Speakers at the Birmingham Fellows Event will include Artistic Director of the Big Brum Theatre Group, Richard Holmes; Founder of Guidance Consultancy, Kaleem Hussain; Co-founder of Wood for the Trees, David Leech; and Aegir Consulting Director Mike Wistow.
Lincolnshire-based ‘Wood for the Trees’ will run a session which will seek to challenge the way we solve problems – not in boardrooms, but in the open air. Walking, talking, and thinking amid nature. The Big Brum Theatre group will take attendees through the enchantment of storytelling and will explore how stories build communities, weave shared histories and create a sense of belonging.
Finally, Kaleem Hussain FRSA will be asking: “what role do we play in shaping more peaceful local communities?”. We’ll explore how small actions create ripples of lasting change, and, how we can be part of that transformation.
This will be followed by a range of urgent, timely discussions around social connection in an increasingly disconnected world- including unexpected insights, and a space where ideas can come alive.
Taking place from 15 to the 17 May, with participation in more than 12 locations worldwide, the RSA's landmark annual festival will bring together speakers from across the globe for a suite of events and workshops focused on the potential of social capital and social connection to transform society.
7 events will take place in areas across the UK, together with further 5 taking place globally in Canada, Dublin, Japan, Oceania and the US, with a flagship event taking place in Birmingham from 13:00 to 17:30 on 17th May.
Andy Haldane, CEO of the RSA, said:
“The theme of this year’s Fellows Festival could not be more timely. With the world more connected than ever, but lacking the social glue to bind us together, we find ourselves in the midst of a 'great division' - with sub-par growth, stalled social mobility, a loneliness epidemic and crumbling communities common features of our age. This year's Fellows Festival is our biggest yet, and will bring together speakers from different walks of life and backgrounds to explore how to bridge this gap, and how we can weave a golden thread of social capital through everything we do".
Social connectivity is the RSA’s theme for 2025, with a wealth of announcements and interventions as part of the RSA’s Design for Life mission planned throughout the coming year.
Early bird tickets start from £12 and are available until 09:30 on 14th April. Standard ticket pricing starts on 14th April, so don’t miss out.
To book tickets for and find out more about the Birmingham event, click here.