

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.

Three brilliant speakers, all with something completely different to say about our natural world. Comedian and presenter Sandi Toksvig explains how she’s restoring her own ancient woodland, best-selling author Ian McEwan shares his hope for nature’s resilience in the face of climate change, and former president of the National Farmers’ Union Baroness Minette Batters issues a love letter to life on the farm. They talk to climate journalist David Shukman.

Two lifelong fans of The Beatles come together to share their love of the band and reflect on its enduring influence on popular culture. Broadcaster Samira Ahmed’s first book A Hard Day’s Night is a look at how the 1964 film captures the band’s charisma and the shifting cultural landscape of 1960s Britain. Fellow broadcaster Stuart Maconie has written With a Little Help from Their Friends, an epic tale of the people who made the band who made Britain, interspersed with his own experiences, encounters and conversations. This celebratory event is perfect for superfans of the band.

How did the divisions of the American Revolutionary War play out in literature? On the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Professor of American Literature Sarah Churchwell and historian Simon Schama consider how American and British literature diverged in the wake of revolution – and how these literary traditions eventually found their way back to each other.

With discussion and short readings of their favourite books from both sides of the Atlantic, this session traces how writers responded to political rupture, cultural independence and shared language, and how a transatlantic literary relationship was reshaped, challenged and renewed over time.

A screening of New Queer Cinema troublemaker Gregg Araki’s incendiary yet sensitive tale. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the film busts open the dark secrets of the American heartland, and stages an unforgettable reckoning with trauma. One of the best coming-of-age films of the 2000s.

In Mysterious Skin, Brian Lackey is a young man who went missing for five hours when he was eight, an event he’s convinced was an alien abduction. In the same small Kansas town, teenage hustler Neil McCormick is a confused outsider with a dark past. Both young men pursue a self-destructive path that will lead them toward each other.

In Our Time will be recording at Hay Festival for the first time, its debut at any festival, offering you a rare chance to see new host Misha Glenny and his three academic guests in action. From its start in 1998 with Melvyn Bragg as host, In Our Time has become essential listening for millions around the world and is one of the BBC’s crown jewels, appearing weekly on BBC Radio 4 and always available on BBC Sounds. Misha Glenny brings his deep experience of international affairs and culture to the programme and in this edition he and his guests will be exploring a topic from history for broadcast later in the week.

Do you love art and want to know more but don’t know where to start? Using their Art School (in a Book) as a starting point, actor Russell Tovey and gallerist Robert Diament​ introduce us to the world of contemporary art, from Frida Kahlo to David Hockney.

Whether you have a passion for pictures, or are just keen to dip your brush into the world of art history, this interactive event will leave you feeling enriched and inspired by some of our greatest and most exciting contemporary artists.

With Russell and Robert as your guides, you’ll also discover the artist within you, as they share tips on new ways of seeing and reacting to the world around you and guidance on how you can develop your own creativity. They talk to illustrator Rob Biddulph.

How will our everyday lives be altered by climate change in 100 years? In his new novel, Ian McEwan imagines the radical changes we’ll all have had to accept. What We Can Know is the story of a great poem, read aloud in 2014 and never heard again. A century later, in 2119, scholar Tom Metcalfe is living in a UK ravaged by climate change when he stumbles across a clue that may lead to the lost poem.

Here, McEwan reflects on his career, the inspiration behind his book and what it means to write about climate change. He’s in conversation with Julia Gillard, whose work as Chair of the Wellcome Trust supports science to solve the planet’s urgent challenges. McEwan’s 18 novels include the Booker Prize-winning Amsterdam, and Atonement, which was adapted into a BAFTA-winning film.

A masterclass in how to train your brain to adapt and survive in a world of AI and technology. Neuroscientist and author Hannah Critchlow reveals how our 21st-century brains are already changing. But don’t panic – she also knows how we can actively nurture them to thrive in our rapidly changing world. She reveals what cutting-edge neuroscience tells us about creativity, empathy and resilience – and why these human strengths will be more important than ever. A Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge and one of the UK’s most compelling scientific voices, Critchlow invites us all to reconsider not just how our brains function, but what they’re capable of becoming.

How can we really understand another culture? Through its food, as chefs Ixta Belfrage and Bel Coelho will show you. Come and experience the real Brazil on this culinary journey into the heart of Amazonia. Belfrage and Coelho talk to food researcher and British Library curator Dr Polly Russell about recipes new and old, the interplay between heritage and relationship with food, and how Brazilian cuisine is travelling across the world.

São Paulo-based chef Coelho’s Tasting the Forest explores food, culture and biodiversity. She reveals ancient recipes which intertwine with her lived experience as a writer and activist for social justice and rural traditional farming. Belfrage offers up fresh takes on the food of her mother’s homeland, sharing personal stories as well as vibrant recipes from her cookbook Fusão.

This event features consecutive interpretation from Brazilian Portuguese into English.

Tanya Sweeney discusses her debut novel, a story of obsession and modern life, with Irish novelist Liz Nugent. In Esther is Now Following You, Esther first sees actor Ted in a park in London. Feeling something she’s never felt before when their eyes meet, she begins researching him, and soon joins a fan site where she and the ‘Tedettes’ stalk his every move. When Ted gets a girlfriend, Esther leaves her husband, takes all their savings and buys a one-way ticket to Canada, convinced she and Ted belong together.

Sweeney and Nugent discuss fame, family and what we do to cope when life gets too much. Sweeney is an Irish journalist, columnist and regular contributor to radio and TV. Nugent is the author of five crime novels, most recently The Truth About Ruby Cooper.

How do you write characters who feel authentic, original and intriguing? How do you fill your fiction with people your readers feel compelled to spend time with? Award-winning writer Helen Oyeyemi (A New New Me) will help you develop or create fresh aspects of your characters’ relationships to each other, as well as your characters’ perceptions of their own stories. Through short writing exercises and discussion you’ll refresh your approaches to the people you’re imagining.

Arvon is the UK’s leading creative writing charity. Founded in 1968, it is known for its diverse creative writing courses and events led by leading authors. Its online programme offers writing weeks, writing days, masterclasses and a Saturday Writing Club. Residential courses are set in historic writing houses in inspiring countryside locations. Courses cover a range of genres including fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, theatre, screenwriting and more.

Join national treasure Roger McGough for an hour of his and Radio 4 listeners’ favourite poems. Roger will be in conversation with actor and comedian Alistair McGowan, presenting some of our most popular requests from the programme’s four decades. And of course Roger will read some of his own work from his long career as one of Britain’s most celebrated poets.

Four women who’ve dedicated their lives to front-line politics reveal the reality of working at the top of public life. Are sexism, misogyny and abuse making it just too hard for women to thrive in politics and public office? And what’s the impact if more women walk away or never seek public office in the first place?

Ruth Davidson is the former leader of the Scottish Conservatives. Julia Gillard is the former Prime Minister of Australia whose ‘misogyny speech’ in Parliament became a global phenomenon. Harriet Harman is a Labour peer and the UK’s Special Envoy for Women and Girls. Beth Rigby is political editor for Sky News. They talk to Katya Adler, the BBC’s Europe editor.

Fire up your creative impulses, as the artistic director of the Serpentine Galleries praises the extraordinary powers of art. Hans Ulrich Obrist speaks to BBC broadcaster Kirsty Lang about how art drives our imagination and even helps us to heal. Before joining London’s Serpentine Gallery, Obrist was a curator at the Paris Musée d’Art Moderne. Drawing on his memoir Life in Progress, he looks back on the first time he connected with art after a car accident at the age of six, which led him to spend weeks in hospital. He recalls the many exhibitions he’s curated in galleries, hotels and even in his own kitchen.

Spend a leisurely evening with broadcasting royalty Clare Balding CBE in conversation with sports journalist Carolyn Hitt. The award-winning presenter shares how she got her stripes, and presents her feel-good debut novel, Pastures New.

The heroine of Balding’s first novel for adults is a woman whose life is turned upside down by the mysterious inheritance of a crumbling sheep farm in Wales. Balding will recount her own childhood in the countryside – surrounded by horses and dogs, and reading everything from Jilly Cooper to Henry James. She’ll talk about her passion for sport and journalism, leading her to the very top of her game, presenting award-winning coverage of the Olympics, Wimbledon and royal events. A recent Celebrity Traitors participant and acknowledged national treasure, Clare is also a passionate campaigner for equality and women’s sport.

An evening filled with sixteenth-century wisdom, laughter and hope for our anxiety-ridden contemporary lives. No matter what the century, nuns know best!

When most of us think of nuns, we picture cloistered halls and hands clasped in prayer. But what about the nuns who erupted into jealous fights over makeup or crushed on their girlfriends? These women were no one-dimensional martyrs. Scholars, podcasters and best friends Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita lift the veil on monastic life, sharing the infectiously edifying advice of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century nuns, with writer Kim Sherwood

Resourceful, rebellious and refreshingly relatable, the nuns offer guidance on everything from procrastination to imposter syndrome, friendship drama to creativity slumps – with a wink and a prayer.

The acclaimed marital drama from Andrew Haigh, in which the atmospheric Norfolk Broads form a potent backdrop to the devastating portrait of a once-solid marriage plunged into crisis. Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay both won Silver Bears for their extraordinary, understated performances.

In 45 Years, it’s one week until Kate and Geoff’s 45th anniversary, and a huge party is being planned. But then a letter arrives for Geoff. The body of Katya, his first love, has been discovered frozen and immaculately preserved in the glaciers of the Swiss Alps. Kate becomes obsessed with Geoff’s past.

“A deceptively simple and richly disorienting glance into the abyss” – The Guardian

Samira Ahmed hosts Front Row live from Hay Festival with a panel of top writers discussing their latest novels and screenplays. Be in the audience for a special edition of BBC Radio 4's daily arts and culture programme.

Discover the story of how Hay-on-Wye came to be known as a book town, and the man who made it happen. Journalist James Hanning talks to writer and broadcaster Horatio Clare about the story of Richard Booth, the eccentric and chaotic entrepreneur known as the King of Hay. Guests Derek Addyman (who worked for Booth in the ‘70s) and Anne Brichto, who together run four bookshops in Hay including Addyman Books and Murder & Mayhem, bring first-hand experience of the early days of Booth’s reign.

They delve into Booth’s life, from buying a small shop in an obscure market town on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, to creating the world’s largest second-hand bookshop. Booth laid the foundations for the town’s reputation, eventually resulting in the founding of Hay Festival, a rival attraction that dismayed him.

Come and join the comedian, broadcaster, campaigner (and tiny Danish beacon of hope) for an evening celebrating her love and passion for writers and books. The show will be packed with silly stories, profound truths, fascinating facts, readings from her latest book Friends of Dorothy and a quick-fire Q&A. Life affirming, wise and funny.

Spend an uplifting evening with the fresh sound and strong female presence of Marshall Gilmour Webbs – a group formed of Louise Marshall (the celebrated vocalist from Jools Holland’s Orchestra), Romany Gilmour (hit single ‘Between Two Points’) and Hattie & Charley Webb (known for their work with Leonard Cohen and Tom Petty).

Their swelling vocals, ethereal harmonies and eclectic instrumentation bring new perspectives to the music of The Roches, Dolly Parton, Billy Joel, Minnie Riperton and more, along with their own original songs written collaboratively from Louise’s living room.

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.

A riveting dissection of what’s really going on in British politics from three women on the inside. Harriet Harman is a veteran Labour politician and life peer. Ruth Davidson led the Scottish Conservatives for eight years and now also sits in the House of Lords. Beth Rigby is political editor for Sky News. Join the hosts of the Electoral Dysfunction podcast to find out what the political parties really think of the May local election results, and get their predictions for what might happen next.

Irish storytelling comes to the fore in this discussion between writer Liz Nugent and actor Ardal O’Hanlon. They discuss their new books, the craft of creating a mystery story and how Ireland’s heritage and culture impacts their work, with author Kim Sherwood.

Nugent’s The Truth About Ruby Cooper is about sisters Ruby and Erin, whose world implodes when Ruby is involved in an accident, causing a wake of destruction that lasts decades. Nugent brings experience in film, theatre and television to her work as a writer. O’Hanlon’s A Plot to Die For is the first in a new mystery series about beloved celebrity gardener Finn O’Leary, who returns to his hometown to care for his mother and finds himself trying to solve a murder, or two. Father Ted star O’Hanlon is one of Ireland’s best-loved actors and stand-up comedians.

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!