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Leeds International Festival of Ideas Conversations that inspire , 6 -10 October, 2026 | | Leeds Playhouse Festival: leedsinternationalfestival.com

19/10/2026

What’s it like interviewing one of the best interviewers there is?

Harriet Rose opened LIFI26 in conversation with Louis Theroux in front of a packed Quarry Theatre at Leeds Playhouse. Minutes after she walked off stage, we caught up with her to find out how it went.

Welcome to LIFITV, our new behind-the-scenes series from . Episode 1 is out now, with more to come.

🎬 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZZ3YRFJ2D4
📖 Read more on the LIFI Journal: https://leedsinternationalfestival.com/lifitv-episode-1-harriet-rose-on-interviewing-louis-theroux/

15/10/2026

56 speakers. 5 days. 14 events. Over 6,000 people through the doors at Leeds Playhouse.

From Louis Theroux on the opening night to Tim Minchin on the last, LIFI26 was the biggest festival yet, and it only works because you turned up, asked questions and kept the conversation going long after the lights came up.

Thank you for coming. Here’s the week in one film.

PS Catch up on every event in the LIFI Journal, and look out for LIFITV, launching this week.

11/10/2026

What a week. What a festival 💫

Thank you to our incredible speakers, , and our partners, the curious minds who filled the Playhouse, and the team who brought to life.

That’s a wrap for this year, but the ideas live on. Our full aftermovie lands this week with vox pops too…

"You are beautiful because of your damage, not despite it"Tim MinchinWhat a way to finish. Tim Minchin closed Leeds Inte...
10/10/2026

"You are beautiful because of your damage, not despite it"
Tim Minchin

What a way to finish. Tim Minchin closed Leeds International Festival of Ideas 2026 in conversation with Larry Budd, on creativity, courage and staying hopeful in an age of doomscrolling, burnout and endless outrage.

Five days, a lot of big questions, and a lot of Leeds in the room. Thank you to every speaker, partner, volunteer and audience member who made what it was.

Read the top takeaways 👇
https://leedsinternationalfestival.com/top-takeaways-from-tim-minchin/


Tim Minchin

"We don't need to fight for a space, there's a space for all of us" - Ash PalmiscianoWe all belong here, don't we? Tonig...
10/10/2026

"We don't need to fight for a space, there's a space for all of us" - Ash Palmisciano

We all belong here, don't we? Tonight Samira Ahmed put that question to Afua Hirsch, Ashley James, James O'Brien and Ash Palmisciano in a sold-out Courtyard Theatre.

National identity, community, immigration and division, and what it will take to rebuild a country where everyone has a place. A thought-provoking conversation from a panel of leading voices.

Read the top takeaways 👇
https://leedsinternationalfestival.com/top-takeaways-from-we-all-belong-here-dont-we/



Afua Hirsch James O'Brien

"We need to be able to have these conversations without leading people to feel guilt and shame. Let's not try and make p...
10/10/2026

"We need to be able to have these conversations without leading people to feel guilt and shame. Let's not try and make people afraid of their decision." - Dr SJ Beard

Birth rates are falling, and deciding whether to have children has become one of the defining questions of a generation. This afternoon Laura Hamilton hosted Dr SJ Beard, Yousra Samir Imran, Betty Mukherjee, Olivia Bentley and Johnny I'Anson to talk about it honestly.

Money, IVF, relationships, adoption, career and freedom. The forces reshaping modern parenthood, and why so many people are rethinking what once felt like the norm.

The message was clear - whether choosing parenthood or a different path, people deserve the freedom to make decisions that feel right for them, with honesty, understanding and support.

Read the top takeaways 👇
https://leedsinternationalfestival.com/top-takeaways-from-are-kids-still-part-of-the-plan/


Laura Hamilton - TV Presenter & Property Expert

10/10/2026

Day 4 at ✅

LIFI Futures wrapped, we took a trip back to the 90s, and then we debated switching off social media. We’re aware of the irony.

Thank you to everyone who joined us. It’s the final day today.

🎟️ leedsinternationalfestival.com
📍 Leeds Playhouse

📆 FINAL DAY | 📆Last day already. Where did that go??!We're finishing with whether kids are still part of the plan, a c...
10/10/2026

📆 FINAL DAY | 📆

Last day already. Where did that go??!

We're finishing with whether kids are still part of the plan, a conversation about belonging, and Tim Minchin closing the festival in the Quarry Theatre.

See you soon 👀

📍 Leeds Playhouse
🎟️ Link in bio

“There were a few of us around that time. It felt like women were finally having a voice, and the Spice Girls burst on t...
09/10/2026

“There were a few of us around that time. It felt like women were finally having a voice, and the Spice Girls burst on the scene. The ladette tag became quite hard to shake off.” – Denise van Outen

New Labour, Cool Britannia, Britpop, rave and dial-up. Tonight Miranda Sawyer, Harriet Harman, Judge Jules MBE, Jason McGann and Denise van Outen went beyond the nostalgia to ask what the 90s really did for us, and to us.

Was it definitely, maybe the start of a cultural revolution? The Quarry Theatre had opinions.

Read the top takeaways 👇
https://leedsinternationalfestival.com/top-takeaways-from-what-did-the-90s-really-do-to-us/

"They have different behaviours built into them"Mark FaridWe check our phones over 100 times a day. Tonight, the BBC's J...
09/10/2026

"They have different behaviours built into them"
Mark Farid

We check our phones over 100 times a day. Tonight, the BBC's Joe Tidy asked Dr Sophie Bishop, Mark Farid, Katy Leeson and Tulisa Contostavlos whether it's finally time to switch it all off.

Influencer culture, doomscrolling, AI-generated content and misinformation, and the real psychological cost of life lived through a feed. Plenty to think about on the way home. Probably while scrolling.

Read the top takeaways 👇
https://leedsinternationalfestival.com/top-takeaways-from-is-it-time-to-switch-off-social-media/

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