Battle of Ideas festival archive

The Battle of Ideas has been running since 2005, featuring hundreds of different debates and thousands of speakers over the years. You can read more about each of our previous festivals and find video and audio for many of the debates using the links below.

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2023
19 & 20 October 2023, Church House, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2022
15 & 16 October 2022, Church House, London
5 November 2022, Buxton
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2021
9 & 10 October 2021, Church House, London
30 October 2021, Buxton
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2019
2 & 3 November 2019, Barbican, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2018
13 & 14 October 2018, Barbican, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2017
28 & 29 October 2017, Barbican, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2016
22 & 23 October 2016, Barbican, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2015
17 & 18 October 2015, Barbican, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2014
18 & 19 October 2014, Barbican, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2013
19 & 20 October 2013, Barbican, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2012
20 & 21 October 2012, Barbican, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2011
29 & 30 October, Royal College of Art, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2010
30 & 31 October, Royal College of Art, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2009
31 October & 1 November, Royal College of Art, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2008
1 & 2 November, Royal College of Art, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2007
27 & 28 October, Royal College of Art, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2006
28 & 29 October, Royal College of Art, London
Festival website

Battle of Ideas festival archive

BATTLE OF IDEAS 2005
28 & 29 October, Royal College of Art, London
Festival website

Battle Buzz

Lesley Curwen

award-winning journalist, broadcaster and writer, BBC

Beware, you might find yourself throwing long-held views out of the window in the heat of the Battle of Ideas. I have.

Battle Buzz

Professor Constantine Sandis

professor of philosophy, University of Hertfordshire

Nowhere else will you find such variety of important issues debated with the openness they deserve – the battles were epic!

Battle Buzz

Bridget Rosewell

commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission; author, Reinventing London

The Battle of Ideas is one of the few events that attracts a wide range of people of all ages, ethnicities, preferences and views. It is exhilarating.

Battle Buzz

Sir Nicholas Kenyon

managing director, Barbican Centre; presenter, BBC Radio 4’s Cities From The Ashes; former director, BBC Proms

The Battle of Ideas is a fantastic meeting place for public debate, intelligent interaction, and powerful ideas. It brought a real buzz to the Barbican in 2016, and at a time of profound national debate we greatly look forward to working together on the next event in 2017.

Battle Buzz

Nick Cater

executive director, Menzies Research Centre, Australia; columnist, The Australian

Those who enjoy the comfort of conventional wisdom will find the Battle of Ideas a very unsafe space.