Panel discussions

What makes a successful city centre? Join our diverse panel of design leaders and urban visionaries to help shape a city centre that’s inclusive, accessible and future proof for all.

With Astronomer Royal for Scotland Catherine Heymans and cosmologist Carlos Frenk, our panel asks where our knowledge, gleaned from our own small blue planet, fits in the vastness of an ever-expanding universe.

Join our expert panel as they debate if it’s possible to imagine new spaces and places into existence in ways that are sympathetic to the needs of future generations while respecting our heritage and environment.

Generative AI is throwing recruitment into chaos. Our expert panel asks: are we witnessing a recruitment revolution or descending into a stalemate of AI assessing AI?

With thousands of Britons taking the plunge, our expert panel dives into the psychology and mental health benefits of cold-water swimming.

Could board games help save the planet? From flooding to climate action, join us to find out how innovative games are addressing climate change and biodiversity loss.

Step aboard and explore how rail is enabling a cleaner, greener way to travel across the UK at our special Festival Focus event presented in partnership with train operator LNER.

From smart clothing and climate resilience to lunar living, the scholars from the US-UK Fulbright Commission’s awards invite you to hear about their groundbreaking research in the UK on adapting to changing world(s).

Join our panel of experts as they decode the chemical cocktail in our waterways and share actionable steps we can all take to restore the health of our rivers.

Democracy is in the dock. Looking back at its origins, was the system always flawed? Our keynote speaker, Big Tech insider-turned-critic Dex Hunter-Torricke takes to the stand, followed by other expert witnesses.

As AI increasingly becomes a fixture of social care and our daily lives, our expert panel discusses how we ensure it’s safe for older adults.

Digital disruption, the rise of authoritarianism and polarisation, a failure to deliver for marginalised groups and future generations. We discuss if democracy is fundamentally incapable of navigating 21st century threats.

Is democracy dead or just in need of an upgrade? Join this citizens’ jury to put our political system on trial. Hear expert testimony on radical, hyper-local alternatives and cast your verdict on whether democracy can be reclaimed or replaced.

How can York and North Yorkshire become the premier region for investment and new opportunities in the UK? Join in the discussion with our expert speakers.

Where will the next generation of high-quality jobs in York and North Yorkshire come from? Join us for a dynamic session spotlighting the ‘growth opportunity trio’ – BioTech, RailTech and CreaTech.

Our expert panel discusses how regional collaboration can ensure economic success isn’t just a headline, but a reality for every York and North Yorkshire neighbourhood.

In the run up to the Space Summit in Paris this year, our panel of experts from France and the UK explores the scientific, geopolitical, security, environmental, and societal issues and challenges related to space exploration.

125 years on from Seebohm Rowntree’s landmark study of poverty in York, our panel discusses new research to explore wealth, looking at who owns land, housing and assets, and how that shapes everyday life.

Could York and North Yorkshire become a national beacon for community wealth building, reshaping who owns, controls and benefits from the local economy? Join members of the Mayoral Community Wealth Building Commission.

Step back in time and explore 90 years of the Joseph Rowntree Theatre as you discover the remarkable story of one of York’s most cherished cultural institutions.