Surrey awarded funding to lead national humanities festival hub
A celebration of untold stories and overlooked voices is coming to Surrey this autumn, as the University of Surrey has been awarded funding to host one of five Festival Hubs as part of the UK’s national Being Human Festival 2025.
Running across multiple venues in Guildford and Compton, the ‘Between the Lines: Surrey’s Hidden Histories’ programme will invite local communities to uncover aspects of Surrey’s past — from forgotten artists and suppressed musical legacies to LGBTQ+ fashion histories and the experiences of displaced young people.
The University’s programme, developed by researchers in the School of Arts, Humanities and Creative Industries and the Faculty impact team, has been supported by a grant from the Being Human Festival in recognition of its creative and inclusive approach.
Highlights include:
A celebration of Victorian artist Mary Watts at Watts Gallery, marking 175 years since her birth and rebalancing the historical spotlight often placed on her husband, G.F. Watts.
A world premiere of newly discovered music composed by prisoners in WW2 concentration camps, performed live with contributions from local Jewish communities.
Interactive events exploring displacement and belonging, led by and featuring displaced young people in collaboration with the Big Leaf Foundation.
A walking tour and fashion workshop, bringing Surrey’s LGBTQIA+ history to life through dress and storytelling, supported by the ListenQueer digital app.
A musical tribute to suffragette composer Ethel Smyth, exploring how music shapes meaning in times of struggle and change.
Dr Lucy Ella Rose, Lecturer in Victorian Literature at the University of Surrey and lead for the Festival Hub, said:
“This programme invites our communities to read between the lines of history — to listen, reflect and reimagine whose stories get told and remembered. From literature, visual art and music to queer heritage and migration, each event highlights the power of the humanities to bring people together and inspire empathy through the sharing of lived experience.”
The festival will take place between 6-15 November 2025 and is designed to be accessible and engaging for a broad public audience. Events will be free and span different formats — from walking tours and performances to hands-on workshops and immersive audio experiences.
The Being Human Festival is the UK’s national festival of the humanities, led by the School of Advanced Study at the University of London in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy.
The full programme will be released on 24th September 2025 at the official Being Human 2025 website, where you will be able to find more information about Surrey’s Festival Hub events and book tickets: Being Human 2025.
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