Festivals at Glasgow
The University of Glasgow has hosted a range of festivals for all ages for over 20 years. These are excellent opportunities for University of Glasgow staff and students to get involved with public engagement, sometimes for the first time.
Find out about some of them below. To keep up to date with these public engagement opportunities, researchers should subscribe to the engagement mailing list (VPN required if off-campus) for updates.
Explorathon (part of European Researchers' Night)
Explorathon is the Scottish arm of 'European Researchers' Night'. It connects the public with the fantastic research happening across Europe. Explorathon happens every September, often coinciding with the Glasgow Doors Open Day Festival. To get involved, researchers should subscribe to the engagement mailing list (see above) for updates.
Glasgow Science Festival
Glasgow Science Festival was founded by University of Glasgow staff Deborah McNeill and Rebecca Crawford in 2006. Since then, the festival has taken over the city every June, connecting thousands of people with science, technology, engingeering, arts, medicine and mathematics. Event proposals usually open in October and close in early January. For more information, visit the Glasgow Science Festival website.
ARCadia / Advanced Research Centre (ARC) programmes
The Advanced Research Centre (ARC) opened to the public in 2022. The inaugural public programme - 'ARCadia: Festival of Ideas' - invited communities from across the city to participate and lead events. You can watch a video of the ARCadia programme below.
Since 2022, the ARC has continued to open its doors to thousands of members of the public, through regular programmes like CinemARC, the Spring Fling and Winter Warmer. Find out more on the ARC's website.
If you are a University of Glasgow researcher wishing to volunteer at future events, contact: ARCEngage@glasgow.ac.uk
Thinking Culture
Thinking Culture is a programme of events and activities which aims to enrich the cultural life of Glasgow by bringing academics, artists, and audiences into meaningful conversation through the creative arts.
Thinking Culture is organised by the Collaborations & Cultural Activities Committee in the School of Culture & Creative Arts, University of Glasgow.
Find out more about the festival on their website.
Creatives of Colour
Creatives of Colour was founded in 2024 by Kevin Leomo and Zahra Khosroshahi.
It aims to celebrate the collective identity of people of colour (PoC), as well as the intersectionality and diversity of our stories, cultures, and art forms. The Festival offers a range of creative events including performances of music, poetry, and theatre, as well as screenings and workshops which centre the voices, experiences, and creativity of people of colour in Glasgow. Storytelling sits at the heart of these creative practices, and celebrates the resilience, joy, and talent of PoC artists.