Talks

Join our expert speakers as they explore the complex causes and dramatic consequences of the invasions and regime change of 1066. How was Norman power imposed on England, particularly in the north?

What should children eat and why? Discover how childhood and food have shaped each other through history – and still do – with writers Deborah Albon and Amy Palmer.

Join Sian Williams, broadcast journalist and counselling psychologist, for tips, expert research and stories from those who’ve learnt how to ride the worry wave to thrive.

In Finnish mythology, lintukoto describes a paradise-like place at the far edge of the world. Meet Henna Asikainen, the artist behind an installation that reinterprets this myth for the Anthropocene - a time of ecological collapse and displacement.

As our society ages, questions of how we care for our loved ones are more urgent than ever. Join authors Caleb Klaces and JT Welsch for a vital, compassionate conversation about navigating the ‘final chapters’ and the ethics of care in later life

Historian and broadcaster Anna Whitelock offers a panoramic history of the arrival of the Stuarts, revealing how the reign of King James I saw England reach new corners of the globe.

Join Jonathan Brockbank of the University of York as he explores two fictional responses to the bombardment of Scarborough in 1914 - Osbert Sitwell's Before the Bombardment and Winifred Holtby's The Crowded Streets.

What exactly happens in the therapy room between client and therapist? Retired psychotherapist Michael Guilding lifts the lid on the process of counselling and psychotherapy.

Obstetrician James Drife explores the history of maternity care from the era of untrained midwives through to the introduction of national maternity care and beyond.

Discover the impact of art as a form of protest at an event highlighting gender-based violence. Join Melissa Chacón and Harriet Gray of the University of York and Mora Fernández of La Casa Mandarina, Mexico City.

Go behind the scenes of the Channel 5 drama All Creatures Great and Small with its Script Executive Donna Metcalfe and the series’ historical consultant Mark Roodhouse.

Join psychologist Karisha George and find out how to turn setbacks into superpowers, transforming past experiences into the confidence you need to boldly take up space.

Join historian Jane Draycott as she reclaims the life story of Fulvia, one of the most powerful women of the late Roman Republic.

Join British Museum curator Rachel King and discover the Tudor Heart, a unique 24-carat-gold pendant linked to Henry VIII and his first wife Katherine of Aragon.

Join us for a special screening of the documentary film Rave on for the Avon, a powerful exploration of people’s deep connections to rivers, followed by a panel discussion.

Join award-winning journalist and presenter Clive Myrie as he discusses his deeply personal journey filming the BBC series African Adventure.

How do decision makers decide what the NHS should pay for new medicines? What factors are likely to influence the price? Find out with researchers from York Health Economics Consortium.

With a new series of Riot Women in production, BAFTA-winning creator Sally Wainwright discusses the origins of the hit BBC drama.

Join theoretical physicist Patricia Ribes Metidieri of the University of York as she reveals the fascinating links between the origins of our cosmos and the frontiers of quantum technology.

Do popular films nail psychology, or is it just movie magic? Join expert researchers for a deep dive into some well-known films as they unpack the real science of emotion, memory and behaviour.

Join historian Katherine Harvey for a fresh look at medieval wellness as she sheds light on the practical and surprisingly relatable ways medieval individuals cared for body and mind.

Discover more about the life and legacy of pioneering volcanologist Tempest Anderson and learn about the latest research into volcanoes with Rebecca Williams of the University of Hull.

Discover how gardens support memories, identity and social connections through a talk and exhibition sharing the ‘garden stories’ of people living with dementia at home.

Enjoy a visual celebration of our perception of the cosmos across centuries and cultures with broadcaster and collector Dallas Campbell.

Peel back the layers of York’s hidden history with archaeologist John Creighton and discover what ground penetrating radar has revealed about the evolution of York.

In 1939, Sutton Hoo revealed a ghostly 27m ship imprint in the sand. Martin Carver, Director of Research at Sutton Hoo, explores the reconstruction of this 7th-century vessel and planned trials to put it back on the water.

Psychologist and neuroscientist Dusana Dorjee provides an evidence-based roadmap for those looking for more effective ways to support primary school pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.

Hear the extraordinary true story of Mir Rahimi’s perilous journey from Afghanistan to the UK as a 13-year-old and his search for a better life and education.

Join leading expert on extremism Cynthia Miller-Idriss as she reveals how an explosion of misogyny is driving a surge of mass and far-right violence throughout the West.

What is sound heritage and why does it matter? Join Mariana J López of the University of York as she introduces methods for studying the sounds of the past and explains its role in creating immersive museum and online experiences.

Join James Ratcliffe of Bootham School for a journey through the renaissance to modern mathematics, including the works of Riemann, Turing and Fry Richardson. Where will maths go next?

Sociologist Julia Sonnevend examines the use and weaponisation of charm in global politics - the everyday magic spell that politicians cast using mass and social media.

Mysterious, roguish and endlessly lovable. From ancient gods to witches' familiars, writer Charlie Creed explores the global folklore of our beloved feline friends.

Come learn about and see a demo of the BEYOND training tool, a serious game supporting individuals and organisations who work to address harm and need in war.

Join historian Alec Ryrie for a fresh take on modern history and pop culture as he examines our Nazi fixation and the unravelling of post-war moral consensus today.

Join historian Sadiah Qureshi of the University of Manchester as she explains that extinction is both a natural process and an unnatural human act.

Lost in Joyce? Postgraduate researcher Chris Wogan of the University of York reveals how you can use trees as your map, including for his most difficult texts, Ulysses and Finnegans Wake.

Join historian Justin M Jacobs as he challenges the widely accepted belief that many of Western museums’ treasures were acquired by imperialist plunder and theft.

York’s affordability crisis is pushing people and communities out of the city. Learn how YorSpace aims to challenge this by developing co-operative, community-owned models.

In our increasingly digital world, what even is real life? Siobhan Dunlop of the University of York and Susan Halfpenny of the University of Strathclyde explore the ever-changing (even disappearing) distinction between digital and physical worlds.

As artificial intelligence tools become embedded in scientific research, AI specialist Claire Malone asks: is AI extending the power of human curiosity - or reshaping it?

From the shifting face of the Moon to constellations that return with the seasons, astronomer Emily Brunsden and science communicator Chris Stewart invite you to look up and explore with your eyes, curiosity and a sense of awe.

Moving from myth through history to contemporary popular culture, writer Kevin Wetmore explores cannibal monsters and ghouls that feast on human flesh.

Friends. Lovers. Therapists. ‘Deathbots’. Sociologist James Muldoon explores what happens to our relationships with each other as AI enters our personal lives.

Join us for an educational walk and some Himalayan balsam bashing. Help protect the important habitats on Fulford Ings by removing the invasive plant, minimising its spread across our watercourses and floodplains.

Acclaimed economist John Rapley reveals how rich countries can grow their own economies by helping poor countries to decarbonise - and in the process, mitigate the effects of climate change.

In a world of ‘brain rot’ and digital noise from ads, Chrysopigi Vardikou of the University of York Europe Campus examines how we protect our free will.

From Asia to the Americas, historian Lauren Benton provides a sweeping account of how small wars shaped global order in the age of empires, redefining war and peace.

Learn how the Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management has established the York Minster Precinct as a world-class campus facility for research, education and training in traditional craft skills.

Join Bruno Carvalho of Harvard University for a kaleidoscopic and original new history of urbanisation, from Lisbon to New York, Paris to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires to Lagos.

Specialists in playful learning explore how new or ‘hacked’ games can enhance adult learning experiences and add value to organisations’ in-person training sessions.

Kalliopi Megari of the University of York Europe Campus examines the effects of ‘safe places’ on the cognitive and emotional processing of people with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dive into the stubbornly unplaceable world of King Lear with Namratha Rao and James Williams of the University of York as they explore one of Shakespeare’s greatest works.

What has happened to Britain? Historian A G Hopkins argues the country’s current problems stem from 1980s US-style deregulation and privatisation, and a move away from social democracy.

BBC cyber correspondent Joe Tidy presents an exposé of the global rise of teen hackers, drawing on his exclusive interviews with gang members and the police officers trying to stop them.

Join Yorkshire Wildlife Trust for a captivating event uncovering Askham Bog’s 15,000 year geological origins, its unique layers of ancient history and its status as one of the region’s most ecologically diverse wildlife havens.

Which Shakespeare play speaks to our moment in the early 21st century? Hamlet? Not according to Emma Smith of the University of Oxford who proposes an alternative.

What can we learn from our canine friends? Philosopher Mark Rowlands explores the way dogs experience the world to bring us closer to an understanding of ourselves.

Life’s endings can be just as fascinating and varied as life itself. Ricard Solé of Pompeu Fabra University, Spain, offers a scientific exploration of the varied forms, origins and meanings of death.

Welcome to Mr Kendrew's printing shop on Colliergate - a true family enterprise in early 19th-century York. Step back in time and explore some of the pamphlets, primers, ballads and children's chapbooks produced there.

Join us for a challenge against the clock as competing finalists each have just three minutes to outline the power of their research in the annual York Three Minute Thesis competition.

Struggling with joint pain or insomnia? You aren’t alone. Drawing on personal experience, Dame Kelly Holmes shares tips on managing middle age and the menopause.

Enjoy a unique event where storytellers from the Global Majority - who live, study or work in York - take centre stage to share their experiences with climate change, ecological shifts and resilience.

From Cleopatra to Grace Kelly, join historian and best-selling author Kate Williams for an epic new history of royal women that shatters the myths we have built around them.

Step inside the history of Heslington Hall in the 18th century, to learn about the Hesketh and Yarburgh families, their 18th-century gardens and life in 18th-century York.

York Conservation Trust's Heritage Manager Dav Smith explores the development of the Trust and outlines its ambitious ten-year plan to revitalise York’s heritage buildings in its care.

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

Step into the world of traditional craftsmanship and discover the skills that have shaped our built heritage for centuries through demonstrations, hands-on activities and conservation talks with Pinnacle Conservation.

Historian Siân Broadhurst discusses the mid-20th century challenge of the pioneering York garden village, New Earswick, to protect and sustain community in a rapidly changing world.

Join sustainability expert David Trousdale for a practical look at the journey of installing EV charge points, from initial planning to full operation, highlighting the key stakeholders at each stage.

Step into a vanished age as historian Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones brings the world’s first and most illustrious metropolis, Babylon, vividly to life.

Discover how and why Britain's best-loved writer styled herself as the consummate craftswoman through a wide-ranging, illustrated talk on Jane Austen's novels and needlework.

Join Kenneth Clarke and Jane Raisch of the University of York as they examine examples of facsimiles of manuscripts of the work of Virgil and Dante and consider how the facsimile itself has changed over time.

Join Lizzy Spencer, Director of the Institute for the Public Understanding of the Past, for an introduction to the field of Public History, its development and the key questions which face public historians today.

Hear readings from Voices of Resistance, a powerful collection of diaries from four Gazan women, and join in the discussion with one of the writers, the editor and local Palestinian figures.

Ever since the dawn of the sound era, Hollywood has made a series of elaborate feature films about the lives of the great visual artists. Join us for a richly illustrated journey into Tinsel Town’s history of art with writer Christopher Frayling.

Explore how 18th-century domestic travel rose to rival the famous European Grand Tour with Jim Watt and Alison O’Byrne of the University of York.

Discover how heritage can help resolve some of the world's most urgent and complex problems with archaeologist John Schofield of the University of York.

Join Emma Major of the University of York as she discusses some key examples of 18th-century gardening trends, including the fashion for grottoes and Chinese gardens.

Could stigmatising ultra-processed foods be doing more harm than good? Public health nutritionist Beverley O'Hara argues framing foods as inherently ‘dangerous’ risks distorting the science and may have unintended consequences.

Did you know that the world’s most expensive coffee is produced through the digestive tract of an animal? Now imagine that animal is human. Join us for a mind-bending exploration of consumption, ethics and embodiment.

Join postgraduate researchers Zulekha Samiullah and Hugh Barrett to discover how much ‘quantum’ is around you and how these wonders weave into everyday life, from supercomputers to the tech that will reshape our cities.

Colin Beale of the University of York explores how protected areas safeguard our future, why every natural ‘church’ and ‘cathedral’ matters, and how we can collectively decide what to pass on to the next generation.

Discover the 'real' story of what happened when Henry VIII and Katherine Howard visited York in 1541 with building historian and archaeologist Kate Giles.

In a time of intense dissatisfactions and spiralling divisions, psychoanalyst Josh Cohen offers a new and original understanding of anger, so we may better handle the rage within us.

Join digital artist and researcher Guy Schofield of the University of York to discover how videogame technologies are revolutionising the world of heritage.

Explore how virtual tech reconstructs historic sites like Egypt’s Hawara Pyramid and Nottingham Castle. Join our talk and demo to tour hidden chambers and underground caves that are otherwise invisible to the eye.

Two great cities. One fierce rivalry. Join historian Adrian Goldsworthy to discover more about Athens and Sparta, the two big players in Ancient Greece.

Discover how data-driven decisions are revolutionising every facet of football - from player performance evaluation to scouting and strategy development.

What might extraterrestrial life be like and how are we trying to find it? What could it mean if we did? Mike Shaw of Bootham School presents an exploration of the search for life beyond the Earth.

Inspired by All Saints North Street windows, discover fascinating stories of what happened in bed in the Middle Ages with historian Hollie Morgan.

From trade and taxes to industry and animals, discover the rich history and stories of York’s city walls with Barry Crump of the University of York.

Discover how combining heritage crafting and outdoor natural spaces can offer a powerful way to boost our mental health and resilience.

Join historian Will Tullett as he explores the smells that 20th-century British people valued, sought to preserve and which helped them to make sense of their worlds.

Join writer Joanna Bourke for a critical, comparative history of five of the most reviled women in the modern Anglophone world: Hindley, West, Wuornos, Homolka and Tucker.

Join Michael White, Head of History of Art at the University of York, for a talk accompanying an inspiring exhibition in the Heslington Hall gallery dedicated to the artist John Langton (1932-2025).

Discover the remarkable legacies of David Whitaker and Terrance Dicks, two giants of Doctor Who and British popular culture, with biographer Simon Guerrier and enjoy exclusive insights into their work from their own archives at the University of

Although she is known the world over for her words, Anne Lister, the lesbian diarist of Halifax, was also a committed musician. Join us to learn about the importance of music-making in her life.

Join Robert Nichols, editor and host of Middlesbrough FCs fanzine and internet chat forum, as he reflects on his work championing the people’s game and looks forward to this year’s FIFA World Cup.

Join writer Brigid Ehrmantraut for a captivating introduction to Celtic magic as she reveals its integration into daily life from antiquity to the Middle Ages.

Join historian Debbie Kilroy as she tells the story of our nation from 1603 to 1945 through some of the MPs who made history – for all the wrong reasons.

Join Nicola Sturgeon, the longest-serving First Minister of Scotland, as she reflects on her remarkable career in an era marked by Brexit, Covid and five different UK prime ministers.

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.

What is it that so fascinates us about the places where writers live and create? Join writer Katie da Cunha Lewin as she dismantles the familiar furniture of the writer’s room and opens it up to view.

Why, how and where do we inter our dead? From the earliest known burial sites to today’s green burials, author Roger Luckhurst presents a wonderfully illustrated cultural history of graves and graveyards.

Join writers Eleanor Bruce and Lucilla Gray on a metal detecting journey through Britain as they share their fascination with unearthing historic artefacts.

Join Benito Aubry of the University of York for a cosmic odyssey as he explores what we understand – and don’t understand – about space and time today.

Māori author Tina Makereti discusses the significance of place to Indigenous literatures at an event featuring readings from her work.

Historian Pat Cullum explores the complicated map of barriers and jurisdictions that made up the city of York, focussing on the development of the parish of Holy Trinity, Goodramgate from the Norman Conquest to the Reformation.

Hear the powerful true story of how journalist Matt Blake discovered his new house was once the lair of the E17 Nightstalker. Join him as he discusses his scientific quest to make sense of the paranormal and find peace at home.

Join the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Senior Curator Louise Devoy as she charts the development of Britain’s first state-funded scientific institution, from its founding by royal warrant to the present day.

Join acclaimed author Alexander McCall Smith, creator of the iconic No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, for an in-conversation event as he discusses his work and the importance of kindness.

Oasis, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, James: the Mancunian music scene is legendary. Join ultimate industry insiders Mike Pickering and John Robb for a journey through Manchester’s musical soul.

Discover how science fiction is becoming reality as astronomers uncover thousands of incredible worlds in our galaxy with astrophysicist Emily Brunsden and science communicator Chris Stewart.

Planetary health sees Earth as a living system. Pim Martens of Maastricht University explores why actively regenerating nature, not just doing less harm, is vital for human and non-human life.

Join Katie Harrison from York Consortium for Craft and Conservation and piano restorer Tom Binns for a talk exploring what can happen to old pianos when their upkeep becomes too expensive. How can we reimagine them and transform them for reuse?

Lydia Kennaway, Poet-in-Residence at Thin Ice Press, introduces The Marker Committee, a collection of poems addressing the ephemerality of the written word.

Guy James, a founding member of The Gesualdo Six, explains how the acclaimed vocal ensemble investigates interacting traditions across renaissance Europe in their programming.

Take a journey across time and space and explore the history of medieval Britain through the biographies of illuminated manuscripts and their creators with author Michelle P Brown.

Join Mumta Ito, author of the UK Nature's Rights Bill, and learn more about this bold legal framework that puts nature’s health first, ensuring our laws and economy work within the planet's limits, not against them.

You used to see a doctor. Now you go online. Journalist Deborah Cohen reveals the truth behind Ozempic influencers, AI-powered diagnoses, ‘preventative’ screening and Instagram’s favourite wearable tech.

Is pop megastar Taylor Swift an eco-icon or an environmental villain? Elly McCausland of Ghent University, Belgium, dives into the friction between the star’s massive carbon footprint and her ability to tackle ‘plant blindness’ through song.

Discover the pleasures and surprises of Viking verse, with poetry about journeys and landscapes, halls and battlefields, and the many places of the Viking world, with Alicia Maddalena and Matt Townend of the University of York.

Aged five, writer Sanjoy Roy encountered his first spirit in his ancestral house in Calcutta. Since then, he has come across a variety of apparitions, spectres and phantoms. Join him for a fascinating travelogue through the supernatural world.

Join archaeologist Colm O'Brien as he explores themes of landscape, power, creativity and intellect in Early Medieval Northumbria – the age of Lindisfarne and Bede.

Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) a Hollywood-style threat or a tool we can trust? Join experts from the University of York’s CDT in Safe AI (SAINTS) to explore how chatbots have changed the conversation.

Experience an afternoon of poetry and music at St Nicks Nature Reserve as Jonathan Brockbank and Freya Sierhuis of the University of York explore the life and work of the Romantic poet John Clare.

For centuries Stonehenge has been the subject of fascination and speculation. Archaeologist Julian Richards explores Stonehenge's 'old rocks' and the theories that have emerged from newly available information.

Discover the 1911 scandal around horse racing tips that saw the Joseph Rowntree Social Service Trust branded a ‘moral cesspool’. Sue Mendus of the University of York digs into the archives to investigate.

Join Stuart Rose, a veteran of British retail, as he shares insights into his career and thoughts about the future of the UK economy.

Join Richard Gale, an internationally renowned expert in medical diseases of the retina, as he focuses on the critical question: how much vision can be saved in the future?

Join Simon Wilde, cricket correspondent for the Sunday Times, as he takes a compelling new look at the untold story behind one of English sport’s oldest records.

York Art Gallery’s exhibition, Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print, explores over 300 years of printmaking in Japan. Dig deeper into the exhibition’s themes at a special event celebrating Japanese art and history.

Join authors Nandini Das and William Dalrymple for an in-conversation event as they discuss the merchants, migrants, sailors and spies who moved between Tudor and Stuart England and India.

It’s full steam ahead with children’s author Michael Morpurgo as he reads from his much-loved book 'Flying Scotsman and the Best Birthday Ever' - from a locomotive!

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.

Historian Victoria Whitworth presents a new account of one of the most famous and mysterious manuscripts in the world, The Book of Kells.

Enjoy spoken passages from the writings of Anne Lister and her contemporaries interwoven with live performances of music from her own collection at an intimate concert in the glorious setting of York Mansion House.

Journalist Karen Bartlett offers a searing insight into the challenges of safely building a new life overseas and the captive fate of women in Afghanistan.

Join York Community Energy (YCE) on a short guided walk around some of the key sites in York’s energy story, followed by a discussion about the priorities for the energy future of the city’s most important spaces.

Discover the portraits of early modern astronomers, anatomists and natural historians, and explore how images shape scientific identity with Irina Tautschnig of the University of York.

Find out about a York community creative writing project that used ‘thrutopia’ fiction as an alternative to dystopian/doom-laden narratives about climate change.

Discover York’s evolving history of medicine and mental health, and explore how ideas of illness, treatment and control have shaped the city and the lives of its people.

From Victorian jet to modern lab-grown diamonds, Sarah Steele, Curator of Jet at Whitby Museum, discusses why some ‘forever’ gems are measured in catastrophe, not carats.