Talks
ALSO sprung from the loins of Salon London, the legendary night that put ideas from authors, academics, and experts together with audiences in London clubs (described by GQ as ‘one of the top things to do in the world’), meaning we have over two decades’ experience of taking ideas and letting them run wild. In 2014, having programmed extensively for the most creative festivals in the UK (putting clever content into Latitude, Wilderness, Standon Calling, Soho House, Festival No 6, Blue Dot and Lost Village), we knew exactly how to curate the UK’s first ideas and music festival.
If you've been to ALSO before, you'll know it's like a 'choose your own adventure' through a programme of ideas, music, comedy, wellbeing and food, delivered in a way you won't find at any other festival. . .
Across three days, you’ll find world-class talks - spanning science to philosophy, creativity to climate given by leaders in their field - intimate Q&As, our signature Double Talk series, book signings, ideas walks, headphone journeys, wild conversations, panels, weekend paper reviews, and serendipitous bar-side debates. You’ll stumble upon pop-up collaborations between writers and artists, tastings, Chef-led demos, workshops, masterclasses, guided swims, creative installations, and our ever-evolving digital wall of film and art.
Ideas at ALSO26. . .
Our spectacular 13th edition turns the wheel to Oh Fortuna!, and together we’ll playfully explore luck and chance encounters that ask how much of our fortune is already written and how much we can make ourselves.
ALSO26 will be packed with huge ideas that could transform your fortune. Join Turner Prize-winning, BAFTA-winning artist, performer and broadcaster Sir Grayson Perry, who will headline this year’s programme with an in-conversation exploring the festival’s 2026 theme, ‘Oh Fortuna!’ and an exclusive LIVE show, Grayson Perry’s Greatest Hits. Don't miss bestselling author Sathnam Sanghera live at ALSO26 as he brings his brilliantly original new book, Tonight the Music Seems So Loud, to the stage, exploring the extraordinary life and times of one of Britain’s most beloved musical icons, George Michael. Hear from award-winning writer and presenter of BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind, Claudia Hammond, as she presents the psychological toolkit for anyone feeling overwhelmed, tech commentator Jamie Bartlett, who will guide us on how to talk to AI, and award-winning neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff, revealing the power of ‘tiny experiments’ to achieve ambitions.
Investigative journalist Oliver Bullough takes a deep dive into the global economy of money laundering, world-leading immunologist Daniel M. Davis busts myths about immune health, YouTube sensation Fred Mills charts ten mega construction projects that will reshape the modern world and Sunday Times Bestselling authors Ken and Mary Okoroafor rewire our thinking about wealth.
Don’t miss ALSO’s Big Summer Read with BAFTA-nominated screenwriter and novelist Emma Jane Unsworth discussing her novel SLAGS and visit bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud, who will be dispensing personalised Fiction Prescriptions.
Plus you can journey deep into the world of the Tyrannosaurus rex with Mark P. Witton, a look at the flavour of quantum physics with Ben Allanach, author and visual research artist, Nabil Ali dives into the fascinating history of natural pigments and dyes drawn from plants and ancient recipes, take a glimpse into the divine beauty of space with David Tong, explore The Psychology of The Traitors with award-winning neuroscientist and psychologist, Catherine Loveday and award-winning writer and broadcaster, Claudia Hammond or consider how mathematics shapes creativity with Marcus du Sautoy, plus so much more. . .
See the ALSO26 Ideas line-up here
