York Festival of Ideas
Welcome to York Festival of Ideas
Taking place for two weeks each June, York Festival of Ideas presents a diverse programme of over 200 mostly free in-person and online events designed to educate, entertain and inspire. Led by the University of York and made possible by the generous support of our sponsors, the Festival features world-class speakers, performances, exhibitions, tours, family-friendly activities, and much more. One of the largest free festivals of its kind in the UK, it promises something for all ages and interests with topics ranging from art to archaeology, history to health and politics to psychology. The Festival's Patron is the acclaimed children's author Michael Morpurgo.
York Festival of Ideas 2026 will take place from 30 May to 12 June. Look out for the programme going live on 1 May. In the meantime, why not sign up to our mailing list to be among the first to hear about our exciting 2026 events?
Can’t wait until June? Good news - many of our previous Festival events can be viewed on the York Ideas YouTube page.
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“I am hugely honoured to be Patron of York Festival of Ideas. Over the years, having the opportunity to perform and share my stories as part of a festival that enables everyone to come who wants to come, has been incredibly inspiring. York Festival of Ideas’ commitment to making ideas accessible to all by offering free events is something I would love to see happen more often. I strongly believe that there should be no barriers to ideas.'
Sir Michael Morpurgo
'I’m so proud that York hosts such a fantastic, ambitious festival. Each year it gets better, offering access to an incredible range of subjects and speakers that are stimulating, fun and thought-provoking. It’s a real cultural highlight and something I look forward to every year.'
Feedback from a 2025 Festival attendee