The postgraduate research exhibition will feature current research being conducted at the University of Chester across a variety of disciplines. The research will be presented via posters, detailing what the researcher is doing, how they are doing it, and what impact this could have.

This is a participatory art work inviting visitors to sit, pause, and write a promise of peace for themselves, someone they love, or the wider world. You may keep it, dissolve it in water, or place it in a box. Promises in the box are later transferred to the chair, allowing it to hold community voices. On the final day, staff and dance students from the University of Chester will present a live performance responding to the chair and its collected promises.

Nourish to Flourish is a school-based project led by Kate and Ellie, helping children feel confident about healthy eating through creativity. Supported by the Bluecoat Charity, the Westminster Foundation and Crossing Borders, with evaluation support from RECAP (University of Chester). This year children explored artists from around the world and created artwork using food as material. The event includes a photo exhibition.

Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon is Wales’s most iconic mountain, hosting 650,000 visitors each year. This exhibition takes us on a journey that considers the past, present, and sustainable future of the mountain. Contemporary photographs are juxtaposed with extracts from the 19th-century Snowdon summit hotels’ visitor books. The exhibition is part of an ongoing, interdisciplinary project at the University of Chester, in collaboration with Bangor University and Eryri National Park Authority.

The uniqueness of Chester’s Rows lies first in the imaginative adaptation of a common medieval building form to the city’s hilly site. However, they would not have seemed so unusual had comparable buildings elsewhere survived better. The talk will look at parallels for the building type, how it was adapted to the landscape, and the historical circumstances that prompted it.

What if one small conversation could make someone’s day better? Join Public Health staff and Master of Public Health students from the University of Chester to explore social health and why simple moments of connection matter. Visit our interactive stall, choose a conversation starter, and make a social pledge to have one meaningful conversation during the Festival. Better questions lead to better conversations. And better conversations can help tackle loneliness, one chat at a time.

This led walk, which is also “wheels accessible”, is one of four themed routes staged as part of the 2026 “Festival of ideas” that uses examples from the existing cityscape to demonstrate various aspects of the overall theme of ‘Sustainability’. This walk focuses on the Sustainability dimension of ‘Energy’ visiting various sites in and around Chester City Centre to illustrate live examples of what are demonstrations of energy conservation or renewable energy production.

Join us to hear what matters to young people in Chester today! Students taking part in WeMindTheGap’s WeInspire programme across three Chester high schools will be showcasing a vibrant collection of mixed media works to present their thoughts, opinions and feelings about life as a teenager in Chester.   WeMindTheGap | Giving new opportunities to under-served young people WeMindTheGap: Overview | LinkedIn Facebook

The MACIE (Mentoring And Coaching In Education) research group have undertaken extensive research into mentoring, and what works well when mentoring relationships are successful. In this interactive workshop session we will take you through what we have learnt from our research into mentoring in education settings, and apply it to real life situations that you can use in your everyday interactions. More specifically it’s about how “the old” can best go about helping “the young”.

Lace up your plimsoles and sprint through the last century of Cheshire’s sporting past with Let’s Talk, History. Using historic sound recordings from Cheshire Archives’ collections, this free audio trail tells 100 years of stories about the county’s competitive, recreational and, at times, amusing sports. From the football field to the polo field. George Best and his team cheating their way to victory against Chester FC to street-side boxing matches to win £5. Follow the trail map and scan the free QR code on the Let’s Talk, History posters at each location to hear the stories of our sporting stars from yesteryear. The ball’s in your court! Pick up your trail map from the info point in Chester Town Hall to get started!

An exciting and thought provoking drama, dance and musical exploration of the hopes and aspirations of the students at Lymm High School and how they envisage their futures. Using students’ own opinions and viewpoints, this performance will express their expectations and intentions about how they want the world to look in the future.

Thriving people and Communities – NHS and voluntary sector working together to raise awareness of cancer symptoms and screening. Cancer rates and deaths in Cheshire are higher than the England average and the incidence of this disease is rising. If it is diagnosed early, then survival is better for those who experience it. To support this, Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, an NHS organisation, launched a Community Partnership programme with the Council for Voluntary Sector Partners to support community‑led cancer awareness. This work has reached 48,000 people to date, mainly in the most deprived areas. Come and hear about how this has been developed, what the Alliance have achieved and what you could do to reduce your risk of cancer.

Our doctoral researchers in health and social care grapple with real-world problems that have an impact on people’s lives. From searching the literature to find out what we know and don’t know, to exploring what happens in the real world and identifying how we can change the way we do things, they work hard to have a positive impact on the services that you use. Some of our students will present their work to show how it can improve people’s lives.

Thriving people and Communities – NHS and voluntary sector working together to raise awareness of cancer symptoms and screening. Cancer rates and deaths in Cheshire are higher than the England average and the incidence of this disease is rising. If it is diagnosed early, then survival is better for those who experience it. To support this, Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, an NHS organisation, launched a Community Partnership programme with the Council for Voluntary Sector Partners to support community‑led cancer awareness. This work has reached 48,000 people to date, mainly in the most deprived areas. Come and hear about how this has been developed, what the Alliance have achieved and what you could do to reduce your risk of cancer.

AI can write your emails. Generate your leads. Build your systems. Draft your strategy. Build your business. The one thing AI cannot do? Build a real relationship. We need to stay present when things get hard. Navigate difference. Repair trust when it breaks. These are the key skills of the next decade. Because most challenges are relational, not transactional. TEDx speaker, author and relationship psychotherapist Kerry-Lyn Stanton-Downes has worked with over 2,000 individuals and teams across 17 countries. In this talk she shares why the ability to regulate, relate, reconnect is your greatest competitive advantage and offers practical ways to start building relational capacity right now. Because the future is not about what you know. It is about how you relate. Image credit: MillionWays Studio

Young people are growing up hearing that the world is in crisis – from climate change to political instability and constant alarming headlines. This interactive session creates space to pause and look more closely. Are things only getting worse? What does the evidence really show? Through open discussion and reflective activities, we’ll explore how to sit with uncertainty without losing perspective. A welcoming, inclusive space for secondary age and above thoughtful, honest and hopeful.

This session explores how understanding the Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP) can help support diverse learning and communication styles. BAP includes common traits such as valuing structure, noticing detail, or communicating very directly, often seen in people without an autism diagnosis. Through accessible science and real life examples, the session shows how these differences shape learning, interaction, and engagement. Attendees will gain practical insights into creating more inclusive, supportive environments that recognise and respond to varied ways of thinking and learning.

Strong communities are the foundation of good mental health. But how do grassroots initiatives translate into real improvements in wellbeing? This panel explores the vital role of community-led mental health support in strengthening local health and resilience. Bringing together diverse perspectives, we’ll discuss what works, the challenges communities face, and how local action can drive lasting change in mental health and wellbeing. www.chaptermentalhealth.org

Join Peter for a walking tour of Roman sites in Chester (especially the defences), looking at details that escape the interpretation panels. The walk will begin at the canal bridge on Upper Northgate Street, following the walls to the amphitheatre and Roman Gardens, then through the streets to Town Hall Square. Participants are encouraged to dress for the route and weather. We regret that this event is not suitable for people with mobility difficulties, due to the nature of the City walls. However, an online guide can be supplied, with a route map that shows a wheelchair-friendly alternative that can be followed independently.

Take a step back in time and experience Chester’s virtual reality Roman amphitheatre! Following on from last year’s festival event, this is designed for attendees to experience an immersive digital reconstruction of Chester’s Roman amphitheatre currently under development by University of Chester, IMITO, Julian Baum, Grosvenor Museum and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Stand in the footprints of gladiators and help us bring the past back to life through cutting edge technology.

Join a Chester-made business start-up to discover how everyday choices can shape more inclusive communities. Kairos provides culturally inclusive snacks and products for students and communities through socially driven vending solutions. In this interactive workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to explore global snacks and the stories behind them, learn how lived experiences can inspire business ideas, and take part in a creative challenge to design their own inclusive vending concept. Fun, hands-on and thought-provoking for all ages.

Join one of West Cheshire Museums’ curators to learn more about this Chester-born artist. Best known as an illustrator of children’s books, Caldecott was a wide-ranging, varied artist, admired by Gauguin and Van Gogh. He illustrated novels and travel books, drew cartoons and caricatures, and exhibited sculpture, paintings and drawings. This talk will look at his life and work, asking whether the apparent nostalgia in his work was an escape from an increasingly industrialised world.

Take a step back in time and experience Chester’s virtual reality Roman amphitheatre! Following on from last year’s festival event, this is designed for attendees to experience an immersive digital reconstruction of Chester’s Roman amphitheatre currently under development by University of Chester, IMITO, Julian Baum, Grosvenor Museum and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Stand in the footprints of gladiators and help us bring the past back to life through cutting edge technology.

Join Uná Meehan in conversation with Rowan Cannon, Founder and Artistic Director at Wild Rumpus. In an era defined by ecological crisis, climate anxiety and rapid technological change, many people feel overwhelmed by the scale of the challenges we face. Yet across the UK a growing movement is using arts, culture and shared experiences in nature to reconnect people with each other and with the living world. Wild Rumpus, the creative force behind festivals such as Just So and Timber, has spent over a decade designing immersive cultural experiences in forests and wild landscapes. Their work invites thousands of people each year to step away from everyday life and encounter nature through storytelling, performance, music and collective participation. But can experiences like these do more than entertain? Can art in nature help us imagine different futures, rebuild community, and nurture hope in the face of environmental uncertainty? In this conversation, Rowan Cannon and colleagues from Wild Rumpus explore: Why shared experiences in nature can transform how we see the world, The role of imagination, creativity and storytelling in responding to the climate crisis, How festivals and cultural events can create collective moments of hope and possibility, Why connection to nature is increasingly vital for wellbeing and resilience. The session will also invite the audience to reflect on their own experiences of nature, creativity and community, and to consider how small cultural moments can contribute to wider social and environmental change.

What can brothers and sisters on film tell us about the state of a nation? In the 21st century, siblings are everywhere on screen, from superhero blockbusters to horror films, teen movies and slice-of-life dramas. Dr Katie Barnett, senior lecturer in Film Studies and the author of Screening Siblings in Contemporary American Film (Bloomsbury, July 2026), explores what this shift towards horizontal relationships on screen reveals about power, politics, and changing ideas of family. sibstack.substack.com

Take a step back in time and experience Chester’s virtual reality Roman amphitheatre! Following on from last year’s festival event, this is designed for attendees to experience an immersive digital reconstruction of Chester’s Roman amphitheatre currently under development by University of Chester, IMITO, Julian Baum, Grosvenor Museum and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Stand in the footprints of gladiators and help us bring the past back to life through cutting edge technology.

This event will showcase the history of the University from its opening in 1839 to the present day. We will present fifteen objects from across the decades and discuss how each of them relates to an important event in the university’s history.

This research began in Blackpool, exploring its rich drag scene and LGBTQ+ histories. It has since grown into a wider project gathering stories from towns and cities across the UK. Through voices that connect generations and place, Helen is starting to explore how identity is shaped by place and heritage. Reflecting on the legacy of Section 28, preserving and sharing these stories publicly matters now more than ever. This talk will focus on stories from the seaside town of Blackpool.

Take a step back in time and experience Chester’s virtual reality Roman amphitheatre! Following on from last year’s festival event, this is designed for attendees to experience an immersive digital reconstruction of Chester’s Roman amphitheatre currently under development by University of Chester, IMITO, Julian Baum, Grosvenor Museum and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Stand in the footprints of gladiators and help us bring the past back to life through cutting edge technology.

Join Mariella Frostrup for a dynamic conversation on why closing gender gaps is not just a social ideal but an economic necessity. Reflecting on her work as Chair of the Women in Work Summit, co‑founder of Menopause Mandate, and long‑time gender equality advocate, this event will explore how pay, wealth and health gaps shape women’s working lives and why addressing them is critical for productivity, growth and long‑term competitiveness. Mariella will be in conversation with Professor Emma Rees, Director of the University of Chester’s Institute of  Gender Studies and editor of the Routledge Companion to Gender, Sexuality and Culture. (photo credit: Kate Martin)

Dive into science and be ready to get hands-on with surprising experiments, shocking facts and the odd explosion! This show is packed full of experiments for families to try at home as well as the Ri’s trademark fiery demos. Join us as we learn how to build a rocket……… and launch it!

All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Please email ideasfestival@chester.ac.uk if you or a guest has a severe allergy to any of the following (i.e. cannot be in the same room as these products):

• Latex
• Egg
• Tomatoes

Please note that any of the above points will not restrict access to the event we just need to ensure that the Royal Institution are aware in order that they can put in place any additional necessary safety controls.

Join us for an illuminating conversation with Gary Younge, award-winning author, broadcaster, and Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester. A former editor-at-large at The Guardian, Younge brings decades of journalistic insight and academic rigor to discussions on race, identity, and resistance. His latest book, Pigeonholed: Creative Freedom as an Act of Resistance, explores the power of storytelling in challenging societal constraints. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with one of the most compelling voices in contemporary journalism and social thought. Gary will be in conversation with Professor Tim Grady, Director of the Culture and Society Research and Knowledge Exchange Institute at the University of Chester, which brings together 200 researchers with an interest in exploring and challenging the influences that have shaped, and continue to shape, our culture and society.  Tim is an international scholar of twentieth century British and German history and is keen to explore through this discussion the role of the media in modern democracies and, crucially, how we can engage young people in democratic politics in such tumultuous times.

Step into Chester’s past at our Medieval Object Drop-In Handling Workshop. Explore authentic artefacts alongside the Historic Towns Trust map of Chester, uncovering untold stories. Enjoy hands-on, creative activities for all ages: touch history, make, draw, and imagine the medieval city together. https://mob.chester.ac.uk/ https://www.historictownstrust.uk/maps/an-historical-map-of-chester

This led walk, which is also “wheels accessible”, is one of four themed routes staged as part of the 2026 “Festival of ideas” that uses examples from the existing cityscape to demonstrate various aspects of the overall theme of ‘Sustainability’. This walk focuses on the Sustainability dimension of ‘Travel’ visiting various sites in and around Chester City Centre to illustrate live examples of what are demonstrations of sustainable low carbon travel.

This exhibition invites you into a living lab where the roots of indigenous knowledge meet the flows of water, soil and climate change. Through photographs and voices from wetlands and mountains, the exhibition shows how long standing traditional practices – from reading soils and water levels to shaping wetlands and planting patterns – are active, evolving tools for environmental management today.

This is a participatory art work inviting visitors to sit, pause, and write a promise of peace for themselves, someone they love, or the wider world. You may keep it, dissolve it in water, or place it in a box. Promises in the box are later transferred to the chair, allowing it to hold community voices. On the final day, staff and dance students from the University of Chester will present a live performance responding to the chair and its collected promises.

Nourish to Flourish is a school-based project led by Kate and Ellie, helping children feel confident about healthy eating through creativity. Supported by the Bluecoat Charity, the Westminster Foundation and Crossing Borders, with evaluation support from RECAP (University of Chester). This year children explored artists from around the world and created artwork using food as material. The event includes a photo exhibition.

Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon is Wales’s most iconic mountain, hosting 650,000 visitors each year. This exhibition takes us on a journey that considers the past, present, and sustainable future of the mountain. Contemporary photographs are juxtaposed with extracts from the 19th-century Snowdon summit hotels’ visitor books. The exhibition is part of an ongoing, interdisciplinary project at the University of Chester, in collaboration with Bangor University and Eryri National Park Authority.

Lace up your plimsoles and sprint through the last century of Cheshire’s sporting past with Let’s Talk, History. Using historic sound recordings from Cheshire Archives’ collections, this free audio trail tells 100 years of stories about the county’s competitive, recreational and, at times, amusing sports. From the football field to the polo field. George Best and his team cheating their way to victory against Chester FC to street-side boxing matches to win £5. Follow the trail map and scan the free QR code on the Let’s Talk, History posters at each location to hear the stories of our sporting stars from yesteryear. The ball’s in your court! Pick up your trail map from the info point in Chester Town Hall to get started!

Does it feel like you are seeing more extreme weather? The science suggests we might be heading for a 3 degree world, but action globally doesn’t suggest people are concerned. So what is the truth? Join me as I explore the different pathways we could follow over this century depending on whether we act now or delay action to mitigate climate change.

Join curators at the Grosvenor Museum for a talk exploring the future of our museums. How might they look 50, 100 years from now? What might we collect, and which stories might we tell? How might the role of museums need to evolve as society and our audiences change? Learn about the challenges that our museums face in the present, and be part of the conversations that shape our future.

The session is built around Captain Knowledge and Graphic Leadership, projects that were undertaken to make academic literature/theory/research more accessible. Captain Knowledge explores the lived experiences of teachers in a UK sixth-form college, and presents the findings in comic format to engage the wider population and those outside of academia. Whereas Graphic Leadership focuses on using comic literature to teach leadership theory to students at varying levels. The talk covers the research that informed both projects and the specific production process, before presenting for the first time the semi-animated version of the Captain Knowledge comic.

Come and join us for a family friendly event with Greg Jenner exploring how, why, and when the Romans first invaded. Greg is a public historian, author, and broadcaster best known as the historical consultant of the award-winning TV series Horrible Histories. Blending humour with fascinating facts, he brings the past to life for audiences of all ages. Beyond television, Greg hosts the popular podcast You’re Dead To Me and writes bestselling books including Totally Chaotic History: Roman Britain Gets Rowdy that make history as entertaining as it is educational.

Join Chester Zoo to discover how communities across Cheshire West are connecting habitats, monitoring wildlife, and transforming local spaces through the Networks for Nature initiative. This session reveals inspiring progress, showcases easy tools anyone can use, and invites attendees to see how small collective actions can support ecosystems and boost biodiversity. https://www.chesterzoo.org/conservation-science-education/global-conservation-programmes/conservation-campaigns/networks-for-nature

In this packed workshop, get your hands on wonderfully decorated Victorian and modern teacups and saucers, design and make your own, taste hot world teas while learning about the health benefits of tea drinking, learn about the environmental footprint of tea today – cultivation and processing to packaging and transport, looking at the sustainability of loose-leaf tea versus tea bags. Step into and influence the global historic and contemporary world of tea.

Discover ‘Tapping’ (Emotional Freedom Techniques), a gentle and effective way to quieten a busy mind and relax your body in minutes. This friendly, informal and practical workshop teaches you how to tap on specific points to release tension and feel more grounded. No special equipment or experience is needed – just a curious mind. You’ll leave with a practical “calm kit” you can use anywhere, helping you handle life’s ups and downs with more ease, confidence, and peace of mind. www.tapintotransformation.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/tap_into_transformation

Ever wondered what you would have said to yourself when you were younger, or what you would tell your older self? Opening with an exhibition of postcards written by students at the University of Chester to their older self and members of Chester U3A to their younger self, we will explore messages and their meanings, applying psychological principles to discuss aging and its representation. Come along to find out what the key messages in the postcards are and what psychology has to say about them.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dr Mya-Rose Craig, a remarkable environmentalist whose journey began as a young birdwatcher and led to the founding of Black2Nature – a movement championing ethnic diversity in nature conservation and the environment. Mya-Rose will share how focus, motivation, and commitment can turn passion into meaningful action. Don’t miss this chance for an optimistic look at how we can better engage young people, particularly, in care for nature. Reflecting the University of Chester’s commitment to dialogue and partnership with young people to address social and environmental issues, Mya-Rose will be in conversation with Dr Rebecca Collins. Rebecca is the Director of the University’s Sustainability and Environment Research and Knowledge Exchange Institute (SERKEI), which brings together over 150 researchers with expertise relevant to sustainability and the future of our environments.  She also leads the university’s work to embed learning for sustainability across undergraduate curricula.  She is particularly passionate about how we can best engage young people in how to care for nature, in the face of so much anxiety about the future.  

Discover Rome’s cutting edge: The Auxiliary Soldiers. Recruited from across the empire, these specialist troops helped the Roman army conquer new lands and face unfamiliar enemies. Often dismissed as second-class legionaries, they were in fact essential to Rome’s success. Join us as we uncover who they were, what they did, and why their story matters.

In 1750, the St George was built in Chester’s shipyard. In three separate voyages, she carried a total of 662 enslaved people from Bonny on the coast of West Africa to plantations in the Caribbean. Join the project team for an interactive walking tour of some of the key sites in Chester connected with the history of transatlantic slavery. We’ll explore vanished shipyards, sugar refineries, shops and workshops. And we’ll see where some of the people who invested in such slave voyages lived. This walk starts at 30 St Werburgh Street (part of the Cathedral complex) and ends in the Cathedral itself. Please access 30 St Werburgh Street using the entrance on Werburgh Street, which was previously the customer entrance to Barclays Bank. You will be visiting a historic site/area – please mind your step. The walk will run come rain or shine, do come prepared.

This event is part of our Wild Futures All-Ages Activity Drop-In session – there is no need to book in advance, just come along (and bring your household electrical, joinery and sewing repair jobs with you)! Drop in to a pop-up Repair Café and see community repair in action. Local volunteers will help repair everyday household items while sharing simple skills you can use at home. Alongside the practical fixing, we’ll explore how repair café reduce waste, cut carbon emissions and build stronger communities. Come along to watch, learn, ask questions and discover how ‘repair over disposal’ can support a greener, fairer future for all communities.

This event is part of our Wild Futures All-Ages Activity Drop-In session – there is no need to book in advance, just come along! Drop in to play a game with Chester Zoo’s Youth Board and Youth Network – discover actions that you can take to help wildlife and take on a wildlife challenge!

This event is part of our Wild Futures All-Ages Activity Drop-In session – there is no need to book in advance, just come along! Come on a night safari via remote waterhole cameras situated throughout sub-Saharan Africa – learn observational and recording techniques for quantifying animal behaviour and resource use (or just enjoying wildlife) from the comfort of your own home…. or Chester Town Hall! We will investigate activity at different waterholes so see who drinks when and where, whom avoids whom and who might lie in wait.

This event is part of our Wild Futures All-Ages Activity Drop-In session – there is no need to book in advance, just come along! Owls are beautiful, deadly and difficult to study. One non-disruptive way to learn about their habits and diets is to examine owl pellets- the leftovers of their meals. Join us to try your hand at dissecting owl pellets and exploring what our hooting friends get up to when they are heard, but not seen.

This event is part of our Wild Futures All-Ages Activity Drop-In session – there is no need to book in advance, just come along! Join the Nature at Night project team to find out how bat-walks, zine-making and digital citizen science are being used to understand young people’s feelings about exploring nature at night. Contribute to our research by sharing some reflections of your own.

This event is part of our Wild Futures All-Ages Activity Drop-In session – there is no need to book in advance, just come along! A hands-on experience where our young scientists (and their parents!) can explore the biomolecular world by extracting DNA from delicious fruits using household items. Laboratory coats will be provided to set the scene for what will be an exciting experiment with University of Chester scientists on-hand to answer any questions. DNA is ubiquitous to all lifeforms and is known as ‘the molecule of life’, which we shall explore in this interactive session.

Sutures is a short film made in the skills unit at the University of Chester that has won awards at several film festivals both locally and internationally. It is used as an educational tool for student nurses to educate, enlighten and entertain. The film highlights the issues facing a group of nurses and patients in the modern NHS.

This event is part of our Wild Futures All-Ages Activity Drop-In session – there is no need to book in advance, just come along! Join Reaseheath College to learn more about badgers!  Children will have the opportunity to view night time camera footage of this elusive mammal, and make their own plaster casts of paw prints.  

A short session to:- . recognise when someone needs medical help . learn the best way to get help quickly . learn how to perform BASIC life support until help arrives Please note that this is a drop-in session; no need to book.

This interactive workshop will introduce some of the research surrounding the bond that humans have with animals as well as the role of drawing in communication, expression and artistic production. We invite everyone to share their experiences with animals they are close to, whether this is pets or other animals. Supplementing descriptions and conversations with words, we encourage participants to have a go at depicting these important relationships in pictures through a ‘draw and tell’ approach

In 2022, nine British researchers fly-post a government building with scientific papers presenting stark evidence of human-induced climate change. They are arrested and charged with criminal damage. By turns pacy and pensive, short documentary ‘Plan Z’ explores their motivations for engaging in civil disobedience, and asks: what is the professional responsibility of scientists towards the public in the 21st century? Stay for the post-screening Q&A with local experts to form your own conclusions. The panel for the event will be:

• Vladimir Morozov – Vladimir Morozov is co-director of Plan Z and a photographer and videographer specialising in multi-camera, multi-location productions, livestreaming, and hybrid events. Alongside his filmmaking, he explores new ways to connect audiences with real-world issues through media. His work examines how storytelling, technology, and civil disobedience intersect in response to the climate crisis.
• Dr Abi Perrin – Dr Abi Perrin is a research scientist turned climate and nature communicator and activist. After more than a decade studying microbial life, Abi now aims to bring science out of the lab and into the spaces it most urgently needs to be understood and acted upon. Her current focus is on creating empowering science-based trainings and workshops for a range of audiences, alongside establishing community renewable energy projects and networks for change in her home city of York.
• Dr Jen Murphy – Jen is an educator and lover of the outdoors. A member of Scientists on Survival, she currently works as a secondary school science teacher bringing sustainability and climate education into all areas of her practice.

plan-z-film.co.uk

“I wish I could write a song, but I don’t know where to start…” This is a super practical workshop to remove the fear of the blank page and give you tools to start writing your own songs. We’ll look specifically at lyric-writing. No instrument needed! Adam Kirkup is a Chester-based songwriter, musician and coach. He’s performed with New York alt-folk luminary Kimya Dawson, toured with a WWE wrestling champion and attended the respected Chris Difford songwriting retreat. adamkirkup.com instagram.com/adamkirkup

Little is known of Chester’s industries, yet Chester was the base for companies with an international reach. Our iconic shot tower is one of the earliest and surviving part of the leadworks, the city’s largest lead manufactory. It is appropriate therefore that the presentation should begin with its huge presence. Nearby industries will also be looked at in addition to other significant ones in the City.

A panel of apprentices, employers, Chamber of Commerce, LSIP & DWP discussing what are the skills needed now and for the next 3 – 5 years in the region, highlighting apprenticeships benefits for the apprentice & employers. The panel will discuss topics such as: • What are the skills that you are looking for when hiring an employee? • What government projects are helping the youth and those unemployed get the skills needed for the job vacancies advertised? • What is available for people who wish to upskill? • Why did you choose an apprenticeship route, & what do you plan to do next in your career? To find out more about University of Chester degree apprenticeships: https://www.chester.ac.uk/study/degree-apprenticeships/ To find out more about the Chamber of Commerce: West Cheshire & North Wales: https://wcnwchamber.org.uk/

This is a participatory art work inviting visitors to sit, pause, and write a promise of peace for themselves, someone they love, or the wider world. You may keep it, dissolve it in water, or place it in a box. Promises in the box are later transferred to the chair, allowing it to hold community voices. On the final day, staff and dance students from the University of Chester will present a live performance responding to the chair and its collected promises.

Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon is Wales’s most iconic mountain, hosting 650,000 visitors each year. This exhibition takes us on a journey that considers the past, present, and sustainable future of the mountain. Contemporary photographs are juxtaposed with extracts from the 19th-century Snowdon summit hotels’ visitor books. The exhibition is part of an ongoing, interdisciplinary project at the University of Chester, in collaboration with Bangor University and Eryri National Park Authority.

Lace up your plimsoles and sprint through the last century of Cheshire’s sporting past with Let’s Talk, History. Using historic sound recordings from Cheshire Archives’ collections, this free audio trail tells 100 years of stories about the county’s competitive, recreational and, at times, amusing sports. From the football field to the polo field. George Best and his team cheating their way to victory against Chester FC to street-side boxing matches to win £5. Follow the trail map and scan the free QR code on the Let’s Talk, History posters at each location to hear the stories of our sporting stars from yesteryear. The ball’s in your court! Pick up your trail map from the info point in Chester Town Hall to get started!

Join us to explore why the Cheshire longbowmen were regarded as some of the finest archers in history. Discover what made the longbow such a powerful weapon, how their skill shaped events like the rebellion of Hotspur, and why this formidable force is no longer part of Chester’s story. Uncover the rise, impact and legacy of these remarkable medieval warriors.

This led walk, which is also “wheels accessible”, is one of four themed routes staged as part of the 2026 “Festival of ideas” that uses examples from the existing cityscape to demonstrate various aspects of the overall theme of Sustainability. This walk focuses on the Sustainability aspect of ‘Biodiversity’ visiting various sites in and around Chester City Centre to illustrate live examples of what are demonstrations of active work supporting enhancement of biodiversity.

Leprosy and smallpox are two of the world’s oldest and most stigmatising illnesses. Both conditions bring shame from the fear of contagious disease and disfigured bodies and Chester’s history offers an authentic approach to their identification and treatment. From the founding of St Giles’s Leprosy Hospital in the early twelfth century, to the formation of the Smallpox Society of Chester in 1778, find out how the city’s inhabitants managed the challenges of these devastating diseases.

Archaeologists from the Grosvenor Museum will be in Chester Market on Sunday morning with some of the finds from excavations in the city centre. Come and see in close-up objects used and worn by people living and working in Chester from 2000 to 300 years ago. A great opportunity to ask questions and find out more about some of the fascinating finds from the museum’s archaeological collections. All ages welcome.

Nourish to Flourish is a school-based project led by Kate and Ellie, helping children feel confident about healthy eating through creativity. Supported by the Bluecoat Charity, the Westminster Foundation and Crossing Borders, with evaluation support from RECAP (University of Chester). This year children explored artists from around the world and created artwork using food as material. The event includes a photo exhibition.

A celebratory performance in response to the participatory artwork that will be in the Town Hall foyer over the four days of the Festival (see details below). In this event, staff and dance students from the University of Chester will present a live performance responding to the chair and its collected promises. The artwork will have invited visitors to sit, pause, and write a promise of peace for themselves, someone they love, or the wider world. Visitors are welcome to keep that promise, dissolve it in water, or place it in a box. Promises in the box are later transferred to the chair, allowing it to hold community voices.

Join this session for a gentle, practical introduction to mindfulness and self-compassion in uncertain times. Through simple guided exercises, reflection and discussion, you’ll explore how to steady your mind and respond to challenges with greater kindness. No experience needed, just curiosity and an openness to pause, breathe and reconnect.

This session explores research into how sharing lived experiences can enhance inclusivity and a sense of belonging for students. Drawing on reflections from staff who identified as under represented during their studies, it highlights key insights and successful outcomes. The audience will be invited to consider the power of sharing and listening to lived experiences as a way to expand their understanding of how to create a more inclusive, supportive learning environment.

What happens if items from an historic museum collection are brought together with everyday goods and services available nearby? International artists’ team Grennan & Sperandio decided to find out – in Chester! In this entertaining talk, watch as they manage to get a foot in the door and create six new sculptures. Learn the differences between collections and landfill. See how the histories of the high street connect past and present, making places that travel through time.

This talk will discuss the background to the enormous expansion of munitions’ factories and production in Britain, as a result of the ‘Shells Scandal’ of 1915, including within the local area around Chester. This necessitated the recruitment of thousands of munitions workers (many of whom were women) and they were to be exposed to a myriad of health problems because of their work. These health issues will be discussed and the health care and welfare provision made for munition workers during World War One will be outlined. The contribution that medical and nursing staff made, in an early forerunner of what is now often referred to as occupational health, will also be discussed. Picture Source: Leeds Library and Information Service.

Please join me so that we can collectively make a Murder (flock) of Crows, they are intelligent, have their own language and can communicate information, are a translucent multi color, not black as they seem. We will be making and decorating from templates, using recycled materials a collection of these magical and mystical birds( as referred to in the Mabinogion: Adar Rhiannon’s magical birds) nataliepapworth.artweb.com

Join Dr Lucy Andrew, former Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Chester, as she introduces her debut novel, A Very Vexing Murder, a cosy crime retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, and discusses her path to becoming a published author.

Join us for an in‑conversation event with David Baddiel—award‑winning comedian, bestselling author, and acclaimed cultural commentator. Renowned for his intelligence, originality, and distinctive humour, Baddiel has shaped British comedy and public debate through his work across stand‑up, television, radio, and writing. This event offers a rare opportunity to hear him in conversation as he shares sharp observations and thoughtful perspectives from a remarkable and wide‑ranging career. David will be in conversation with Dr Hannah Ewence, historian and Head of Humanities, Cultures and Environments at the University of Chester.

How NOT to Flee a War is a first-hand talk by Ukrainian journalist Maria Romanenko, co-presented with her partner Jez Myers, telling the story of their attempt to escape Kyiv as Russia launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. What begins as a surreal morning of explosions and disbelief quickly becomes a frantic and uncertain decision: whether to stay, where to go, and how to leave a city rapidly emptying under threat. Built around their real journey out of Ukraine, the talk uses personal storytelling and images from the road to show what the first days of invasion felt like from the inside. Rather than a polished narrative of survival, Maria and Jez describe the experience with blunt honesty and dark humour – the endless traffic, exhaustion, panic, misinformation, and the reality of borders under pressure. Through Maria’s perspective as a Ukrainian, and Jez’s as a British partner caught inside the unfolding disaster, the talk becomes both a gripping personal account and a wider reflection on displacement, resilience, and what it means to lose your home overnight. Biographies Maria Romanenko is a Ukrainian journalist and co-founder of All For Ukraine. Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Hromadske International, one of Ukraine’s best-known news organisations, she is the only Ukrainian recipient of the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award. Since relocating to the UK, Maria has focused on supporting displaced Ukrainians and raising awareness through talks, including the widely delivered How NOT to Flee a War. She has conducted over 1,000 mainstream media interviews since arriving in the UK and is a regular commentator across national and international channels. Jez Myers is a community champion and CEO of All For Ukraine. A recipient of Manchester City Council’s prestigious Pride of Manchester Award, he brings a dual background in business consultancy and civic engagement. After fleeing Ukraine with Maria, Jez has advised local and national bodies on supporting displaced Ukrainians, as well as assisting multiple Ukrainian charities. He is also Chairperson of the Spirit of Manchester Awards, the largest voluntary sector awards in the North West of England.

Join us for a Chaplaincy nationally and globally award-nominated tea party event exploring conservation, sustainability, and our relationship with the planet.

Through relaxed small-group discussions, creative prompts, and a calm, green-inspired setting, we’ll explore eco-anxiety, everyday climate action, and how communities can protect biodiversity. Expect thoughtful conversation, practical ideas, and space to reflect on building greener futures together.

Dress code – floral or wildlife themed outfits- completely optional, just for fun!

Ever wondered how athletes fuel their endurance engines? This session will explore how ‘the plate’ of an endurance athlete can influence their performance. We will uncover the science behind nutritional strategies to enhance endurance performance, discussing key controversies such as the carbohydrate vs. fat debate. The session will be led by Dr Ed Gray, Lecturer in Applied Sport Physiology. Ed is currently conducting research investigating how different fuelling approaches influence exercise.

Nourish to Flourish is a school-based project led by Kate and Ellie, helping children feel confident about healthy eating through creativity. Supported by the Bluecoat Charity, the Westminster Foundation and Crossing Borders, with evaluation support from RECAP (University of Chester). This year children explored artists from around the world and created artwork using food as material. The event includes a photo exhibition and a family workshop.

The Merlin’s Isle epic ballad series is acclaimed poet Malcolm Guite’s masterwork, a lifetime in the making. Malcolm Guite is the former Chaplain of Girton College, Cambridge. A performance poet and singer/songwriter, he lectures widely on poetry and theology in Britain and the US. His latest book blends myth, theology, and lyrical mastery. Guite re-enchants the legend of King Arthur for a new generation, restoring its original power and mystery in this sweeping four-volume series.

Discover the untold stories of Strabane, one of the forgotten frontlines of the Northern Ireland Troubles. This talk explores the lived experiences of those who grew up or took part in the conflict, showing how their memories, identities, and communities have shaped life in a post-conflict society.   The talk will engage with themes related to political violence, conflict, and lived experiences of the Northern Ireland Troubles. While the session will be handled sensitively and will not include graphic detail, some audience members may find the topics emotionally challenging