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Sussex Festival of Ideas 2026 – call for student proposals live 

Would you like to put on event as part of the 2026 Sussex Festival of Ideas?

Funding is available to support a small number of events, alongside technical, marketing and organising support.

Read below to find out more!

Now in its fifth year, The Sussex Festival of Ideas connects students, staff and the outer community in a lively programme of events, talks and activities organised by students. It aims to harness the transformative power of the arts and humanities, to build a more inclusive and creative world. Students are invited to propose events to be part of the 2026 Festival of Ideas, which will take place on campus in late March. 

Events can be performances, talks, workshops, conversations, film screenings and masterclasses, or anything else you would like to realise. The events can take place in venues across campus, such as the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, the Student Centre,Debating Chamber, Print Room, Library or anywhere else that you think would work for your event.   
 
We are looking for proposals which meet the following criteria:

  • Are creative, engaging, experimental, dynamic and (ideally) interdisciplinary
  • Are proposed by at least one student (undergraduate or postgraduate)
  • Are proposed by a student or students in the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities.  If you are not a student in the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities your event will need to be relevant to the Arts and Humanities or you will be collaborating with a student or member of staff in the Media, Arts and Humanities Faculty
  • Are (but not limited to) panel discussions, workshops, a series of short presentations, screenings, conversations, and performances. Please avoid lectures or papers – this is a Festival, not a conference!
  • Respond to Brighton Festival’s 2026 theme marking and celebrating Brighton Festival’s 60th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of the annual children’s parade. The programme will mark six decades of cultural vibrancy and will seek to be a regenerative cultural engine of the city. The programme will celebrate Brighton Festival in and of itself and how Brighton sees itself as a city. It will include land art, cross disciplinary works addressing many themes, including our earth,  injustice, time through the eyes of children, music, rituals, freedom and the utter joy of creativity whilst honouring Brighton as a living canvas. The festival will reach up and out. Test beds for new ideas. Artist led. Radically inclusive. Open doors wider than ever.
  • Are connected with the Festival’s mission to harness the transformative power of the arts and humanities to build a more inclusive and creative world (please also see our Vision and Mission, below)
  • Involve invited external speakers/performers and/or Sussex students and staff
  • Are conceived of with an audience of Sussex students and staff in mind
  • Draw from a wide range of disciplines across the whole University
  • Are able to be realised within a budget of up to £500 – (noting that the Faculty pays external speakers/performers/workshop leaders a standard fee of £250 plus up to £75 for expenses)
  • Can be realised with minimal technical requirements
  • Be deliverable within one of the spaces that can be booked on University of Sussex campus. Feel free to think creatively about what space you use how you will use it (we can support the finding of a space).

If you are interested in contributing to the 2026 Festival of Ideas programme please submit a short proposal using this online application form.

What you will need to submit: 

  • Name of student organiser/s
  • Email address
  • Proposed event title (title can change)
  • Who will be featured in the event (external guests/students/staff?)
  • Event duration Space requirements/ideal space on campus (if you have already identified)
  • Short description
  • Course you are currently enrolled on and level of study/year
  • Social media handles (if you have them and would like to share)
  • Any member of staff you have spoken to about your proposal (not a requirement)
  • Very simple and rough budget to be submitted on the online form (a list of foreseen costs up to a maximum of £500 pr event – please contact lauren.church@sussex.ac.uk if you need support writing this)
  • To be available on w/c 11 November to meet with Festival of Ideas selection committee to discuss your proposal

The deadline for proposals is Monday 3 November, 9am.  

We will respond to everyone by Friday 7 November and invite those successful in the first stage to discuss their proposals with the Festival of Ideas programme selection committee on a date w/c 11 November  
  
Applications will be decided on and confirmed by the Festival of Ideas Selection Panel: 

  • Associate Dean Global and Civic Engagement (chair)
  • Associate Dean Research and Innovation
  • Producer in Residence
  • Director of ACCA Faculty Innovation, Industry, and Engagement Lead
  • Black at Sussex Project Lead (or member of steering group)
  • Student rep presented within previous Festival of Ideas  Student Led Strand

Using the following criteria: 

  • High quality presentation
  • Strong ideas-led content
  • A range of disciplines and modes of expression
  • Public facing and engaging
  • Complete clarity on organisational responsibilities
  • Costing must include any on the day health and safety and ushering costs
  • Contribute to evaluation and impact reporting

More information

Time commitment, benefits and support received:

Your role as a Festival of Ideas student organiser: 

  • If your proposal is selected there will be a minimum commitment of 3 days across Jan-March expected from each student organiser.
  • Each student organiser is also expected to attend one coffee/tea meet up with the other festival organisers (coffee/tea will be provided) in February 2025 (venue tbc).
  • You will be required to supply a promotional image for your event, and a short description about your event to promote it.
  • You will be expected to carry out small tasks in the organising and running of your event, such as creating an event plan with the Producer-in-Residence, liaising with event guest speakers, setting up chairs, greeting and ticking off attendees on the door.

Why take part? 

Festival of Ideas student organisers will receive the following: 

  • Profile through the Festival of Ideas promotional campaign (which will be tied in with promotion of the Festival of Ideas at Brighton Festival which takes place following the student event) 

  • Support from the Festival of Ideas Producer-in-Residence Lauren Church, who will meet with you at least twice in the lead up to the event and support you with any external speaker liaison / booking of spaces /event planning 

  • Each student organiser will be asked to create an event plan, this is a simple document outlining what your event involves, that the Producer-in-Residence will support you to create 

  • Each student event organiser will be invited to take part in a short video interview, which will be created by a student digital content creator to promote your event and the festival (participation is not mandatory). This will be shared on the UoS social media channels 

  • Experience organising an event within a professional Festival context with support from an experienced producer 

If you have any questions at all or need support with writing your proposal please contact lauren.church@sussex.ac.uk (Producer-in-Residence, Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities)