We can’t wait to welcome you to Leeds Playhouse

Today we open the doors at Leeds Playhouse for LIFI26, and I can honestly say I’ve never been more excited about a programme.

Louis Theroux opens the festival on Tuesday night in the Quarry Theatre. By Saturday, Ashley James will be on stage on the final night, before Tim Minchin brings the week home. In between, there is a lot to talk about.

Elizabeth Day on resilience and the beliefs that hold us back. Rachel Riley asking whether maths is the root of everything, in the UK’s first City of Maths. Roman Kemp, Professor Rory O’Connor and Andy Airey of 3 Dads Walking on suicide prevention and the conversations we find hardest to have. Chris Packham, Dr Mya-Rose Craig and Juergen Maier on a planet that hasn’t stopped burning. Tasha Ghouri and Dame Evelyn Glennie on deafness, music and being heard. Tulisa, and Katy Leeson asking whether it’s time to switch off social media. Laura Hamilton, Olivia Bentley and Johnny I’Anson asking whether kids are still part of the plan. Samira Ahmed, Afua Hirsch, James O’Brien, Ash Palmisciano and Ashley on what belonging really means in Britain today. A subject close to me is the sheer scale of change that happened in the 90s. It brought change to all our lives, from tech to politics to music and TV culture with Judge Jules, Denise Van Outen & Harriet Harmer. Promises to be quite a party, which will also reflect the madness of this incredible decade.     

Climate. Mental health. Identity. Parenthood. The 90s. Social media. Belonging. Big subjects, and the kind of conversations that carry on long after you’ve left the building. That’s the whole point.

This year we’re also launching LIFI Futures, our new home for young people at the festival. Three free events for schools and colleges, plus a public event, giving young people from across Leeds a seat at the table and a microphone in their hand. Thank you to Weightmans, City of Maths and Luminate Education Group for backing it.

Every event is BSL interpreted and open captioned, thanks to Topp Language Solutions. A festival of ideas should be open to everyone.

It’s also worth saying how LIFI works. The festival is brought to the city by LeedsBID, a not-for-profit organisation. That means the money from your ticket goes back into the festival: into next year’s programme, into LIFI Futures, and into keeping LIFI something the whole city can be part of. Come this year and you’re helping to build the next one.

Last few tickets

Most of the week is selling fast, and tickets are now limited for:

• How do we talk about suicide, Wednesday 7 October, 7.30pm: Roman Kemp, Professor Rory O’Connor, Andy Airey, Donelle Lawrence and Ellie Palma-Cass, hosted by Amy Irons. Tickets
• Tasha Ghouri and Dame Evelyn Glennie in conversation with Hannah French, Thursday 8 October, 7:30pm. Tickets.
• Is it time to switch off social media? with Tulisa Contostavlos, Megan McKenna and Katy Leeson, hosted by the BBC’s Joe Tidy, Friday 9 October. 7:30pm Tickets.
• Are kids still part of the plan? with Laura Hamilton, Olivia Bentley and Johnny I’Anson, Saturday 10 October, 2pm. Tickets.

Book at leedsinternationalfestival.com or call the Leeds Playhouse box office on 0113 213 7700.

I can’t wait to see you there.

Martin Dickson Festival Director, Leeds International Festival of Ideas

If any of the conversations this week raise difficult feelings for you, Samaritans are there day or night on 116 123.