PAINFULLY JOYFUL - MARCH 24 - 11.23am
Ruby Wax (what else do you need to know?)
Well, what a crackin’ way to kick off the final two days of the festival. Hell, it’s not often the Sheldonian rocks but it did this morning. And really that’s no great surprise since the speaker was Ruby Wax (my god she must get bored of being introduced as “someone who needs no introduction”). Still, there’s no denying the distinct crackle of anticipation that snapped through the audience as Ms Wax took to the podium. And trust me, no one was left disappointed. Ms Wax - and this is very much a compliment - discussed mental health with all the sassy aura of Bette Miller; irrepressible, supercharged and detonating with wit. Poignant, honest and MASSIVELY enlightening, this was a wonderful assault on one of modern day life’s most insidious and veiled plagues.
Festival media partner
Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK
Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme
International radio partner
Supporter of programme of science and medicine and annual science and innovation award
Festival cultural partner
Festival ideas partner
The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture
The Cervantes Institute, London
The Italian Embassy: supporter of the programme of Italian literature and culture
Festival London hotel partner
Festival literary heritage partner
Festival on-site and online bookseller
Festival hotel
Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection
Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection
Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture
CEO of Project People
Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture
Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314
New College founded 1379
Worcester College founded 1714
Lincoln College founded 1427
St Cross College founded 1965
Trinity College founded 1555
Magdalen College founded 1458
Accountants to the festival
Wines of the Douro Valley
Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024
Sponsor of the EBRD Literature Prize since 2018
Georgia's leading lifestyle hotel brand since 2012. Supporters of the programme of Georgian literature and culture
Partner of Oxford Literary Festival
Oxford International Centre for Publishing
Festival academic partner
Olive oil from Sicily
Local radio partner
Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design
Alumni Office
Oxford University Images
Supporter of the programme of Georgian literature and culture
Corporate communications
K T Bruce Photography
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Heard the one about the blood donor scheme for bats…? - April 2 - 11.44am - 2022
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As dazzling as the HAL 9000, as entertaining as Woody Allen - April 1 - 3.37pm - 2022
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‘Round like a circle in a spiral…’ - March 31 - 6.15pm - 2022
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Food for thought - March 31 - 3.32pm - 2022
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Fit for Royalty - March 30 - 3.56pm - 2022
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‘A dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind…’ - March 30 - 11.24am - 2022