Programme
Digital Bristol Week
Find out more about Digital Bristol Week, a week of free workshops and training exploring the latest in digital media and technology.
Bristol-Hannover-Bordeaux Three Cities Summit: Achieving Inclusive Growth
In the 70th year of the links between Bordeaux, Bristol and Hannover there is much to celebrate and much to look forward to. The Three Cities Summit is a conference and workshop about that future and includes keynote presentations, break-out sessions and panel discussions.
Bristol Programme
Journey to Justice
Find out about Journey to Justice's programme of exciting and innovative exhibitions, arts events, public debates, historic walking tours, training programmes, practical workshops and installations across the city.
New Cities for a New World
Marwa al-Sabouni, James Brooks, Gil Penalosa, Andrew Wallis
How do we create new cities for the world in which we now live? How do we ensure that cities treat our most vulnerable citizens well?
Workshop: Collaborating with Communities in Creating Their Own Spaces with the City
Jane Anderson, Allison Dutoit, Thomas Ermacora, Matthew Jones, Rachel Sara, Becca Thomas
What would an entirely co-created city look like? What role can universities play in supporting these kinds of activities? And who participates in participatory place-making?
How Should Cities Deal with the Legacies of Guilt?
Amit Chaudhuri, Tim Cole, Madge Dresser, Vanessa Kisuule, David Olusoga
The panellists consider how cities can address their difficult pasts and how to ensure these debates and actions create better futures for all.
Psychology and the City
Rhiannon Corcoran, Charles Landry, Chris Murray, Michael Sanders
Why is urban psychology is important? How can behavioural sciences help create better policy in places for the future?
Future Cities Catapult: Urban Mobility
Fran McMahon, Jonathan Raper, John Parkin, Sofia Taborda
This session looks into ways of adopting a more user-driven approach in the transport sector and debates the potential convergence of business models in transport, ICT and urban development.
World Cities
Amit Chaudhuri, Owen Hatherley, Jenny Lacey, Gareth Macnaughton, Burhan Sönmez
What can we learn from cities worldwide? Leading researchers, novelists, city planners, writers and commentators each report on cities that they work in, know intimately, continue to praise and worry about.
Smart Cities and Smart Citizens
Mara Balestrini, Jarmo Eskelinen, Stephen Hilton, Shih-chuan Lee, Steve Turner
How do we make sure that smart cities involve citizens? How do we create smart citizens as well as smart cities? And is the public sector ready to deliver on the smart city potential?
The Future of Metro Devolution
Tim Bowles, Simon Cooper, Alaina Harkness, Peter Kurz, Marvin Rees
What will the next round of devolution bring? Is the government still committed to further and wider devolution? And what will devolution do for cities in the metro areas?
Future Cities Catapult: City Information Models
Elise Huard, Michael Jansen, Euan Mills, Alastair Parvin
This session will explore how the concept of city information models can begin to tie together some of the disparate developments in technology, city planning and management.
Good Work in the Future City
Kate Bell, Gavin Kelly, Anthony Painter
What is the future of work in cities? How can we create well-paid, secure work? And what can city leaders do to promote good work?
Future Architecture and Future Cities
Marwa al-Sabouni, Pam Alexander, Ben Derbyshire, Tom Dyckhoff, George Ferguson, Jaime Lerner, Barra Mac Ruairí
What's the best new thinking about the future of cities coming from architects, politicians and architectural commentators? What can we learn from recent experience in the UK, Brazil, Syria and elsewhere?
Will Driverless Cars Liberate Cities?
Peter Allchorne, Richard Blyth, Simon Cooper, Charlene Rohr, Jack Stilgoe
How might driverless cars revolutionise and humanise our streets?
Civil Society and the Future of Cities
Julia Unwin
What is the role of civil society in cities now and in the future? What is a civil society in cities? Julia Unwin explores the future needs and opportunities of civil society in cities.
Divercities: What Makes Your Bristol?
Lucie Jacquemet, Laëtitia Manach, Eleanor Pender
From street art to statue, is there a creative or cultural landmark that symbolises your city? How can this be represented through existing digital content? How can this stimulate curiosity and enable discovery?
Looking at Cities and Cityscapes, Art and Cinema
Mark Cousins, Andrew McMillan
Filmmaker and writer Mark Cousins illuminates how we construct as well as receive the things we see.
Radical Technologies and the Future of Cities
Adam Greenfield
What challenges do innovations present to us, as individuals and societies? Who benefits from their adoption? And what do they mean for the future of cities?
Delivering for Bristol: The Mayor’s Annual State of the City Address 2017
Marvin Rees, Miles Chambers, James Brooks, Carolyn Hassan, Jack Payne, Eve Szczelkun, Julia Unwin
In his 2016 lecture, Mayor Marvin Rees put forward his vision for Bristol. Now he turns to how he is delivering this vision and looks at future plans for the city.
What Can We Learn from Cities of the Past?
Julian Baggini, Owen Hatherley, Rachel Hewitt, Angie Hobbs, Michael Scott
What lessons can we take from the great cities of the past that can help us today and into the future?
Digital Bristol Week
Find out more about Digital Bristol Week, a week of free workshops and training exploring the latest in digital media and technology.
Bristol Programme
Journey to Justice
Find out about Journey to Justice's programme of exciting and innovative exhibitions, arts events, public debates, historic walking tours, training programmes, practical workshops and installations across the city.
Cities, Research, Urban Futures and the Political Response
Claire Craig, Mike Emmerich, Eleri Jones, Gavin Kelly, Nick Pearce
Research programmes have created a major evidence base and policy proposals about cities to 2050. What happens to this research? What might be done to improve the research/ policy-making process?
Future Cities Catapult: Data Visualisation Workshop
Thanos Bantis, Indira Knight
This workshop for SMEs is an introduction to the tools, techniques and storytelling skills required to turn raw city data into striking visualisations that explore and address urban challenges.
Making the City Playable: Who Can Play?
Stuart Nolan, Clare Reddington, Miguel Sicart, Erin Walsh
This session interrogates the current state of play and asks questions about how play is perceived, what it means for human behaviour and who playful interactions are designed for.
Using Research for City Futures: Keynotes
James Brooks, Rachel Cooper, Geoff Mulgan
How do we use research to provide practical solutions to city problems? What partnerships can be developed to secure the best results from research?
Making the City Playable: How We Play
Pascale Daigle, Inua Ellams, Daniel Hirschmann, Hilary O’Shaughnessy, Jen Stein
The panellists share some practical insights from their work and discuss the environmental and cultural concerns they must address in very different places.
Urban Speculations: Imagining Alternatives to the Built Environment
Teresa Dillon, Luca Picardi
This special three-hour workshop looks at the lessons learned about the commercialistion of city spaces and the impact this has on the built environment.
Making the City Playable: Let’s Play
Sarah Brin, Michelle Browne, Louisa Davies, Luke Emery, Sarah Hiscock, Russel Hlongwane, Bruce Ikeda, Paula le Dieu, Leticia Lonzano, Anel Moldakhmetova, Karishma Rafferty, Kate Stewart, Ryan Swanson, Malaika Toyo
Making the City Playable delegates will meet the 15 city change makers from the new global talent development programme Creative Producers International and participate in a series of playful interventions across the city.
Giving Power to the People: The Future of Devolution
Michael Heseltine, Ben Rogers
Lord Heseltine talks about his vision for cities for the future and Ben Rogers discusses the potential of a parliament of mayors.
Sustainable Development Goals and Cities: An International Perspective
Paula Lucci, Sergio Tobon, Ian Townsend, Kate Martin Bruintjes
The panel explores how the Sustainable Development Goals are being implemented by cities across the world and how cities at different levels of development are addressing shared challenges.
New Approaches to Urban Living
Rachel Cooper, Alistair Boxall, John Bryson, Paul Chatterton, William Clayton, Graham Gill, Gary Grubb, Eli Hatleskog, Annabel Jenkins, Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley, Helen Manchester, Graham Parkhurst, Mike Pitts, David Relph, Darien Simon, Colin Taylor, Mark Tewdwr-Jones, Sarah Toy, Paul Vallance
This session brings together researchers, their partners and funders with the public to identify what has been learned about cities; identify strategies and programmes of work that will see cities transformed in the future; and identify where research is needed next.
Sustainability and the Future of Cities
Mya-Rose Craig, Caroline Lucas MP, George Monbiot, Papa Omotayo, Rich Pancost
How do we create sustainable cities? How do we make sure that sustainability involves all? And how do we do this for all generations? Our panel explores what works well and what needs to be done.
Artificial Intelligence, Innovation and US Cities in the Age of Trump
Andrew Moore, Nick Pearce
Andrew Moore and Nick Pearce discuss the current horizon for artificial intelligence, robotics and Big Data and the implications of technological change.
Making the City Playable: Where We Play
Claire Doherty, Clorinda Romo, Seiichi Saito, Olamide Udoma-Ejorh
This session examines the relationship between play and protest, and how those creating playful interventions are responding to an increasingly political environment in which public space feels increasingly contested.
Keeping it Circular: The Opportunity of Locally-Focussed Money
James Berry, Simon Cooper, Dave Hunter, Jules Peck, Ed Rowberry, Sue Turner
What are the benefits of a locally-focussed financial ecology and what makes Bristol a centre for it all? The panel discuss the power of local money in creating a truly circular economy.
The Challenge of Inclusive Transformation: Towards a Sustainable City
Asher Craig, Mya-Rose Craig, George Ferguson, Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley, Caroline Lucas MP, Zakiya McKenzie, Rich Pancost, Wolfgang Teubner, Ian Townsend, Sarah Toy
In this workshop the vital role of inclusion in bringing about the transition to a sustainable city is explored. How do we build trust and achieve inclusivity? And how do we do so in a way that helps us become more radical and transformative?
Out of the Wreckage: A New Politics in an Age of Crisis
George Monbiot
George Monbiot explains how communities can be rebuilt, how economies can be recharged and how politics can once more inspire and thrill.
Immigration and Future Cities
Thangam Debbonaire MP, Julian Baggini, John Harris, Sunder Katwala, Narmada Thiranagama
How might immigration change after Brexit? What are the risks or opportunities? Can a common ground be found or will there be further polarisation?
Rebuilding Syria’s Cities for All
Marwa al-Sabouni, Molly Crabapple
Marwa al-Sabouni and Molly Crabapple explore the role architecture and the built environment play in whether a community crumbles or comes together.
What is the Value of Design to the City?
Jon Dovey, Merle Hall, Mike Harvey, Ellen Hughes, Glenn Parry, Nat Roberton, Anita Taylor
The panel discuss why the Bristol and Bath region is a strong centre for design. Who are the designers who live and work in the two cities?
Building the Good Cities of the Future
Andrew Adonis, Francesca Bria, Ricky Burdett, Bradley Garrett, Gabriella Gómez-Mont, Martin Green
What do we need to do to build the good cities of the future? What kind of infrastructure do we need to put in place? How do we bridge the gaps between the superstar cities and the rest?
If Women Built Cities
Salena Godden, Sian Norris, Finn Mackay, Sabrina Mahfouz, Catalina Turcu
Leading writers, architects, campaigners and researchers debate the challenges facing women living in cities and explore how cities could be made better for all in the future.
Last Tango In Berlin
Ute Lemper
World-renowned chanteuse Ute Lemper makes a welcome return to the UK stage performing her celebrated show Last Tango in Berlin – The Best of Ute.
Digital Bristol Week
Find out more about Digital Bristol Week, a week of free workshops and training exploring the latest in digital media and technology.
Building a Healthy City
Joy Carey, Mark Drane, Elaine Flint, David Relph, Simon Roberts, Ellie Shipman, Robert Woolley
What are the existing programmes for change to make Bristol a healthy city and how effective are they?
Bristol Programme
Journey to Justice
Find out about Journey to Justice's programme of exciting and innovative exhibitions, arts events, public debates, historic walking tours, training programmes, practical workshops and installations across the city.
National Conversation on Immigration Workshop
Jill Rutter
What does Bristol think about immigration, past, currently and for the future? Discuss and debate attitudes to immigration and what might change about Bristol if there were changes to immigration policy.
Social Mobility, Immobility and the Future of Cities
Torsten Bell, Anna Dixon, Paul Gregg, Marvin Rees, Kit de Waal
Cities have traditionally been the beating heart of the change, dynamism and social mixing that genuine social mobility requires. But is that still the case?
Brave, Poor (and Invisible): Gatekeepers of Past and Future Cities
Praminda Caleb-Solly, Esther Fox, Sue Moffat, Openstorytellers, Grace Swordy
This special all-day event brings together academics and community partners to expose and explore the often absent voices of disabled people in our collective history as well as our future planning.
What If? Reimagining the Role of Cultural Institutions as Agencies of Change in Cities
Andrew Barnett, Claire Doherty, Patrick Fox, David Jubb, Sally Tallant, Evie Manning
This session brings together cultural leaders, artists and producers who are testing out new ways of programming, collaborating and effecting change in their cities.
Walk: How Technology Shapes Cities: Past, Present and Future
Peter Madden
Peter Madden describes Bristol’s history and suggests how we can plan effectively for the future.
Future Cities Catapult: Healthy Cities
Jon Kirkpatrick, Matt Smith
How do we cope with health concerns over the rapid expansion of urban living? Is technology the solution or the root cause?
We Can Make: Affordable Citizen-Led Housing
Paul Chatterton, Owen Hatherley, Melissa Mean, Jess Steele, Craig White
How do we build affordable housing that has citizens at the centre throughout the process? This session provides an introduction to We Can Make, a live R&D programme that explores ways in which citizens can have a greater role in making new homes.
Building Integrated and Inclusive Cities
Charlotte Alldritt, Ellie Cosgrave, Farah Elahi, Margaret Heffernan, Immy Kaur
The panel addresses how future cities can avoid the problems of past growth and become places for all.
Race, Gender and the Future of Cities
Sado Jirde, Madhu Krishnan, Sumita Mukherjee, Aisha Rana-Deshmukh, Nicole Truesdell
Women of colour have often been at the forefront of movements to create more humane and integrated policies and places. What can historic and global movements for change teach us about the future of cities?
People, Healthy Towns and Cities
Simon Stevens, Pritpal Tamber
How do we make cities and towns healthier places to be? How do we encourage citizens to become healthier? And what is the role of the NHS in helping create future and better cities and towns?
Festival of the Future City: Bath
Bristol Festival of Ideas is delighted to be working with partners in Bath to extend the festival in 2017. Panels and talks in Bath feature speakers from the creative sector debating topics such as Housing, The Artist and the City and What Makes Great Architecture?
Bristol: One City – Shaping the Future
Marvin Rees, Jack Payne, Eve Szczelkun
Share your vision for the city and shape Bristol’s future on topics such as health and well-being, education and skills, growth, communities and transport and infrastructure.
Walk: The City Garden Re-Imagined
This guided walk of Knowle West includes beautiful vistas, chats with local people and a tour of the first prototype citizen-led home.
How Do We Create Child-Friendly Cities?
Allison Dutoit, Alice Ferguson, Tim Gill, Amy Harrison, Gil Penalosa, Ingrid Skeels, Sam Williams, Room 13 Hareclive
What is a child-friendly city? How does this link to other city visions for healthy, green, resilient, connected and fair places? And what policy changes need to be achieved to make cities truly child-friendly?
Citizen Jane: Battle for the City
Daisy Froud, Alaina Harkness, Owen Hatherley, Indy Johar, Nathan Storring
Citizen Jane retraces the battles for the city as personified by Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses, as urbanisation moves to the front of the current global agenda.
Bristol: One City – Shaping the Future
Marvin Rees, Jack Payne, Eve Szczelkun
Share your vision for the city and shape Bristol’s future on topics such as health and well-being, education and skills, growth, communities and transport and infrastructure.
Where Strangers Meet – Art in the Public Realm
Claire Doherty, Gabriella Gómez-Mont, David Olusoga, Papa Omotayo, Jay Pather, Beatrice Pembroke
Can participation in arts and cultural experiences in the public realm catalyse change for a society? The panel will consider the changing face of arts in the public realm, bringing experience from their international work.
Brexit and the Future of Cities
Anna Lisa Boni, Andrew Carter, Margaret Heffernan, Anand Menon
Nearly fifty-two percent of people in the UK voted to leave the EU in the referendum of 2016. However, most major cities voted to remain. What caused this split between major cities and the rest of the country?
Are You Still Watching? Monitoring the City
Teresa Dillon
Reflecting on the history of environmental and CCTV monitoring, this inaugural lecture marks the appointment of artist and researcher Teresa Dillon as Professor of City Futures at UWE.
#ThereISBlackInTheUnionJack Launch and Debate
Asher Craig, Maya Goodfellow, Afua Hirsch, Sado Jirde, Omar Khan, David Olusoga
Following a screening of the new film #ThereIsBlackInTheUnionJack, the panel will explore issues of identity, inclusion and belonging in future cities.
In association with
Higher Education partner
Event partners
Venue partners
