FESTIVAL OF IDEAS 9 – 11 MARCH 2018 DIARY OF EVENTS – Free discussions, essays and live performances

FRIDAY 9 MARCH SATURDAY 10 MARCH SUNDAY 11 MARCH

NORTHERN ROCK FOUNDATION HALL RADIO 3 POP UP STUDIO NORTHERN ROCK FOUNDATION HALL RADIO 3 POP UP STUDIO THE BARBOUR ROOM ALL DISCUSSIONS Broadcast live, no tickets needed Essays from the 2017 New Generation Thinkers 5.00pm – 7.00pm Broadcast live, no tickets needed 10.15am – 11.15am AND ESSAYS WILL

IN TUNE 7.00am – 9.00am WHAT DO WE MEAN BY 7.00am – 9.00am 12.10pm – 12.30pm BE AVAILABLE TO with Sean Rafferty “WORKING CLASS WRITING?” BREAKFAST ON 3 WELLING UP: WOMEN AND WATER Broadcast Live on Radio3 BREAKFAST Broadcast on Radio 3: 28th March, 22:45 DOWNLOAD AS PART with Elizabeth Alker with Elizabeth Alker IN THE MIDDLE AGES, with Hetta Howes OF THE BBC ARTS & 9.00pm – 11.00pm 12.00pm – 1.00pm Broadcast Live on Radio 3 Broadcast on Radio 3: 12th March, 22:45 9.00am – 12.15pm IDEAS PODCAST WORLD ON 3 DEATH COMES TO US ALL 9.00pm – 12.00pm 12.35pm – 12.55pm with Kathryn Tickell RECORD REVIEW Broadcast on Radio 3: 5th April, 22:00 with Andrew McGregor SUNDAY MORNING with Sarah Walker DOES TRUSTING PEOPLE NEED Broadcast on Radio 3: 9th March, 23:00 1.45pm – 2.45pm and saxophonist Tim Garland A LEAP OF FAITH? with Tom Simpson 12.15pm – 1.00pm ARE WE AFRAID OF BEING ALONE? Broadcast Live on Radio 3 Broadcast on Radio 3: 14th March, 22:45 MUSIC MATTERS Broadcast on Radio 3: 19th March, 22:00 11. Adam Kay SAGE TWO with Tom Service 12.45pm – 2.00pm 1.50pm – 2.10pm 12. Abeba Birhane 3.55pm – 5.00pm WORDS AND MUSIC WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU ARE A MANICALLY 13. Gavin Francis 1.00pm – 3.00pm 7.30pm – 8.45pm INTRODUCING THE 10 NEW Broadcast on Radio 3: 11th March, 17:30 DEPRESSED ROBOT? with Simon Beard 14. Kenan Malik SATURDAY CLASSICS Broadcast on Radio 3: 23rd March, 22:45 15. Voices of Hope THE FREE THINKING LECTURE GENERATION THINKERS FOR 2018 with Conductor Jane Glover Broadcast on Radio 3: 3rd April, 22:00 LINDA YUEH ON GLOBALISATION SAGE TWO 3.20pm – 3.40pm – FOR THE ONE AND THE MANY 3.00pm – 4.00pm 5.35pm – 6.35pm ART FOR HEALTH’S SAKE 11. Broadcast on Radio 3: 9th March, 22:00 SOUND OF CINEMA: EXTRAS NEEDED with Daisy Fancourt CROWDSCIENCE: WHY DO WE 11.30am – 12.30pm with Matthew Sweet FOLLOW THE CROWD? Broadcast on The World Service: 16th March, 23:32 RETHINKING CIVILISATIONS SAGE ONE 4.00pm – 5.00pm Broadcast on Radio 3: 22nd March, 22:00 5.00pm – 5.30pm JAZZ RECORD REQUESTS with Alyn Shipton 2.05pm – 3.05pm THE LISTENING SERVICE and live performance on the concourse THE BARBOUR ROOM with Tom Service 7.30pm – 9.45pm HAS SOCIAL MEDIA CRACKED Broadcast Live on Radio 3 5.00pm – 7.00pm RADIO 3 IN CONCERT Paid Tickets THE CODE TO THE CROWD? with Adam Tomlinson STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY Essays from the 2017 New Generation Thinkers Broadcast on Radio 3: 15th March, 22:00 OF SUNDERLAND RADIO MA COURSE Broadcast Live on Radio 3 11.35am – 11.55am 3.55pm – 5.00pm SAGE GATESHEAD CONCOURSE SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER POWER TO THE PEOPLE? 12. SAGE TWO IN THE PAST AND PRESENT with Joanne Paul Broadcast on Radio 3: 20th March, 22:00 Broadcast on Radio 3: 21st March, 22:45 5.45pm – 6.45pm 1:00pm – 1.45pm 10.30am – 11.30am 1.10pm – 1.30pm #SPEAKINGUP “SPEED DATING” Broadcast on Radio 3: 14th March, 22:00 with The New Generation Thinkers START THE WEEK KIDS WITH GUNS Broadcast on Radio 4: 12th March, 9:00 with Emma Butcher Broadcast on Radio 3: 22nd March, 22:45 12.15pm – 1.15pm NORTHERN ROCK FOUNDATION HALL 4.00pm – 5.00pm THE POPULATION BOMB 1.35pm – 1.55pm CHOIR AND ORGAN Broadcast on Radio 3: 12th March, 22:00 EDUCATING IDA 11.00am – 12.00pm with Live Performance with Eleanor Lybeck Broadcast Live on Radio 3 2.00pm – 3.00pm Broadcast on Radio 3: 15th March, 22:45 THE VERB CAN THERE BE MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF ME? with Ian McMillan 13. 5.10pm – 5.30pm Broadcast on Radio 3: 26th March, 22:00 Broadcast on Radio 3: 23rd March, 22:00 ST MARY’S HERITAGE CENTRE WHEN SHAKESPEARE TRAVELLED WITH ME, 12.45pm – 1.45pm 3.45pm – 4.45pm with Islam Issa THERE’S NO I IN TEAM Broadcast on Radio 3: 20th March, 22:45 THE DANCE OF NATURE 7.00pm – 8.00pm Broadcast on Radio 3: 4th April, 22:00 Broadcast on Radio 3: 13th March, 22:00 6.30pm – 6.50pm SUFFRAGETTE DRAMAS 2.15pm – 3.15pm 5.15pm – 6.15pm A WAR OF WORDS MASS HYSTERICS with Christopher Bannister GANGS: THE USUAL SUSPECTS? Broadcast on Radio 3: 21st March, 22:00 Broadcast on Radio 3: 27th March, 22:00 Broadcast on Radio 3: 19th March, 22:45 8.15pm – 9.15pm 6.55pm – 7.15pm 3.55pm – 5.00pm THE VERB with Ian McMillan DOING NOTHING BUILDING BRIDGES AND OTHER and live performance from The Unthanks with Alastair Fraser MEGASTRUCTURES 15. 14. Broadcast on Radio 3: 29th March, 22:00 Broadcast on Radio 3: 16th March, 22:00 Broadcast on Radio 3: 16th March, 22:45 5.30pm – 6.30pm SAGE GATESHEAD CONCOURSE BBC RADIO 4’S THE LIFE SCIENTIFIC ST MARY’S HERITAGE CENTRE with Jim Al-Khalili Broadcast on Radio 4: 13th March, 9:00 3.00pm – 3.45pm “SPEED DATING” 7.00pm – 8.00pm 7.30pm – 8.30pm with The New Generation Thinkers THE EARLY MUSIC SHOW 1XTRA TALKS with Reece Parkinson with Lucie Skeaping and Live performance discussing Activism and Identity Broadcast on Radio 3: 11th March, 14:00 Broadcast on 1Xtra: 11th March, 21:00

FREE TICKETS For more details about all of these events, visit sagegateshead.com/freethinking In association with SOME OF THE MANY SATURDAY SUNDAY 10.15am – 11.15am 5.15pm – 6.15pm 11. 30 – 12.30pm NORTHERN ROCK FOUNDATION HALL SAGE TWO SAGE TWO WHAT DO WE MEAN BY MASS HYSTERICS RETHINKING CIVILISATIONS All discussions and essays will FULL SCHEDULE OVERLEAF “WORKING CLASS WRITING”? “Comedy is the art of making people laugh be available to download as part As the BBC screens its landmark new arts series, without making them puke.” – Steve Martin David Olusoga of the BBC Arts & Ideas podcast. Kit de Waal, Darren McGarvey, Adelle Stripe and Civilisations, one of the presenters, , Michael Chaplin join Shahidha Bari to examine what Comedians Adam Kay, Alexei Sayle, Jen Brister joins Philip Dodd alongside anthropologist Kit Davis we mean by ‘working class writing’. Crowd funding and Sanjeev Kohli join Matthew Sweet to offer and the historian Kenan Malik to consider our has helped bring a new generation of authors into a masterclass in making the many laugh. different notions of world history from the dawn of human civilisation to the present day. WELCOME FRIDAY print but is this because mainstream publishing has neglected diverse voices? What experiences do we 5.35pm – 6.35pm want to see on the page and stage? 12.45pm – 1.45pm Welcome to the Free Thinking Festival 5pm – 7pm (Doors open at 4.30pm) NORTHERN ROCK FOUNDATION HALL

from BBC Radio 3. All weekend here at Sage NORTHERN ROCK FOUNDATION HALL NORTHERN ROCK FOUNDATION HALL 10.30am – 11.30am CROWDSCIENCE: WHY DO Gateshead we’re gathering together a throng IN TUNE WE FOLLOW THE CROWD? THE DANCE OF NATURE of talented individuals to wrestle, debate and SAGE TWO Sean Rafferty Free Thinking Rana Mitter is joined by Radio 4’s presenter of The celebrate the theme of this year’s festival: The launches this year’s START THE WEEK The World Service science programme which Festival with a potpourri of live music making and answers questions from listeners around the globe Life Scientific Jim Al-Khalili, professor of ethology at One and the Many. Whether it’s the impact of Kirsty Wark sets the cultural agenda for the chat. Among his guests are Festival Guest Lecturer comes to the Free Thinking Festival for the first time. Newcastle University Melissa Bateson and Richard social media, the joy of stand-up comedy, or week with a special edition of BBC Radio 4’s Linda Yueh, New Generation Thinker Daisy Fancourt, Join presenter Marnie Chesterton and help her Bevin, lecture in natural and environmental science Start the Week. the future of democracy, we’ll be considering who researches the links between arts and your explore human behaviour in a group. at Newcastle University to explore the magical but the relationship between the crowd and the health and the choir Voices of Hope, who perform a complex group behaviour of everything from schools individual in our age of hyperconnectivity. 12.15pm – 1.15pm of fish to starlings to atomic particles. brand new piece by composer Lucy Pankhurst with 7.00pm – 8.00pm a text by Helen Pankhurst, based on words by her SAGE TWO ST MARY’S HERITAGE CENTRE There probably isn’t another art form that great-grandmother, suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, THE POPULATION BOMB 2.05pm – 3.05pm 7pm - 8pm demonstrates the magic of this interplay more and marking a hundred years since women in this THE EARLY MUSIC SHOW than music - and Radio 3’s aim is to connect The geographer Danny Dorling, patron of Population SAGE TWO ST MARY’S HERITAGE CENTRE country won the right to vote. Lucy’s new commission Performer, writer and Radio 3’s early music specialist, Matters, Lionel Shriver, and author of 10 Billion, audiences with remarkable music and culture. offers an opportunity for everyone to take part Lucie Skeaping introduces a concert of music from HAS SOCIAL MEDIA CRACKED SUFFRAGETTE DRAMAS Stephen Emmott join Matthew Sweet to light the Across the weekend we’ll be broadcasting live - so come along and join in. The Ebor Singers The Population Bomb – a York-based vocal ensemble THE CODE TO THE CROWD? A century ago in 1918, women over 30 were given from our pop-up studio where you can hear an fuse on . acclaimed for their fresh insight and vibrant musicality. Author of Fully Connected Julia Hobsbawm, the right to vote for the very first time. Radio 3’s In 1968 a Stanford university professor, eclectic range of classical, jazz and world music They’ll be performing music by composers such as Social Media director at DEMOS Jamie Bartlett, Free Thinking Festival showcases some of the plays 7.30pm – 8.45pm Dr Paul E. Ehrlich, published The Population Bomb. brought to you by our team of presenters. Orlando Lassus and Luca Marenzio. writer Laurence Scott and tech blogger Abeba written by women specifically to help the cause of This call to arms became a global bestseller, influenced SAGE TWO The evening is inspired by the writing of Thomas More Birhane switch off their phones to focus on the women’s Suffrage. A cast of actors from Gateshead As the festival is about the collective effort, public policy and made its author a celebrity. in his book Utopia. impact of tech on the way we behave. and the surrounding area perform live extracts from we hope you’ll make your voice heard not just THE FREE THINKING LECTURE It predicted mass starvation in the US and an England these little-heard plays. With insights from playwright Linda Yueh on globalisation – for the One and the Many. in the debates but also in song - there’s the underwater by the year 2000. For decades it has Jessica Swale and Dr Naomi Paxton. Linda Yueh come under fire for its alarmist tone and laughable 8.15pm – 9.15pm 2.15pm – 3.15pm opportunity to stretch your vocal chords at Leading economic expert, , delivers This is a unique opportunity to dip into the archive foresight. But with global population set to hit ten Friday’s opening event In Tune. There are more her vision for restoring faith in the free market. SAGE TWO NORTHERN ROCK FOUNDATION HALL and see and hear extracts from these extraordinary billion by 2050, will Ehrlich eventually be proved right? than 50 sessions to choose from and as always We live in a world where experts of all stripes THE VERB GANGS: THE USUAL SUSPECTS? plays performed live in front of an audience. are struggling to win over the confidence of the tickets are free. What’s it really like to be part of organised crime? general population. Last year the Bank of England Radio 3’s unique cabaret of the word, presented 1.45pm – 2.45pm Matthew Sweet calls a meeting with criminologists said it was stepping up its efforts to minimise on stage by poet Ian McMillan with his array Alan Davey NORTHERN ROCK FOUNDATION HALL Dick Hobbs and Alistair Fraser, youth worker and a ‘twin deficit’ of public understanding and trust of guest performers. BBC Radio 3 Controller reporter on the London riots Symeon Brown and in an area that has come under particular fire ARE WE AFRAID OF BEING ALONE? The Unthanks Acclaimed musicians are known for former gang member turned actor, Paul Brannigan. recently: economics. In a timely defence of her their eclectic approach in combining traditional English “If you’re lonely when you’re alone, you’re in bad 5.00pm - 5.30pm Broadcast live 01. profession, and by drawing on ideas put forward company”. Was Jen Paul Sartre right or are we just folk, particularly Northumbrian folk music, with other by several titans of economic theory, hot-wired to prefer the company of others? Is it even musical genres. Linda Yueh, the former Chief Business possible - as the famous hermit St Cuthbert once Hollie McNish BARBOUR ROOM Correspondent for BBC News, opens the The poet is the Verb’s guest curator did - to experience true seclusion in our age of and winner of 2016 Ted Hughes Award for New THE LISTENING SERVICE 02. Free Thinking Festival 2018 with a unique hyperconnectivity? Author of A Book of Silence Work in poetry for her poetic memoir about take on how we fix the globalised free market Sarah Maitland John Henry Clare The Listening Service is Radio 3’s innovative 10. , medievalist , becoming a parent Nobody Told Me. Kirsty Taylor to benefit the one and the all. academic Barbara Taylor and writer Lionel Shriver programme aimed at bringing fresh audiences 09. is a compelling new presence in the world of spoken to classical music. In this edition, Tom Service face the crowd to contemplate the many sides to word performance and one of the ‘Verb New Voices’. Rana Mitter explores the idea of polyphony. solitude. Chaired by .

9.00pm – 11.00pm NEW GENERATION 07. SAGE TWO 2.00pm – 3.00pm 5.45pm - 6.45pm THINKERS WORLD ON 3 SAGE TWO SAGE TWO Radio 3’s world music programme comes CAN THERE BE MULTIPLE #SPEAKINGUP The New Generation Thinkers is an annual Kathryn Tickell back to Sage with presenter VERSIONS OF ME? In the week of International Women’s Day, competition run by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and to explore working class voices in the rich Anne McElvoy the festival brings together the American Humanities Research Council to select 10 researchers folk music traditions of the North East. enlists the help of Diversify June Sarpong 06. co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Patrisse at the start of their careers who can turn their There will be live music from The Keelers author ; doctor and medical Gavin Francis Khan-Cullors, and the author of Brit(ish) fascinating research into stimulating programmes. performing sea shanties and local mining songs, historian ; writer and transgender Juno Dawson Afua Hirsch to consider female activism plus Amharic singer and krar player Haymanot activist ; and philosopher The 2018 New Generation Thinkers appear together Julian Baggini and identity in the 21st century. Tesfa performs a set of improvisations on to tackle contemporary ideas for the first time on Saturday afternoon in the traditional Ethiopian songs, accompanied by Iranian about the ever changing notion of the self. 07. Alexei Sayle Northern Rock Foundation Hall. You can challenge 08.Patrisse Khan-Cullors percussionist Arian Sadr. ideas from the Thinkers in “speed dating” sessions 09. Jim Al-Khalili in the concourse hosted by Ian McMillan and hear 10. David Olusoga short talks in the Barbour Room on subjects ranging from World War II propaganda to the Art of Doing 01. June Sarpong 04. Danny Dorling 02. Lionel Shriver 05. Juno Dawson Nothing, from Artificial Intelligence to Shakespeare’s 03. Linda Yueh 06. The Unthanks 04. 05. 08. Influence on the Arab World. 03.

FREE TICKETS For full programme and to book visit sagegateshead.com/freethinking or call 0141 443 4661 To guarantee your ticket book in advance. Some tickets are available on the day.