2023 Festival, York Festival of Ideas

At this year's Festival we invite you to Rediscover, Reimagine, Rebuild with an exciting programme of over 150 free in-person and online events to educate, entertain and inspire.

Meet world-class speakers, experience incredible performances, join entertaining family activities, explore York on guided tours, and more! With topics ranging from archaeology to art, history to health and politics to psychology, the Festival promises something for all ages and interests.

Browse our diverse programme - by theme, date or format - and find out everything you need to know about the Festival.

Please note: All event timings are British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1), so please check your specific timezone if you are joining us for online events from outside the UK.

Calendar of Events

View our packed programme of over 150 events

Festival Themes

Find events that are right for you by browsing our programme by theme.

Talks

Panel Discussions

Festival Focus

Performances and Films

Fun for Families

Throughout the Festival

Support Us

Fox Lane Books

Watch Again

Reimagining Our Criminal Justice System

Sunday 11 June

The UK criminal justice system costs tens of billions of pounds each year. But is it working? Our experts discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding our criminal justice system, focusing on how we might reimagine it for everyone’s benefit.

Find out more

About the Festival

Featuring world-class speakers, performances, exhibitions, guided walks, family-friendly activities, and much more, York Festival of Ideas offers a huge range of stimulating and diverse events for all ages and interests - most of them free.

Making the most of the Festival

Here are some handy hints to help you make the most of your Festival experience.

Support us

If you share our belief that education and ideas have the power to transform lives, please consider supporting York Festival of Ideas today.

Supporters and donors

A huge thank you to our 2023 Festival donors and supporters.

Festival partners

The Festival is a collective effort - it could not go ahead without our partners. Find out who has been involved this year.

Talk to us

Follow and interact with us on social media or contact us by email.

It was wonderful! It's great to make knowledge and research accessible to everyone, and I deeply appreciate these events being free.

Feedback from the 2022 Festival

Welcome to York Festival of Ideas 2023!