Bristol Festival of Ideas
The Bristol Festival of Ideas is a project established in Bristol, England, which aims "to stimulate people’s minds and passions with an inspiring programme of discussion and debate". It was first set up in 2005, as part of the city's ultimately unsuccessful bid to become the European Capital of Culture for 2008, and continues to maintain a programme of debates and other events, including an annual festival each May.
| Bristol Festival of Ideas | |
|---|---|
The Arnolfini, Bristol, one of the main venues for Festival events | |
| Genre | Arts, science, culture, literature, politics, etc. |
| Dates | Throughout year: main Festival programme each May |
| Location(s) | Bristol, England – Arnolfini, Watershed Media Centre, St. George's, We The Curious, City Hall, Tobacco Factory, Victoria Rooms, Wills Memorial Building, etc. |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Website | Bristol Festival of Ideas |
The Festival also awards an annual book prize, worth £7,500, to a book which "presents new, important and challenging ideas, which is rigorously argued, and which is engaging and accessible". It is one of the largest book prizes in the United Kingdom.
The Festival takes place in a range of venues across the city, including the Arnolfini, the Watershed Media Centre, St. George's, We The Curious, City Hall, the Tobacco Factory, and the Victoria Rooms. It is organised by Bristol Creative Projects (BCP – formerly the Bristol Cultural Development Partnership), Arts Council England, Bristol City Council, and GWE BusinessWest, a private sector organisation promoting economic development in the area, and also works closely with universities in the area and other agencies. The Director of the Festival is Andrew Kelly, who was appointed Director of the Bristol Cultural Development Partnership in 1993.
As of 2023 the festival is a project of Bristol Ideas, which replaced BCDP in March 2021.