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2022 festival line-up features Richard Dawkins, Zadie Smith, Joanna Lumley, Delia Smith, Donna Leon

Festival launches 2022 line-up

Oxford Literary Festival returns this spring for its 25th anniversary event with a line-up that features a host of names from literature, the arts, science and lifestyle, including actresses Joanna Lumley and Maureen Lipman, scientists Richard Dawkins and Martin Rees, novelists Zadie Smith and Donna Leon, and cookery legend Delia Smith.

Lumley talks about the true meaning of ‘compassion’, her love of animals and the natural world, and about her animal welfare campaigning, while Lipman features with jazz singer Norma Winstone, pianist Christian Garrick and poet Jeremy Robson in a celebratory evening of readings, music and poetry to mark the 25th Oxford Literary Festival.

Delia Smith  talks about her life and career in cookery and about a new book in which she encourages us to think more deeply about our existence

Dawkins talks about his new book, Flights of Fancy, and Rees, the Astronomer Royal, about the future prospects for humanity. Other scientists appearing include well known broadcaster Jim Al-Khalili on the joy of science, and public health expert Muir Gray. 

Novelists appearing this year include Zadie Smith, who receives the prestigious Bodley Medal, Penelope Lively, Freya North, Wendy Holden, Howard Jacobson, and crimewriters Donna Leon, Val McDermid and Charlie Higson, whose event launches a new festival crime fiction programme.   

Philosopher A C Grayling talks about how to get humanity to agree on a set of values, and the world of politics is represented by former Labour leader Ed Miliband on bold solutions to fix our world, former foreign secretary David Owen on British-Russian relations, and anti apartheid campaigner Peter Hain on his memoirs.

Geographer and BBC Coast presenter Nicholas Crane talks about the ten-year quest to find the length of one degree of latitude, leading US sociologist Chris Bail discusses the polarising effect of social media, and economist Mariana Mazzucato argues that government needs to create a sense of public purpose to meet the big challenges of the age.

Meanwhile, this year’s Oxford debates are headed by a discussion on ‘toppling statues and fallen idols’.
                                                 

Jacqueline Wilson, Katherine Rundell and Lemony Snicket lined up for family events

Events for children, young people and families include former children’s laureate and Tracy Beaker creator Jacqueline Wilson and award-winnng children’s writer Katherine Rundell.

International bestseller Lemony Snicket makes a first appearance at the festival with A Series of Unfortunate Events,  and there are also appearances by broadcaster and dinosaur expert Ben Garrod, and Fantastically Great Women author Kate Pankhurst.

The world of Harry Potter will once again be celebrated with a special event in the Sheldonian Theatre to mark 25 years of the Harry Potter books. 
 
Tickets are on sale on this website or by telephoning the box office at 0333 666 3366 (a booking fee of £1.80 applies to purchases made through the telephone box office).

FT Weekend Title partner University of Oxford Netflix European Union Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme BBC World Service International radio partner Owen Mumford Supporter of programme of science and medicine and annual science and innovation award Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Spanish Embassy Event generously supported by the Spanish Embassy Cervantes Institute, London Republic of Panama Event generously supported by Republic of Panama Italian Embassy Supporter of Italian programme The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner International Literary Properties Supporters of the festival green room Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels Sponsor of the festival crime fiction programme The Feathers Hotel Woodstock festival hotel John Roberts Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture Emily Rose and James Marrow Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Miles Young Masumi and Jonathan Dobson George Warren Pank Koria CEO of Project People Lucian Hudson Carole and John Allen David Isaac Jill Dunsmore Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Anna Hunter Marlene Hauser Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival New College Worcester College Worcester College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Cross College St Cross College Trinity College Trinity College Pasture to Plate Compassion in World Farming Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner TORVA Books which change you, your mind, your world Transworld Doubleday Doubleday Bantam Jewish Book Week Partner of Jewish programme Foodbuy Thje Menu Partners Institute of Hospitality Project People Royal Academy of Arts British Academy Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily The Oxford Times Regional media partner BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Conference Oxford Felicity Bryan Associates CAV Oxford Critchleys Accountants to the festival The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Images Oxford University Images Oxford Brookes University Siren Communications Siren Communications - corporate consultants OX magazine Ox in a Box K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Chêne Bleu Wines of Provence La Leccia Flip through Flanders Literature Ireland Confucius Institute Pusey House James Currey Society The Wild Geese

2023

2022

FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

FT Weekend Title partner University of Oxford Netflix European Union Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme BBC World Service International radio partner Owen Mumford Supporter of programme of science and medicine and annual science and innovation award Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Spanish Embassy Event generously supported by the Spanish Embassy Cervantes Institute, London Republic of Panama Event generously supported by Republic of Panama Italian Embassy Supporter of Italian programme The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner International Literary Properties Supporters of the festival green room Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels Sponsor of the festival crime fiction programme The Feathers Hotel Woodstock festival hotel John Roberts Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture Emily Rose and James Marrow Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Miles Young Masumi and Jonathan Dobson George Warren Pank Koria CEO of Project People Lucian Hudson Carole and John Allen David Isaac Jill Dunsmore Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Anna Hunter Marlene Hauser Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival New College Worcester College Worcester College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Cross College St Cross College Trinity College Trinity College Pasture to Plate Compassion in World Farming Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner TORVA Books which change you, your mind, your world Transworld Doubleday Doubleday Bantam Jewish Book Week Partner of Jewish programme Foodbuy Thje Menu Partners Institute of Hospitality Project People Royal Academy of Arts British Academy Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily The Oxford Times Regional media partner BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Conference Oxford Felicity Bryan Associates CAV Oxford Critchleys Accountants to the festival The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Images Oxford University Images Oxford Brookes University Siren Communications Siren Communications - corporate consultants OX magazine Ox in a Box K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Chêne Bleu Wines of Provence La Leccia Flip through Flanders Literature Ireland Confucius Institute Pusey House James Currey Society The Wild Geese