Free Talks & Poetry Slam Programme
What's happening on the day?
Event Schedule
Throughout the day we have a packed schedule full of exciting and informative sessions for all attendees.
Join us on Sunday July 12, thanks to The Oxford Festival of the Arts, and discover your next favourite book in the ‘Big School – the main hall of Magdalen College School: entrance Cowley Place just off the Plain.
But that isn’t all. Off the High Street approaching Magdalen Bridge is an entrance to the Rose Garden Gazebo/Bar where you can listen to poetry organised by The Oxford Poetry Circle.
In the Junior School Hall, to the left of the Gazebo, there will be speaker events. In the case of bad weather some of the poetry will take place there too.
Free Talks in the Junior School Hall
(Enter from the Rose Garden)
11.45 – Professor Jake Lynch & co-author Annabel McGoldrick
Jake and Annabel met when both joined regional ITV as reporters over 30 years ago. They won the Luxembourg Peace Prize for their work on Peace Journalism. but will talk about his murder mystery Mind over Murder involving the secret menace of deepfake AI.
12.30 – 5 Minute Book Launches
introduced by the former Dean of Ruskin College, Ann Schofield.
- Geoff Ring: Musings on Faith by an Ordinary Bloke.
- Envelope Books: How to Rescue a Tiger. 20 case studies, all beautifully photographed.
- Dennis Hamley: Spirit of the Place. Veteran author and tutor in creative writing.
- Chip Colquhoun: Epic Tales.
In the event of bad weather, we’ll move Gazebo Bar events into the hall between 1-2pm.
13.50 – Yvonne Murray & Charlynne Bryan
Partners in Rhyme.
14.00 – Hugh Warwick: Hedgehogs – a hidden history
We all know what a hedgehog is – but they have not always been as they are now – both figuratively and literally. Why was the hedgehog known as the ‘Ugly Ones’? Why are there hedgehogs in the bible? Was there really a sabre-tooth hedgehog? Did Mrs Tiggy-Winkle really change the way we look at the bundles of prickles? Are they really covered in fleas? Hugh Warwick’s latest book (the 4th he has written just about hedgehogs!) is hitting the shelves in the summer, and this gives the perfect opportunity to celebrate the stories behind an animal we think we know.
14.40 – 5 Minute Book Launches
introduced by the former Dean of Ruskin College, Ann Schofield.
- Duncan Sanders: Dinosaurs, Aliens and The Shop That Sells Everything. (fantasy, young adult)
- Milo McGivern: Who’s There? (children’s author)
- Walton Street Writers Group: Their latest anthology of short stories.
- Professor Joy Hendry: on her latest novel informed by her career in anthropology.
15.00 – Ray Foulk: Picasso’s Revenge
Delving into the extraordinary 1907 mystery of how and why Pablo Picasso invented modern art.
Music & Poetry in the Rose Garden
Hosted by The Oxford Poetry Circle
(Entrance just before Magdalen Bridge)
13.00 – Music by The Other Half
13.15 – Jennifer Wong
13:30 – Oormila Prahlad
Australian – Indian artist and poet. From her book Patchwork Fugue in 2024 she brings melody and rhymes for 2026.
13:45 – Axel Nielsen
Acclaimed Italian restorer and poet from Genoa, Italy.
14:00 – Leatrice
Leatrice has her poems fresh from New York for the Oxford audience.
14:15 – Simon Alderwick
Oxford local poet with a recently published book.
14:30 – Laura Theis
14:45 – Timothy Ades
14:55 – Merryn Williams
15:05 – Woodland Anthology inspired by Radley Large Wood
An anthology of prose, poetry and photography celebrating Radley Large Wood (international artist and poet, Diana Bell, nature writer and poet, Paul Gamble, and author and poet, Sylvia Vetta) with contributions from the children of St Swithun’s Primary School, Kennington.