Leeds International Festival of Ideas (LIFI) has announced the programme for this year’s October event, with big names including Carol Vorderman, Nile Rodgers, Kate Adie and Goldie and among the standout speakers.
The event, dubbed a “metropolitan celebration of new ideas and innovation” returns to Leeds Playhouse from October 2 to 5, and will delve into pressing issues spanning addiction, artificial intelligence, care, neurodiversity, and the impact of reality TV on our perception of reality.
LIFI24 will feature an impressive lineup of panel discussions, each exploring crucial themes relevant to contemporary society and fireside chats.
Chic guitarist and producer Rodgers will be in conversation on the evolution of creativity with fellow musician BEKA, while former BBC chief news correspondent Adie will delve into the intricate realm of conflict reporting with Stacey Dooley (who recently hosted the BAFTA’s).
Vorderman, meanwhile, will be alongside Rebecca Lucy Taylor, also known as Self Esteem, to fearlessly confront archaic portrayals of women in the media, sparking a dialogue on whether the media needs to step up and evolve, while drum’n’bass legend Goldie will ponder the question of care with Kate Garraway and cohousing advocate Lizzy Oma, asking who steps in when basic human needs are left unmet due to illness, age, disability, or poverty.
Other guests include Tim Spector (Scientific Co-Founder of Zoe), Dr. Amir Khan (GP and bestselling author), Rylan (X Factor, Big Brother) and Charlotte Armitage, an expert on the duty of care for production companies.
Festival director Martin Dickson said: “The power of LIFI to bring the people of Leeds together and have a courageous, open, and honest conversation about major issues affecting us all in society today is one of the unique elements that sets this festival apart. There’s nothing as bold, confident, or influential in the UK today as a people-focused festival.
“LIFI aims to shout louder about the city, confidently and boldly projecting an innovative, creative, exciting place to be and amplifying that to the world; that is what makes it the ultimate place-marketing festival of its type, not only in Leeds but the UK. The heartbeat of the festival lies in the experiences and sentiments shared by the people who came to witness it. After last year’s sell-out, we are super proud of this year’s line-up and hope many people join the conversation.”
