“The cure to boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity”
Dorothy Parker
A Festival to Ignite Ideas
12- 28 March 2026
Curiosity opens doors. It sharpens our attention, expands our empathy, strengthens our resilience and connects us to one another.
For two weeks, writers, poets, film makers, musicians, creatives, thinkers, performers and everyday question-askers gather across Bath to share stories, spark conversations and discover ideas that lift us out of our usual patterns.Some of our lineup are already making waves whilst others are rising stars, but all of them are here because they have something original to share. This is a festival as diverse as the ideas and voices shaping it.
Names appearing this year include: Don McCullin & Mariella Frostrup, Cerys Matthews, Nussaibah Younis, John Crace, Paul Dolan, Hollie McNish, Guy Chambers, Dr Gavin Francis, Kiran Millwood Hargreave, Helen McGinn, Jonathan Porritt & Monica Feria Tinta, Larry Lamb, Anthony Anaxagorou, Tessa Hadley, Dr Jack Mosley, Andrew Ziminski, Claudia Hammond and many more….
Tickets are on sale at the end of January. Please come along, spread the word and join us in championing curiosity!
The State We’re In
Big questions about the world we’re living in now. From politics, media and climate change to belonging, disagreement and technology, this strand brings together journalists, thinkers and activists to explore how we got here and how curiosity might help us respond with more care, clarity and imagination.
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Who Belongs? Britain and the Small Boats Debate with Horatio Clare and Nicola Kelly
14 March | BRLSI
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What happens when local news disappears?
21 March | BRLSI
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How can we best defend our planet? with Jonathon Porritt and Monica Feria Tinta
19 March | St Swithin’s Church
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How Does This Government Thing Work Again? with John Crace
20 March | St Swithin’s Church
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Gentle Angry Women + Director Q&A
22 March | The Little Theatre Cinema
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How To Talk To AI (And How Not To) with Jamie Bartlett
24 March | BRLSI
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How To Stop Hating the People We Disagree With? with Paul Dolan
24 March | BRLSI
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Women of Ukraine: Stories of War with Yuliia Ilkayha and Felicity Spector
26 March | St Swithin’s Church
Wellbeing Without the Woo-Woo
Thoughtful, grounded conversations about mental health, resilience and modern life without clichés, quick fixes or false promises. This strand explores what it really means to be well in complex times, tackling digital overload, body image, anxiety and emotional resilience with curiosity, compassion and evidence-led thinking.
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Food Noise: Weight Loss Drugs, Cravings and the Future of Eating with Dr Jack Mosley
12 March | St Swithin’s Church
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The Unfragile Mind: What Does it Mean to be Well with Dr Gavin Francis
14 March | BRLSI
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Contrast Therapy: Exploring Heat, Cold & Resilience
22 March | TONIQ
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How Can We Face Big Change and Come Back Stronger? with Helen Thorn
27 March | Elim Church
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Why Does Modern Life Often Feel Too Much? with Claudia Hammond
28 March | BRLSI
Hidden Stories
Uncovering the overlooked, the forgotten and the quietly radical. Through walking tours, talks, films and conversations, this strand reveals hidden histories, unheard voices and alternative perspectives. A chance to see familiar places, and the world around us, differently.
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Movie at the Museum: Man with a Movie Camera
13 March | Museum of Bath Architecture
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Molly Taylor and Early Women Architects in Bath - Walking Tour with Dr Amy Frost
14 March | Abbey Green
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Exploring the Other Side of the River - Walking Tour
15 March | Laura Place
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Movie at the Museum: Uncommon Voices - Exploring Class in New British Cinema
15 March | Museum of Bath at Work
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LGBTQ+ Lives Behind Net Curtains with John Grindrod
21 March | BRLSI
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Movie at the Museum: Almost Liverpool 8
25 March | Holburne Museum
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The Sack of Julian Road - A Walking Tour with Dr Amy Frost
21 March | No 1 Royal Crescent
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Sudan: Voices, Advocacy and Cultural Memory: A Conversation with Yassmin Abdel-Magied
28 March | Fairfield House
An Evening Out
Live experiences to share, enjoy and remember. From film screenings and ambient music nights to poetry in pubs, performances and unexpected pairings, this strand brings curiosity into Bath’s social and cultural life. Come for the ideas, stay for the atmosphere.
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An Evening with.. Guy Chambers
13 March | St Swithin’s Church
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Don McCullin in conversation with Mariella Frostrup
17 March | The Forum
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Chimes Poetry Night with Sophie Dumont & Malaika Kegode
17 March | The Bell Inn
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Zandra Rhodes: A Life in Print
18 March | The Forum
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Hollie McNish
18 March | Komedia
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Perfect Pairing - Wine Tasting and Bookish Chat with Helen McGinn and Veronica Henry
18 March | Boston Tea Party
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Cerys Matthews On Dylan Thomas: Under Milk Wood
19 March | Komedia
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Spring Equinox Ambient Music Night with Bath Beats Collective
20 March | Roseberry Road Studios
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Movie at the Museum: A Knight's Tale
20 March | Bath Abbey
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How Can You Create a Forever Wardrobe with Anna Cascarina
20 March | Boston Tea Party
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All Stars Poetry Evening with Anthony Anaxagouro, Tryone Lewis and Jasmine Gardosi
24 March | St Swithin’s Church
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Up Late at Holburne: Unanchored with EMERGE
27 March | Holburne
Read. Write. Repeat
A celebration of storytelling in all its forms. Author talks, poetry nights, book clubs and practical writing workshops invite readers and writers alike to immerse themselves in words, ideas and creativity. Whether you’re a lifelong book lover, an emerging writer or simply curious about how stories are made, this strand returns - again and again - to the power of language.
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The Infamous Gilberts with Angela Tomaski
12 March | Mr B’s Emporium
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Silent Book Club
15 March | Coret
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Kiran Millwood Hargrave with Almost Life
17 March | Elim Church
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Exploring Alternative Forms in Poetry with Manganaro
18 March | Jesters
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The Writing Life: A Conversation with Harriet Evans
19 March | Gainsborough Hotel
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Festival Read: Nussaibah Younis with Fundamentally
21 March | BRLSI
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Nelio Biedermann with Lazar
25 March | Mr B’s Emporium
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Small Presses. Big Impact: with Burning Eye Books, Bad Betty Press, & Broken Sleep Books
28 March | BRLSI
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Write It Down! with Dionne McCullough - A Writing Workshop
28 March | Persephone Books
Curious Minds Partners
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Bath Arts Collective
Producer and Creator
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Bath Spa University
Cultural Partner
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BIRD
Sponsor
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Mr B's Emporium
Bookselling Partner
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Mytton Williams
Design Partner
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Bath Box Office
Ticketing Partner
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The Holburne Museum
Event Partner
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Emerge Studios
Event Partner
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FilmBath
Event Partner
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Archeo-Heritage Film
Event Partner
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Roseberry Road Studios
Event Partner
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Homewood
Event Partner