MEET OUR GUEST PROGRAMMERS

DR RACHEL CLARKE: HOPE IN THE DARK

In an age of anxiety, disinformation and war, where do we find the chinks of light? The reasons for hope and belief that things can be better? I am thrilled to be curating a series of events on the theme of finding hope in dark times with four exceptionally engaged and inspiring writers: Jon Snow, Henry Marsh, Charlotte Higgins and Polly Morland. We’ll be discussing courage, creativity, love and human connection in Ukraine, on hospital wards, in GP surgeries and on camera in war zones and across the world. Join us!

CATHY RENTZENBRINK: HOW TO FEEL BETTER

Life, death, love and literature. What else is there? What a privilege to curate a series of events that I hope will be stimulating, moving, hopeful and even a bit funny. I’ll be interviewing Kit de Waal, Cariad Lloyd and Katherine May, and talking about the comfort and joy of reading with Nic Bottomley at Mr B’s. My friend the singer Kate Dimbleby will join me to explore how to feel better with words and song and I will be doing my best to get everyone writing at a workshop at The American Museum. Hope to see you there.

Sarah Shaffi Literature Programmer

Fiction has the power to whisk us to new worlds, teach us and comfort us. Above all, I believe, it has the power to entertain, just like a film or a piece of music. Whether we’re laughing, crying, heartbroken or uplifted, we’re being entertained. And this year, we’ve got some of the best fiction authors – the best entertainers – as part of our programme, from romance expert Bolu Babalola in conversation with debut novelist Liv Little, to literary fiction masters Caleb Azumah Nelson and Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, to Joanne Harris, who can turn her hand to so many genres. Whoever you see, and I hope you see them all and more, I know you’ll be entertained.

Collections

With over 130 events we know it can be overwhelming to find the events for you!

So we collate the events into 12 collections, here are just some of them – find all of them on our website thebathfestival.org.uk

Classical Music Rising Stars

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

LUNCHTIME LECTURES