Hay Festival announce free programme of virtual resources for students and schools
Hattie Fisk
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Hay Festival has unveiled a free programme for schools this spring, encouraging young writers through a series of interactive online workshops running 24-28 May 2021.
Sam Hardwick
The festival’s schedule details five sessions a day for pupils across KS1-4, with accompanying learning activities and free teaching materials on the site. Attendees can access these resources live or through the website’s archive, part-funded by Hay Festival Foundation.
A variety of celebrity guests will run the workshops, including Matt Lucas, David Baddeil, Konnie Huq, Joseph Coelho, Liz Hyder, Robert Muchamore and Patrick Ness. Young people, teachers and parents can now register for the free sessions here.
Imagine the world. Registration is now open for our FREE online Programme for Schools at https://t.co/nTutcoMD2t. Parents and teachers, explore the line-up and spread the word... pic.twitter.com/svToB0akTi
— Hay Festival (@hayfestival) March 31, 2021
Accompanying this announcement, a workshop driven project aimed at 16-18 year-olds has also been launched: Beacons. This project includes a writing workshop from poet, author and playwright Owen Sheers, and a discussion about the recent tv adaptation of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials with award-winning screen-writer and playwright Jack Thorne.
Aine Venables, Hay Festival’s education manager, said: ‘In a year of enormous challenges for young people and schools all around the UK, we’re pleased that our new digital formats enable us to bring writers and young people together in sessions that can inspire and entertain. Our free programme for schools and Beacons Project workshops aim to meet that need with vibrancy and joy. Everyone is welcome. Join us.’
Originally scheduled for 26 May - 6 June, this year the festival has been rearranged to 24-28 May to suit a virtual format. The full digital programme will be released on 20 April, revealing over 200 acclaimed writers, global policy makers, historians, poets, pioneers and innovators who will take part.
The festival is sponsored by Visit Wales and Bailie Gifford, with all the events captioned in Welsh and English. The Hay Festival Foundation welcomes donations here to ensure the project will continue in future years.
Find out more at hayfestival.org/wales.