Hay Festival
The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts, better known as the Hay Festival, is held annually in the town of Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales for a period of 10 days of celebration from May to June. This festival is one of the worlds leading art and literature festivals; it draws readers and writers from far and wide together to share stories and ideas in live events. The festival was described by Bill Clinton in 2001 as ‘The Woodstock of the mind’.
Founded in 1988 by Norman, Rhonda and Peter Florence, the festival was devised with the intentions of gathering Nobel Prize winners and novelists, historians, scientists and politicians, environmentalists and musicians to take part in a global conversation, sharing and discussing the latest thinking in the arts and sciences with curious audiences. The festivals inspire, promote discussion and entertain globally, inviting audiences to imagine the world as it is and how it could be.
Thirty-five years after the festival was dreamt up around a kitchen table in the booktown of Hay-on-Wye, the unique combination of exciting conversation and entertainment for all ages has travelled the world to more than 30 locations, spreading the cultural phenomenon to a global audience. Today the organisation reaches millions of people each year and continues to grow and innovate, forming partnerships and initiatives alongside some of the biggest and leading organisations in arts and the media.
Alongside the festival a wide range of educational programmes and outreach work is funded by the event, supporting the next generation of writers and culturally hungry audiences.
“For 35 years Hay has lit a beacon for Enlightenment. In a volatile world of anger and corrupted language, the festival champions empathy and curiosity. Stories and truths are told, ideas are shared, and everyone is encouraged to imagine the world from other perspectives and with renewed and audacious hope”
- Caroline Michel, Chair, Hay Festival
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