Calendar of events
Browse our calendar and plan which events to attend each day of the Festival. All times are British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1), so please check your specific time zone if you are joining us for online events from outside the UK.
All events
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Past events
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York Design Awards: Winners presentation
Join us as the winners of the 15th annual York Design Awards are revealed.
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Interactive Media Showcase
Immerse yourself in the innovative work created by the University of York’s talented Interactive Media student community and celebrate their achievements in an exciting field where creativity and technology converge.
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Brazilian Dance and Percussion Workshop (for children aged 7+ and their families)
Discover the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira with musician, percussionist and workshop leader Claudio Kron in this fun-packed introductory session guaranteed to keep you on your toes.
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Brazilian Dance and Percussion Workshop (for adults and teens)
Discover the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira with musician, percussionist and workshop leader Claudio Kron in this fun-packed introductory session guaranteed to keep you on your toes.
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Interactive Media Showcase
Immerse yourself in the innovative work created by the University of York’s talented Interactive Media student community and celebrate their achievements in an exciting field where creativity and technology converge.
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Regenerate: The Big Tent Ideas Festival 2023
Think you can do better than our current politicians? Want to challenge them and share your ideas with policymakers? Then come along to the Big Tent Ideas Festival to participate in conversations and interactive sessions.
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University of York Jazz Orchestra
Following their sold-out concert in 2022, University of York Jazz Orchestra returns for its popular summer mix of standards and new compositions.
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Interactive Media Showcase Gala
Immerse yourself in the innovative work created by the University of York’s talented Interactive Media student community and celebrate their achievements in an exciting field where creativity and technology converge.
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Rediscover Your Inner Musician
Bring along your instrument(s) and a music stand (if you have one), and be guided through a range of specially tailored activities and music conducted by the All Seasons Orchestra’s Artistic Director, Catherine E. Holbrook.
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Elégie - Rachmaninoff, A Heart in Exile
Pianist Lucy Parham and actor Tim McInnerny come together in this powerful performance celebrating the 150th birthday of composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff.
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Photography in Yorkshire in the 1990s: In conversation with Sunil Gupta
Join University of York art historian Theo Gordon in conversation with photographer Sunil Gupta, whose work has continually pushed the boundaries of representation in photography, centring queer and postcolonial experiences.
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Zombies in York
Zombies have taken over York! Come along and watch as University of York scientists dissect a captured zombie, and help us save the city through hands-on activities.
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In Your Dreams (and Other Altered States)
Award-winning psychologist Harriet Ennis returns to the Festival to discuss the latest, intriguing dream theories and to explore the science behind why we dream.
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Power and Policing in the British Metropole: 1957 and now
Historian Charlotte Lydia Riley of the University of Southampton asks how the 1957 Home Office surveys and police responses to it can tell us more about the Windrush Scandal, the Hostile Environment and cultures of policing in Britain today.
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Reimagining Cities: Regeneration and social enterprise
Our two panels explore a different approach to urban regeneration through inclusive growth and by harnessing the power of major employer institutions, education providers and social enterprise for more equitable and inclusive economic outcomes.
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Who Are York’s Trailblazers?
Come along to the York Trailblazers workshop to hear and share stories about local heroes that have been forgotten, ignored or overlooked, and to help shape a city-wide sculpture trail in 2024.
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Creating Inclusive Internet Communities
Come along to this interactive drop-in event for people of all ages to discover the latest research on how people over 65 in the UK are using the internet, and to find out how we can better support each other in the face of digital threats.
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Coercion and Control: Daily life under colonialism
Historian Thomas Wright discusses the role of coercion and control in 1950s colonial Kenya through the lens of the rediscovered and controversial ‘migrated archives’.
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Bringing the Past to Life
Join archaeologist, educator and broadcaster Julian Richards for a captivating discussion on why science may not have all the answers to our questions about the past, and why we need imagination to bring it to life.
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Perfume in the Bible
Join author and perfumery expert Charles Sell for an engaging exploration of biblical perfumes that blends science, history and religion.
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The Linguistic Aspect of Russia’s War in Ukraine
(Re)discover the Ukrainian language in its uniqueness and be reminded of the power of language in this important talk with University of York linguist Ursula Lanvers and Ukrainian visiting scholar Tetyana Lunyova.
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University of York Choir and Symphony Orchestra
In the spectacular setting of York Minster, University of York Choir and Symphony Orchestra come together to perform Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius.
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Preti Taneja: Aftermath
Preti Taneja - writer, activist and literature professor - discusses her award-winning non-fiction book ‘Aftermath’, which interrogates the language of terror, trauma and grief, with writer and University of York lecturer Juliana Mensah.
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A Story in Stone: From York to Oxford
Join geologist and science writer Nina Morgan to discover how every element of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History building was designed to teach science - and learn a lot about geology along the way!
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Digging for Victory: The wartime garden
From roses to rhubarb and from parsnips to pigs - this fascinating talk with garden historian, writer and researcher Twigs Way will explore the impact of WW2 on the garden.
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Jay Courtney and Juicy Crones: A Festival of Conversations event
Jay Courtney reads from her new book 'Juicy Crones' and leads a conversation about the joys and challenges of being an older woman.
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Post Brexit: Reimagining Scottish-English relations
Scottish MP Ian Blackford and award-winning broadcaster and writer Gavin Esler discuss the relationship between Scotland and England in the recent past, exploring the potential for creating a more constructive and positive relationship going forward.
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Zombies in York
Zombies have taken over York! Come along and watch as University of York scientists dissect a captured zombie, and help us save the city through hands-on activities.
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On Being Unreasonable: Breaking the rules and making things better
Join cultural studies expert Kirsty Sedgman to find out how unfairness and discrimination got baked into our social norms, and why, sometimes, we need to act unreasonably to bring about positive change.
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York’s Three Minute Thesis Competition
It's the 10th anniversary of York's Three Minute Thesis Competition! Be inspired and learn about the cutting-edge research at the University of York from ten of our talented PhD researchers in the live final of the competition.
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Reimagining the History of British Radicalism: Remembering Christopher Hill
Our panel of historians, librarians and literary scholars revisits the work of York-born historian and public intellectual Christopher Hill, exploring the legacy and afterlife of radical traditions in local and national history.
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The Art of the Illustrated Book
Join Julius Bryant, Keeper Emeritus of Word and Image at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, to discover some of the most influential and compelling illustrated books on topics ranging from religion to shopping, and natural history to fashion.
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A Queer Walk of York
Join us for a walking tour of sites and stories of significance to York’s LGBTQI+ communities past and present.
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The Mind Reader vs The Machine
Come along for a unique experience mixing magic, mentalism and fMRI research - and maybe have your mind read!
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Reginald Mobley and Baptiste Trotignon
Join us for an unforgettable evening of powerful spirituals performed by GRAMMY-nominated countertenor Reginald Mobley and acclaimed jazz pianist Baptiste Trotignon.
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Beauty Will Save the World: Reimagining the everyday
Our panel invites you to explore how we can find beauty in our day-to-day lives and to discover how beauty can manifest itself in seemingly ordinary items and actions - from slang to football shirts.
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Power and Print: The King’s printer in York
Dave Harper, US-UK Fulbright Scholar at the University of York, discusses how the relocation of the King’s Printer to York in 1642 invites us to consider anew the relationship of print and power.
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Imagining the Apocalypse: A history
Inspired by the unique Pricke of Conscience window at All Saints North Street, historian Andrew Crome of Manchester Metropolitan University explores how people through time have imagined the apocalypse.
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Reimagining a Rewilded York
Come along to this inspiring panel discussion and exhibition, captured by an artist’s live drawings, that will invite you to imagine what a rewilded York could look like.
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One of Them: From Albert Square to Parliament Square
Join us for a fascinating conversation with Michael Cashman, who made history - first as an actor, one half of the first gay kiss on a British soap, and then as a campaigner and politician fighting for gay rights.
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Science Fiction: Voyage to the edge of imagination
Science Museum Curator Glyn Morgan discusses the worldwide phenomenon of science fiction, revealing the scientific advances and imagination behind it.
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Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I: The mother and daughter who changed history
Join bestselling author, historian and broadcaster Tracy Borman to hear one of the most extraordinary mother-and-daughter stories of all time.
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Connecting With Our Neighbours: European initiatives in York
Did you know that York is twinned with Münster in Germany and Dijon in France? Learn about York’s partnerships with these cities and discover how you, too, can get involved and benefit from these connections.
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Access to Justice: Rights and needs
Come along to this panel discussion, hosted by Citizens Advice York, to engage with and better understand the workings of our justice system.
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Street Wisdom
Personal and Business Coach Diane Tricker helps you discover a brilliant new way to problem-solve and expand your sense of possibility in partnership with the world around you.
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Shaping the Nurses of the Future
Come along for a hands-on experience of what it’s like to be a student nurse at York St John University, and discover the cutting-edge facilities that are shaping the nurses of the future.
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The North Will Rise Again: In search of the future in Northern heartlands
Writer Alex Niven provides an in-depth exploration of the importance of the North of England in the modern era.
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Art and Development Film Screening
Join us for a film screening and Q&A that will change your understanding of what development means.
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Tattoo: The body as archive
Our panel of experts discuss the world of complex and unexpected imagery that people throughout history have used to inscribe their identities on their bodies.
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One Object, Many Voices
Rediscover the intellectual and cultural value of art through a close encounter with objects from the historic collection at Castle Howard.
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The Death of Consensus: 100 years of British political nightmares
Join author and BBC Radio producer Phil Tinline for an insightful talk exploring the highs and lows of British politics over the past century.
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Charles Dickens and Georgina Hogarth: A curious and enduring relationship
Join us to find out all about the curious and enduring relationship between one of Britain’s most renowned literary figures and his sister-in-law.
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The Unspoken Rules of Spoken English Dialects
Delve into the diversity of grammatical variation in spoken dialects of English with University of York linguist Claire Childs to find out how dialects follow their own sets of rules.
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Tanks on D-Day
Join Graeme Green, curator for The Royal Dragoon Guards Collection, to discover the role of tanks during the Normandy landings.
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Reimagining Healthcare: Treating the body and mind
Hear from service users, carers and healthcare professionals in this panel discussion, which considers how and why our healthcare system has to change to meet the needs of people with severe mental illness.
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Jewish York Walking Tour
This walking tour of York will transport you back in time, allowing you to discover the stories of Jewish people who have called this city their home.
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The Fall of Boris Johnson
Former Financial Times Whitehall editor Sebastian Payne presents the explosive inside account of how a prime minister lost his hold on power.
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Spike Milligan: The unseen archive
Join us for a special film screening of ‘Spike Milligan: The Unseen Archive’, including a Q&A with the documentary makers and Spike’s daughter, Jane.
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Television/Death
Film and TV studies expert Helen Wheatley of the University of Warwick discusses her recent study on representations of death, dying and bereavement on television, in conversation with University of York death studies scholar Ruth Penfold-Mounce.
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Avocado Anxiety
Environmental writer Louise Gray shares the stories behind our favourite fruits and vegetables, and why nothing is ever perfect.
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Reimagining Punishment: Do prisons work?
Join our panellists as they compare and contrast the UK prison system with other approaches and alternative real-life examples.
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Coronations: Legacy and representation
Travel back in time with media scholar Joanna Starzynski to watch and reflect upon footage from Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and her tour of England.
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What Is Biodiversity?
Delve into the topic of biodiversity and discover the nuanced relationships between humanity and nature with environmental writer Emma Marris and Chris Thomas, Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity at the University of York.
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On Savage Shores: How Indigenous Americans discovered Europe
Join historian and writer Caroline Dodds Pennock to find out what ‘discovering Europe’ meant for Indigenous Americans and how their worldviews and cultures impacted European civilisation.
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Global Travel in the Age of Shakespeare: A conversation with artist Loraine Rutt
Rediscover the Renaissance with Emily Stevenson and Lauren Working of the University of York, who, together with artist Loraine Rutt, will discuss how creating connections between art and archives can generate new ways of imagining the past.
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Rebuilding: Policing and public trust
Join our panel as they explore the root causes of public mistrust as well as the importance of understanding how policing contributes and responds to vulnerability.
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The Lost Art of Baroque Musical Improvisation
Learn about the lost art of baroque musical improvisation, and experience live how improvisation in classical music can increase accessibility, diversity and excitement.
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The Uncomfortable York Tour
Travel back in time on this guided walking tour focusing on York’s industrial heritage and its colonial significance as ‘chocolate city’.
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York Law School 15th Anniversary: Nazir Afzal
Solicitor and former Chief Prosecutor Nazir Afzal provides insights into his 30-year-long groundbreaking career, the UK’s relationship with race and power, and more.
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The City of York’s Coat of Arms: Hidden stories
Join historian Gillian Waters of the University of York’s Centre for Lifelong Learning to rediscover the fascinating stories behind the City of York’s coat of arms, which tell us more about medieval York.
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Why Is This a Question? Everything about the origins and oddities of language you never thought to ask
Author and linguist Paul Anthony Jones explains the true nuts and bolts of language, and provides answers to a plethora of linguistic questions you’ve likely never thought to ask.
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York Living Labs: Campus biodiversity walk
Join us for a guided walk exploring the flora and fauna of the University of York campus grounds.
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Steeple Chasing: Around Britain by church
Award-winning writer Peter Ross shares the tales of our country’s churches, and through them a story of Britain, one that is about people as much as place.
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Audio Description as a Supporting Tool for Children
Join University of York Visiting Researcher Monika Zabrocka to discover how offering viewers more appealing, creative Audio Description formats allows us to reinvent this tool in entirely new contexts.
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Criminal Justice: The state of the nation
Our experts survey the current state of the UK’s criminal justice system and discuss which areas most urgently need reform.
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Pyramids of Life: Improving the health of oceans
Join our panel of experts to hear all about the groundbreaking ‘Pyramids of Life’ project that seeks to better understand how we can work sustainably to manage our oceans.
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Rediscover the Cold War
Come along to learn all about the story of the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire during the Cold War years.
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Flower Festival
Celebrate divine and earthly beauty at this year’s Flower Festival, organised by the All Saints Church in collaboration with Askham Bryan College, York.
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Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony
Join us for what promises to be a feast of music by British composer Vaughan Williams, performed by York Musical Society and its German partner choir, Philharmonischer Chor Münster.
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Living Treasures
Join us for a lively evening of original music and words celebrating secrets of York life and culture, from folk and punk to fine art via city streets.
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Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots, and the language of power
Textile expert and author Clare Hunter discusses how Mary, Queen of Scots, used textiles to advance her political agenda, affirm her royal lineage and tell her own story.
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Rebel Bodies: How to bridge the gender health gap
Award-winning health journalist Sarah Graham reveals the systemic and deep-rooted sexism within medicine, and explains what it will take to bridge the gender health gap.
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Footmarks: A journey into our restless past
Join archaeologist Jim Leary of the University of York for a fascinating exploration of our past that will make you look at the landscape around you with fresh eyes.
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Imagining Just Transition Futures
Using creative methods developed at the University of York, this workshop will allow you to reimagine the future of mobility and how to rebuild our city for a sustainable future.
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Getting Around in the Seventh Century: Researching early travel in Britain, Europe and the Mediterranean
Explore the planned voyages of the Sutton Hoo ship with University of York archaeologist and Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company Chair Martin Carver, and discover how they are designed to help us learn more about the seventh century.
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Come and Sing
Immerse yourself in gorgeous harmony with a massed choir of singers as we test the idea that group singing is an effective way of forming social connections with strangers.
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Navigating Economic Storms - CANCELLED
A panel of experts discuss how the successes and failures of policy makers in the face of previous periods of economic change, both at home and abroad, can help us work out a plan to successfully navigate the economic challenges we are facing.
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Cryptorealities
Delve into the fascinating topic of cryptocurrencies with science communicator James Lees, who examines their origin, purpose and future.
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Happy Dog, Happy You
Award-winning dog groomer, TV personality and experienced dog handler Verity Hardcastle tells you everything you need to know to create a joyful friendship with your dog.
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Borka: The adventures of a goose with no feathers
Ignite Music celebrates 60 years since the publication of John Burningham’s touching tale, 'Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers', with a magical 45-minute children’s opera weaving live music, drama, singing, puppetry and animation.
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Reimagining the Changing Roles of a Research Scientist
York St John University academics and Biomedical Science students invite you to (re)discover the love of science, as they take you through the research design process to find new ways of understanding cancer and other common diseases.
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Festival Fringe Family Fun Afternoon
Join us for an afternoon of energetic, crafty, puzzling and historical fun with University of York postgraduate students and staff.
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Soapbox Science
Come and listen to top female and non-binary scientists as they take science to the streets of York - while standing on a soapbox!
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Laser-Powered ‘Puppet’
Learn about rescue robotics and discover how a laser-powered ‘puppet’ could tackle challenges of extremely harsh environments without sacrificing the mission.
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Hunting Dinosaurs in the Jurassic
Palaeontologist Phil Manning takes you on a journey to the remote badlands of Wyoming, where he and his team have been investigating a dinosaur graveyard packed with skeletons, fossilised plants and footprints.
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Curating the World’s Game: An audience with the National Football Museum
Join us for an exciting talk with Alex Jackson, Curator at the National Football Museum in Manchester.
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Researching Women in History
Join us for an exciting opportunity to conduct real-time, interactive research - choose from a Census record for The Mount School York or information about World War 1 VAD nurses.
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Re-DEAF-ining Society
Dai O’Brien and Steve Emery, lecturers in British Sign Language and Deaf Studies at York St John University, explore examples of radical politics in deaf communities and imagine how these politics can help us make our communities more accessible.
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Indoor Dig
Join archaeologist and educator Julian Richards for a fun, hands-on ‘indoor dig’ that will introduce children of primary age and above (as well as adults!) to the processes of excavation and the gathering of evidence.
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The Autonomous Robot Evolution Project
Join Edgar Buchanan of the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology to discover how University of York researchers are planning to create the first robot system that will design and produce other robots.
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How to Build a Saxon Ship: Research, decisions, techniques and rewards
Join Master Shipwright Tim Kirk to find out about the Sutton Hoo ship’s design and build, and to discover how the project celebrates Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship, the art of rowing and the possibility of power under sail.
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Sutton Hoo: Exhibition and woodwork
Join us for an exhibition and activities surrounding the seventh-century, 90ft-long Sutton Hoo ship, which was discovered in 1939 and is now being rebuilt.
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Food and Farming in Early Heslington
Join us for a day of interdisciplinary events focusing on the changing ways in which humans have lived and farmed in and around Heslington from the pre-Roman period onwards.
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Rediscover the Cold War
Come along to learn all about the story of the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire during the Cold War years.
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One Thousand Shades of Green: A year in search of Britain’s wild plants
Celebrate the beauty and diversity of our nation’s plants with ecologist, writer and BBC Countryfile presenter Mike Dilger, who discusses his mission to see 1,000 different wild plants in one calendar year.
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Rediscovering Women's Lives
Our panel of experts investigate the ways women continue to be omitted from historical records, and discuss how we can better preserve women’s stories and voices.
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Different Class: The untold story of English cricket
Sports historian Duncan Stone discusses the history and future of English cricket in relation to social class, together with Kevin Tennent and Alex Gillett of the University of York’s School for Business and Society.
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Flower Festival
Celebrate divine and earthly beauty at this year’s Flower Festival, organised by the All Saints Church in collaboration with Askham Bryan College, York.
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Institute for Safe Autonomy: Tours and activities
Participate in hands-on activities and tour the brand-new robotics laboratories and facilities at the University of York's Institute for Safe Autonomy.
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Emotional Ignorance: Lost and found in the science of emotion
Neuroscientist and bestselling author Dean Burnett puts our everyday emotions under the microscope, uncovering how, far from holding us back, they make us who we are.
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The Liars of Nature and the Nature of Liars: Cheating and deception in the living world
Join writer, scientist and educator Lixing Sun as he explores the evolution of cheating in the natural world, revealing how it has given rise to wondrous diversity.
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The Chimera Ensemble
One of the UK’s largest student-run music groups, The Chimera Ensemble, presents a scintillating programme exploring the theme of music inspired by art and colour.
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manonabeach®: What does the beach mean to you?
Join us as we talk to ‘manonabeach®’, Ian Brighouse, about his fascinating project that celebrates the elemental power of the beach, where the air, land and sea meet.
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On the Scent: Unlocking the mysteries of smell - and how its loss can change your world
Join award-winning reporters Paola Totaro and Robert Wainwright for a fascinating exploration of how losing our sense of smell can shape our world, and how the global pandemic transformed our understanding of this mysterious sense.
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Ancient DNA and the Anglo-Saxon Migration: Community and burial practice AD 450-750
Leading archaeologist Duncan Sayer of the University of Central Lancashire reveals how ancient DNA is helping us explore the movement of people in the early Middle Ages, between AD 450-750.
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The Deep Ocean: Life in the abyss
Zoologist Louise Allcock leads you down into the canyons, trenches and hydrothermal vents of the watery abyss, presenting the deep ocean and its inhabitants as you have never seen them before.
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Brain and Heart: The dynamic connection
Clinical neuropsychologist Kalliopi Megari from CITY College, University of York Europe Campus provides intriguing insights into the dynamic relationship and strong connection between the heart and the brain.
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Flower Festival
Celebrate divine and earthly beauty at this year’s Flower Festival, organised by the All Saints Church in collaboration with Askham Bryan College, York.
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Queer Futures in Science Fiction Theatre
Queer science fiction writer and researcher Bee Scott explores how science fiction plays are reinvestigating and challenging our assumptions about the future of queer life.
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Democracy Erodes From the Top: Leaders, citizens and the challenge of populism in Europe
Have your understanding of democratic politics turned upside down by political scientist Larry M. Bartels, in conversation with political analyst Jarosław Kuisz.
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The Philosophers’ Daughters
Join philosopher and theologian Peter Vardy for a lively discussion on some of life’s biggest questions, posed by his two young daughters.
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Pagans: The visual culture of pagan myths, legends and rituals
Focusing on a curated selection of pagan art and artefacts, writer and researcher Ethan Doyle White explains the complex histories of paganism and how today’s Pagans are inspired by the pre-Christian past.
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Celebrating Multilingual York: The OurLOTE project
Find out about the OurLOTE Project, a collaborative social media project celebrating languages other than English used in the City of York.
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Rumi and the Masnavi: Talk and recitation
Join Alan Williams, Emeritus Professor of Iranian Studies, for a talk including a recitation and a performance by Seyed Ali Jaberi and the Hamdel Ensemble, centring on the story of an old musician, from the first book of Rumi’s ‘Masnavi’.
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Rediscovering York’s Mint Yard
Take a journey through the Mint Yard’s centuries-old story and through York Explore's extraordinary archives.
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Neuropedia: A brief compendium of brain phenomena
Neuroscientist Eric H. Chudler explores the mysteries and marvels of the three pounds of tissue between our ears - the brain.
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Exploring the University of York Art Collection
Art curator Helena Cox introduces the hidden treasures from the University of York’s extensive and exciting art collection.
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Urban River Restoration in Action
Join community environment charity St Nicks to see river restoration in action as part of the York Cares Big Community Challenge, which aims to support river and wetland restoration at various locations across our city.
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Vain Trifles: Clothes, literature, identity
Participate in an exciting workshop on the power of clothes and their representation in literature, including creative writing exercises that will give you the opportunity to start your own piece of clothing memoir or fiction.
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Infinite Remembering: Poetry beyond love and war
A panel of literature experts discuss the first ever anthology of Sri Lankan and diasporic poetry and how it reshapes our understanding of migrational poetics.
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A New Perspective on Learning
Cognitive neuroscientist Ana B. Vivas from CITY College, University of York Europe Campus discusses a new approach to improve learning in people with cognitive impairments.
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Urban River Restoration in Action
Join community environment charity St Nicks to see river restoration in action as part of the York Cares Big Community Challenge, which aims to support river and wetland restoration at various locations across our city.
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Flower Festival
Celebrate divine and earthly beauty at this year’s Flower Festival, organised by the All Saints Church in collaboration with Askham Bryan College, York.
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When Bad Thinking Happens to Good People: How philosophy can save us from ourselves
Philosophy professor Lawrence Shapiro explains why the tools of philosophy offer a powerful antidote to today’s epidemic of irrationality.
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Performing Intimacy: Conversations and relationships in a world of social media
Authors Emily Hund and Paula Marantz Cohen discuss how social media impacts our conversations, intimacy and relationship dynamics.
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Gamelan Sekar Petak
Gamelan Sekar Petak’s student and community ensembles present a relaxed performance in the spectacular setting of York’s 15th-century Guildhall.
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42 Ways to Transform York
Hear all about York Cycle Campaign’s manifesto, ‘42 Ways’, and find out how cycling in York can be made safe, convenient and accessible for everyone.
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The Limits of Genius - CANCELLED
Science writer Katie Spalding shares the hilarious stories of celebrated historical figures that demonstrate the fine line between ‘genius’ and ‘extremely lucky idiot’.
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Invasion: Russia’s bloody war and Ukraine’s fight for survival
Award-winning Guardian journalist Luke Harding discusses the war that changed everything, talking about his experience reporting on the ground and confronting the crucial question: which side will prevail?
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Thankonomics: The value in appreciation
Find out about Thankonomics, a new concept developed by York-based author, Andrew Robshaw, who will explain how, through value and appreciation, we can challenge the fundamentals of business and economics.
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Jewish York Walking Tour
This walking tour of York will transport you back in time, allowing you to discover the stories of Jewish people who have called this city their home.
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Sculpture Trail - CANCELLED
Join us for a sculpture trail consisting of 15 sculptures, all of which are part of the University's art collection.
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To See Life as Our Ancestors Lived It: Imagining a Folk Park for York
Sally-Anne Shearn of the Borthwick Institute for Archives provides a unique look into John Bowes Morrell’s imaginative idea for preserving and presenting history by building a Folk Park for York.
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Bullingdon Club Britain: The ransacking of a nation
Writer and editor Sam Bright tells the story of how a privileged elite has emulated the infamous Oxford dining society, inflicting its debauchery and destruction on the nation to inflate its own power, money and ego.
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Tyred: The economy and ecology of waste tyres in Lagos, Nigeria
Join us for a panel discussion on urban sustainability, focusing on how waste tyres are being made into new resources in the megacity of Lagos, Nigeria.
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This Is Nothing New: Rediscovering the internet
Join us as we explore and reminisce on what the internet has been, and how this helps us build paths forward into the digital future.
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Emeralds and Ink: Rediscovering British history
From Colombian emeralds in Tudor jewellery to Black voices in 18th-century novels, Lauren Working and Olivia Carpenter of the University of York invite you to reimagine and rediscover British art and literature.
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The Spike: An epic journey through the brain in 2.1 seconds
Neuroscientist Mark Humphries takes you on an epic journey to discover what happens in our brain in a single, brief action.
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Greener Futures
Find out how a collaborative project between the Universities of York and Maastricht is helping to transform our food system through business model innovation.
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‘hidden’: Joanna
Join us for an immersive audio experience that tells the story of a digitally excluded user of mental health services, challenging you to walk in her shoes and think how you can help.
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Who Are York’s Trailblazers?
Come along to the York Trailblazers workshop to hear and share stories about local heroes that have been forgotten, ignored or overlooked, and to help shape a city-wide sculpture trail in 2024.
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Slums or Formal Housing? Looking through urban women’s eyes
Human geographer Anika Haque of the University of York discusses the importance of gender equality for sustainable development.
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Reimagining Pharmaceutical Innovation
Our expert panellists discuss how reimagining the way we incentivise drug development could lead to innovation at a reasonable price.
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Are You Being Nudged? Spotting and responding to hidden persuaders
Geoff Ashton, former Head of Employer Insight at a UK Government department, will explain the nine factors that influence people’s behaviour and lead a discussion on how these might be showing up in our daily lives.
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Sculpture Trail - CANCELLED
Join us for a sculpture trail consisting of 15 sculptures, all of which are part of the University's art collection.
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Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World
Writer and educator Philip 'Maty' Matyszak reveals the lost peoples and cultures who flourished and fought for survival alongside the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans.
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Sita: The multifaceted heroine of Ramayana
In this concert, musicians Supriya Nagarajan and Duncan Chapman take you on a wonderful journey into the world of Sita, the queen of Ayodhya and central figure in the ancient Sanskrit epic Ramayana.
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The Nature of Mindfulness in Buddhism
Join Peter Harvey, teacher of mindfulness of breathing and scholar of Buddhism, to find out more about mindfulness as understood in Buddhist philosophy.
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From Cave to Cosmos: YPS science in York
Discussing her book, ‘From Cave to Cosmos: A History of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society’, author Sarah Sheils will explore the ideas and scientists forming part of the society’s distinguished 200-year-long history.
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How to Speak Whale: A voyage into the future of animal communication
Join wildlife filmmaker Tom Mustill for a thrilling investigation into the pioneering world of animal communication, where big data and artificial intelligence are changing our relationship with animals forever.
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Winters in the World: A journey through the Anglo-Saxon year
Medievalist Eleanor Parker of the University of Oxford explores the fascinating history of Anglo-Saxon festivals, customs and traditions linked to the different seasons.
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Communicating About Bodies During Childbirth
This workshop, hosted by University of York sociologists, will explore how women communicate their body sensations during labour, and the ways in which midwives respond.
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Reimagining Cartimandua: The original Queen Guinevere?
Join historian Gillian Waters for an exploration of a love triangle that may have been the inspiration for the medieval Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot stories.
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Social Justice, Inequality and the Question of Ownership
Focusing on democratic ownership solutions, our expert panel reflects on what it would look like to have economic institutions that worked to reduce inequality and create a more democratic economy.
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Their Finest Hour
Bring your family’s WWII stories and objects to this Digital Collection Day hosted by ‘Their Finest Hour’, a nationwide campaign to digitally preserve the stories and objects of the Second World War.
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Fearless: Adventures with extraordinary women
Join BBC presenter and Team GB triathlete Louise Minchin for a celebration of adventurous, brave, courageous women who are doing extraordinary things through sport, exercise and a love of the great outdoors.
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Ancient Greek ‘Oral’ Histories: Old flames, new science
Archaeological chemist Stephen Buckley reveals the unexpected tales preserved on ancient Greeks’ teeth, showing how their chemical ‘fingerprints’ provide the earliest evidence for the use of coal in the western world.
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War Horse: The concert
Come along for a powerful performance of 'War Horse', one of the most beloved books by renowned British children’s author Michael Morpurgo, in concert here with Ben Murray.
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Egypt in North Yorkshire
Egyptologist Jo Fletcher introduces you to some of North Yorkshire’s wonderful Egyptian treasures.
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Once More, With Feeling!
Curator and music expert Claire McGinn will explore whether it might be possible to play ‘expressively’ with mechanical instruments, which haven’t always been taken seriously in the history of performance.
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York’s Medieval City Walls
(Re)discover York’s medieval city walls with archaeologist Barry Crump, who will make you see our city’s iconic landmark in a new light.
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Shoes: An illustrated history
From chopines to stilettos and Louis XIV to Louboutin, Senior Shoe Curator Rebecca Shawcross takes you on a fascinating journey exploring the history of shoes, from antiquity to the present.
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Who Shot Van Gogh? Facts and counterfacts about the world’s most famous artist
This illustrated talk by Alan Turnbull, author of Who Shot Van Gogh?, follows the extraordinary story of his Sunflower paintings - from the artist’s easel to a London auction house a hundred years later.
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Hands of Time: A watchmaker’s history - CANCELLED
Discover the hidden world of watchmaking with award-winning designer, watchmaker and historian Rebecca Struthers, who will reveal the ways in which timekeeping has shaped our attitudes to work, leisure, politics, and more.
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Back to the Moon: The next giant leap for humankind
Renowned astrophysicist Joseph Silk discusses his inspiring vision of our return to the Moon and the importance of prioritising science in lunar exploration.
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Imagining England’s Past: Inspiration, enchantment, obsession
Art historian and curator Susan Owens takes a look at England’s invented histories, from the glamorous to the disturbing, from the eighth century to the present day.
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Picking a Partner in Medieval York
Find out about medieval ‘dating’ culture in York in this entertaining and engaging performance including a Q&A session with experts from the University of York’s Department of History.
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Rediscover D-Day
Join the East Yorkshire Regiment Living History Group to find out about the men, kit and vehicles involved in the 1944 Normandy landings.
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Toy Stories
Kids, join us for an interactive workshop that will give you the unique chance to turn your favourite toy into the star of a fully-animated short film.
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A Pilgrimage of Sound
Join us for an evocative journey through the acoustic world of 16th-century York that will allow you to view our city’s rich natural heritage from a fresh perspective.
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Anna Phoebe: Sea Souls
Come along to experience the comfort and inspiration of the ocean, beautifully conveyed by violinist and composer Anna Phoebe, who will be joined by Klara Schumann and Jacob Kingsbury Downs.
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Great Kingdoms of Africa
From ancient Egypt and Nubia to the Zulu Kingdom almost two thousand years later, learn about Africa’s rich political and social history.
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Vampyres: A literary anthology
From Dracula to Twilight, explore the history of vampires in literature with award-winning broadcaster, writer, art educator and cultural historian Christopher Frayling.
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A Turbulent Entanglement: German-Greek relations
This intriguing talk examines the circulation of Modern Greek literature in Germany and how specific publishers enact German-Greek cultural relations.
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As Good as a Marriage: The Anne Lister diaries
Award-winning writer and historian Jill Liddington discusses Anne Lister’s 1836-38 diaries, focusing on Anne’s relationship with wealthy local heiress Ann Walker.
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Whiteness, Religion and Food Banks
University of York researcher and activist Maddy Power exposes the inner workings of Britain’s food banks, revealing how religion structures food distribution and how Whiteness shapes the daily practices of food banks.
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The Uncomfortable York Tour
Travel back in time on this guided walking tour focusing on York’s industrial heritage and its colonial significance as ‘chocolate city’.
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How to Have a Good Death
Explore issues about ‘end of life’ with our expert panellists, including Yorkshire author Colin Philpott.
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Pride Parade and Festival
Come and celebrate inclusivity and diversity with us at North Yorkshire’s biggest annual LGBTQ+ event, which returns with a colour-filled parade and festival.
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Research in UK and French Creative Industries
Join our panellists from France and the UK as they discuss their experiences of cultural regeneration, examples of best practice and new approaches to research, creation and innovation.
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Discovery Zone
Join us in York city centre for lots of fun and family-friendly hands-on activities, and discover some of the exciting research being carried out in York.
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Your Heritage, Your Story
Our panel introduces a University of York project that challenges dominant, white, middle-class storytelling in archaeology and heritage, and spotlights the everyday stories of people who have immigrated to the UK.
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The World at Your Feet
Join David Raffaelli, ecologist and Trustee at Woodmeadow Trust, to learn about the partnerships between fungi, flowering plants and trees, and to discover how strange and familiar animals keep our soils, and our planet, healthy.
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Toy Stories
Kids, join us for an interactive workshop that will give you the unique chance to turn your favourite toy into the star of a fully-animated short film.
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Rediscovering the Dead of Roman York
Rediscover the archaeological treasures of Roman York in this fascinating panel discussion, which focuses on a Roman burial custom that, until recently, was shrouded in mystery.
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Ligeti Quartet x Anna Meredith
The innovative Ligeti Quartet returns to York to present a ground-breaking new project with University of York alumna Anna Meredith, which marks the thrilling alignment of the two camps’ aesthetics.
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Africa and Europe: Reversing points of view
Our experts explore the complex dynamics between Africa and Europe, and the deeply-rooted social and political challenges that, if better understood, could pave the way for better collaborations and dialogue.
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Who Gets to Imagine the Future?
Join our panellists as they discuss the importance of imagination and hope in supporting a transition away from an economic model in which poverty continues to rise.
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Another World Is Possible
Join us as we discuss how we can grow our collective ability to imagine a future free from poverty, to reshape economic and social models driving inequality.
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Poverty in the UK
Tom Clark, editor of 'Broke: Fixing Britain’s Poverty Crisis' leads a discussion about the scale of poverty, its impact and consequences, and the inequality in Britain today.
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Explore!
Come along to explore space in virtual reality! Discover the Martian landscape, fly over a moon of Saturn, wonder at the scale of space and experience what it might feel like to be an astronaut.
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Explore!
Come along to explore space in virtual reality! Discover the Martian landscape, fly over a moon of Saturn, wonder at the scale of space and experience what it might feel like to be an astronaut.
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Mona Lisa and the Others
Join us for an entertaining workshop with children’s author Alice Harman, who will provide a witty introduction to the Louvre Museum’s many masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa.