Festival of Politics

Submitted by edg on Fri, 6 Sep '19 8.24pm
Image (reusable)
Image
Scottish Parliament Debating Chamber populated
Credit
Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament
Time & place
Times
to
Tickets and info
Telephone (info)
0131 348 5200. Open 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday
0800 092 7600 (freephone). Open 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday
Description

The Festival of Politics is a populist, accessible festival held once a year at the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.

The festival pulls together talks, debates, film screenings, music, food, and free exhibitions.

Over the course of three days, the festival tackles issues that have swept the globe in the last year with prominent speakers leading public discussion.

Subjects vary from the politics of housing, disability and food banks to the impact and repercussions of Brexit, particularly on Scotland's relationship with the rest of the United Kingdom.

There's always an eye to the future with attendees discussing the impact of technology, climate change, space travel, and geo-political manoeuvring on society and how legislators can equip themselves better to meet the challenges of a fast-changing world. 

Participants at the Festival of Politics 2019 include Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, journalist and broadcaster Andrew Marr, and TV’s Dr Rangan Chaterjee. 

There are two exhibitions in 2019 - Women in Science in Scotland and The Art of Intelligent Ageing.

Previous Festival of Politics have included political grandees such as Lord Michael Heseltine and Dame Margaret Hodge MP, historian Professor Emeritus Sir Tom Devine OBE, global best-selling author and academic Professor Mary Beard, Booker Prize winning novelist and poet Ben Okri, and social commentator and Orwell Prize winner Darren McGarvey aka Loki.

During the festival, choirs, groups, music and dance will perform in the Festival Café Bar.

Tickets

Talks are £4-£8