Surrey awarded national humanities festival hub status for second year running

The University has been awarded funding through the Being Human Festival, the UK's national festival of the humanities, to lead its 2026 hub programme, Living Crossroads: Sharing Surrey's Stories, Archives and Futures.

Running from 5 to 14 November 2026 across Guildford, Compton, East Clandon and Dorking, the programme will bring together researchers, artists, community partners and members of the public to explore how local histories, cultural traditions and personal experiences intersect, overlap and shape the future.

The programme has been developed by researchers from the University of Surrey's School of Arts, Humanities and Creative Industries, working alongside the Faculty impact team. Surrey was selected as a festival hub in recognition of the creativity, breadth and inclusivity of its proposed programme.

Through exhibitions, performances, workshops, talks and community events, audiences will be invited to engage directly with humanities research and explore the stories, archives and cultural knowledge that help define the region.

Dr Lucy Ella Rose, Senior Lecturer in Victorian Literature at the University of Surrey and academic lead for the festival hub, said:

"We are delighted that the University of Surrey has been selected as a Being Human Festival Hub for a second year. Our 2026 programme, Living Crossroads, celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Surrey while creating opportunities for communities to engage with research in creative, meaningful and accessible ways.

"The events will explore moments where different stories, histories and perspectives meet, highlighting the importance of preserving and sharing cultural knowledge while opening up new conversations about identity, creativity and belonging."

Highlights of the programme will include events exploring the relationship between music technology and creativity, literary connections between Lewis Carroll and Guildford, the cultural legacy of artist J.M.W. Turner, the experiences of refugees who fled Nazi persecution, and celebrations marking the centenary of Winnie-the-Pooh.

All events will be free to attend and designed to appeal to a broad public audience, encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to discover how humanities research helps us understand the world around us.

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Note to editors

• Interviews are available with Dr Lucy Ella Rose and participating researchers. Please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange

• For more information about the Being Human Festival, visit beinghumanfestival.org.

• The Being Human Festival is led by the School of Advanced Study at the University of London, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the British Academy. It is the UK's national festival of the humanities and showcases innovative public engagement activities taking place across the country. The University of Surrey is one of four hubs in 2026.