Media | Oxford Literary Festival

Martin Bell, Kate Adie and Deric Henderson Chaired by Ivan Little

Reporting the Troubles: Journalists on the Northern Ireland Conflict
Sheldonian Theatre 12:00pm Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event
Ed Gorman and Paul Conroy Chaired by Matthew Stadlen

Reporting War
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 2:00pm Tue 2 Tuesday, 2 April 2019 See this event
Robert Winston Interviewed by Matthew Stadlen

An Audience with Robert Winston
Sheldonian Theatre 6:00pm Tue 2 Tuesday, 2 April 2019 See this event
Alan Rusbridger Interviewed by Matthew Stadlen

Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Sheldonian Theatre 10:00am Wed 3 Wednesday, 3 April 2019 See this event
Katherine Ormerod and Julian Baggini Chaired by Stephen Law

The Oxford Debates: Is Social Media Ruining our Lives?
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 4:00pm Wed 3 Wednesday, 3 April 2019 See this event
Will Caine and Gavin Esler

The Inquiry
Bodleian: Divinity School 12:00pm Fri 5 Friday, 5 April 2019 See this event
JPat Brown and Beryl C D Lipton

Writers under Surveillance: The FBI Files
Worcester College: Lecture Theatre 2:00pm Sat 6 Saturday, 6 April 2019 See this event
Ben Arogundade

Fake Views? The Donald Trump Book of Covers — Celebrity, Politics and the Press SOLD OUT
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 4:00pm Sat 6 Saturday, 6 April 2019 See this event

Festival information:

The Oxford Literary Festival is intellectual Viagra.

A stimulating and rewarding on-stage conversation; a lively informed and tolerant audience; privileged access to the great treasures of the Bodleian, and finally, wonderfully interesting dinner companions to help me conclude the best day I have enjoyed at any festival – anywhere.

I came away buzzing and reassured that we still have in this century a wide ranging community fascinated not just by famous authors (I’ve rarely seen so many concentrated in one place) but by challenging ideas and questions.

I loved the whole atmosphere of the Oxford Literary Festival. From breakfast, alongside some of the attendees, who were talking books with each other a mile a minute, to the public event at The Sheldonian where everyone was lively and engaged – I felt I had arrived in a kind of literary heaven.

It was a privilege for me to visit the festival to receive the Bodley Medal. As an incidental blessing I saw Oxford at its most mysterious and atmospheric. It was a day of piercing cold and as I walked through the twilight from the Sheldonian to Christ Church, the streets were empty and the whole city was shutting itself away. Christ Church was silent except for the footfall of unseen persons around corners and the sounds of evensong creeping from behind closed doors. For the first time I understood thoroughly the power of college ghost stories.

The Oxford Literary Festival has in my mind become the leading literary festival of the year. The organisation, the roster of speakers, the ambience and the sheer quality of it all is superb. May it now go from strength to strength each year stretching its ambition more and more. I believe it will.

Every literary festival stays in an author’s mind for slightly individual reasons. I shall remember the Oxford festival for: - the size of the audience: at the top end of the range - their intelligence – this makes a huge difference for a speaker. In the Oxford audience I encountered many experts in the field my book covered and even one of the ambassadors I’d quoted - the beauty and the grace of the place itself – incomparable - the willingness of my hearers to buy books afterwards; I’ve never sold more.

The night in Oxford was the most beautiful event I have ever done. Not just the spectacular setting (of the Sheldonian), but an unforgettable evening.

The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

Partner of Oxford Literary Festival

Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024

Accountants to the festival

Oxford International Centre for Publishing

Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection

Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection

Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival

Wines of the Douro Valley

Festival on-site and online bookseller

The Cervantes Institute, London

The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture

Festival ideas partner

Festival cultural partner

Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme

Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK

Festival media partner

Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture

Brasenose College founded in 1512

Founded 1884

Reuben College founded in 2019

Magdalen College founded 1458

Trinity College founded 1555

Lincoln College founded 1427

Worcester College founded 1714

Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314

New College founded 1379

Oxford University Images

Alumni Office

Olive oil from Sicily

Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design

Local radio partner