The Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words is set to return from Tuesday 12 May to Saturday 16 May 2026, bringing together an extraordinary lineup of speakers and events that span politics, culture, literature, storytelling, broadcasting, and public life. Held in the historic heart of British journalism, the festival promises to be a highlight of the cultural calendar, and a strong contender for the Best Arts or Culture Experience category in the Toast the City Awards.
What Makes the Festival of Words Distinct?
Lady Lucy French, CEO of Fleet Street Quarter, explains that the festival takes place in the very streets and buildings where stories have been born for centuries. Home to Dr Johnson, Samuel Pepys, Oscar Wilde, and the epicentre of British journalism and publishing, the area offers a unique sense of place and heritage. The programme is deliberately broad, looking beyond literature to celebrate the word in all its forms, including journalism, politics, culture, storytelling, broadcasting, and public life. This year's theme, 'The Age of Wisdom and Foolishness,' is inspired by Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, and aims to encourage conversations that feel both contemporary and deeply connected to Fleet Street's storied history.
What Do You Want People to Feel When They Leave a Festival of Words Event?
Lady Lucy French hopes attendees will feel inspired, energised, and perhaps exposed to a perspective they had not considered before. At its heart, the festival is about the power of ideas, conversations, and bringing people together, creating a stronger sense of community and a village atmosphere in the middle of the City. With 2026 being the National Year of Reading, the festival also aims to inspire people to read more, write more, or engage more deeply with the world around them. Whether through a political debate, a family event, or a creative writing workshop, the broad programming offers something for audiences of all ages.
Why That Dickens Quote?
Damian Collins OBE, Festival Director, notes that Dickens captured something timeless in the opening line of A Tale of Two Cities – the idea that periods of enormous change are often defined by contradiction. Moments of progress and innovation can coexist with uncertainty, division, and anxiety, which feels particularly relevant now. We are living through a moment where technology, politics, and media are evolving incredibly quickly, challenging how people think about themselves, their communities, and the world. The theme 'The Age of Wisdom and Foolishness' provides a framework to explore these tensions.
What Does 'Foolishness' Look Like in 2026?
Damian Collins identifies charlatans professing to feel your pain, and avatar politicians simply reflecting people's anger back at them without any idea what to do about it. Foolishness today often comes in the form of certainty – the assumption that complex problems can be solved through simplistic answers, or that loudness is the same as authority. We are living in an era shaped by misinformation, polarisation, and algorithm-driven debate, where people are rewarded for reaction rather than reflection. The festival does not lecture but creates space to explore these ideas thoughtfully.
What Does 'Fleet Street' Mean in a Digital World?
Lady Lucy French emphasises that Fleet Street still stands for journalism, public debate, scrutiny, and storytelling. Even though the industry has changed dramatically, those values remain hugely important. The area is now entering a new chapter, evolving into a modern hub for media, creativity, business, and culture while carrying its historic identity.
How Do You Curate a Programme That Spans Politics, Fiction, and Culture?
Damian Collins explains that the connecting thread is ideas and storytelling. Whether someone is writing a novel, reporting from a conflict zone, or discussing politics, they are ultimately trying to help people understand the world around them. The programme reflects the breadth of conversations happening in society right now, from current affairs and journalism to memoir, family events, and creative writing workshops.
What Role Will Disagreement and Debate Play?
Damian Collins stresses that healthy disagreement is essential to any functioning democracy or cultural conversation. The problem today is that disagreement can become performative or hostile rather than constructive. The festival aims to create space for thoughtful debate, where people can engage with opposing perspectives seriously and respectfully.
What Are You Doing to Bring in Younger Audiences?
Lady Lucy French highlights the family programming, which includes Rob Biddulph hosting a live 'Draw With Rob' session, Beano illustrator Hugh Raine leading interactive comic workshops, Guinness World Records bringing record-breaking challenges, and Gyles Brandreth discussing the ongoing appeal of Winnie the Pooh.
What Challenges Did You Face?
Lady Lucy French notes the challenge of changing the perception of the area. The City is often viewed through the lens of finance and business, but the festival aims to highlight Fleet Street's deep cultural, literary, and journalistic history. There is also no question that the cultural sector is operating in a challenging environment, but there is a real appetite for meaningful, in-person experiences. People want opportunities to connect, discuss ideas, and experience culture collectively.
If You Could Change One Thing About the UK's Cultural or Media Landscape, What Would It Be?
Damian Collins would give more attention to things that actually matter, allowing more space for nuance and curiosity. Public discourse often rewards speed, outrage, and certainty over thoughtfulness and complexity. Literature, journalism, and live discussion can slow people down and encourage deeper engagement with ideas.
Festival of Words Line-up at a Glance
Tuesday 12th May
- Writing a Memoir: Arvon Creative Writing Workshop – Amy Key
- The State of It: Live Podcast Recording with The Times – Caroline Wheeler, Patrick Maguire, Gabriel Pogrund & Steven Swinford
- Purpose or Performance? Business as a Force of Nature – Erika Clegg & Simeon Rose
- Damian Collins: David Lloyd George – Does it Take a Dynamic Force to Succeed in a Challenging World? – Damian Collins
- Alexander Hoare: Impact Banker – Alexander Hoare & Dharshini David
- Lottie Moggach: A Victorian Murder Reimagined – Lottie Moggach & Clare Clark
- The Day the Queen Died: How a Story Unfolds – Jeremy Griffin, Michelle Donelan & Antony Garvey
- James Graham: In Conversation – James Graham
Wednesday 13th May
- Breakfast With The Guardian – Jenny Stevens, Ben Quinn & Aamna Mohdin
- How to Start Your Novel: Arvon Creative Writing Workshop – Abi Daré
- Rebecca Lee & Laura Hackett: Rogues, Widows and Orphans – Rebecca Lee & Laura Hackett
- Dragon Cafe in the City: Words, Words, Words – Reza Ben Gajra
- Fergal Keane & Antony Garvey: Reporting from the Front Line – Fergal Keane & Antony Garvey
- Dragon Cafe in the City: Creative Writing with Wordsmiths – Naomi (Wordsmiths)
- Empowering Women – Poorna Bell, Sophie Jane Lee, Maryam Pasha & Terry Stiastny
- God is an Englishman – Bijan Omrani & The Ven Luke Miller
- Tom Bradby: Behind the Scenes – Tom Bradby
- Sajid Javid: The Colour of Home – Sajid Javid
Thursday 14th May
- Breakfast With The Times – Jeremy Griffin, Andy Silvester & Rebecca Myers
- Fiction – Work in Progress: Arvon Creative Writing Workshop – Sophie Mackintosh
- Tina Hodgkinson: Agatha Christie's London – Tina Hodgkinson & Laura Hackett
- Iain Dale & Steve Richards: Thatcher & Blair – Iain Dale & Steve Richards
- Walking Tour With Tom Levitt: The Business of History – Tom Levitt
- Shakespeare in London – Lucy Munro & Dr Hannah Crawforth
- Political Journalism in an Unstable World – Caroline Wheeler, Jason Groves, Jack Elsom, Jessica Elgot & Damian Collins
- Are We Hardwired to Disagree? – Professor Paul Dolan, Dr Leor Zmigrod, Dr Marius Ostrowski & Catherine Loveday
- Calming Chaos: Getting the Big Decisions Right in a Fast-Changing World – David Gauke, Peter Ricketts, Ben Judah, Elisabeth Braw & Spriha Srivastava
Friday 15th May
- Breakfast With The New Statesman – Tom McTague & Damian Collins
- How to Finish Your Book: Arvon Creative Writing Workshop – James Spackman
- Beyond the Bench: Life as a KC – Baroness Brenda Hale, Wendy Joseph KC & Rebecca Jones
- Jacqueline Riding: Charlie Chaplin's London – Jacqueline Riding
- Voices of Fleet Street – Humphrey Hawksley, Emma Lee-Potter, Wendy Holden & Shekhar Bhatia
- Sam McBride & Mark Hennessy: For or Against a United Ireland – Sam McBride, Mark Hennessy & Simon Kingston
- Scott Walker: Boardroom Lessons from a Hostage Negotiator – Scott Walker
- From Dickens to Ben Okri and Daniel West: Reimagining A Tale of Two Cities – Sir Ben Okri & Daniel West
Saturday 16th May
- Review of the Saturday Papers – Paddy O'Connell, Sarah Vine, Ayesha Hazarika & Hugh Pym
- Create a Comic with Beano Illustrator Hugh Raine – Hugh Raine
- Hanif Kureishi: Shattered – Hanif Kureishi & Arifa Akbar
- Draw With Rob: Wolves and Foxes – Rob Biddulph
- Piers Blofeld & Antonia Senior: The Cambridge 5 Spies – Piers Blofeld, Antonia Senior & Terry Stiastny
- Guinness World Records Live
- Gyles Brandreth: AA Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh and Fleet Street – Gyles Brandreth
- Larry Lamb Joins Gyles Brandreth: Live Recording of the Rosebud Podcast – Larry Lamb & Gyles Brandreth
For more information, visit the Festival of Words website.
