The Free University of Glastonbury 2013

21st June 2013

Professor Brian Cox is among the speakers at this year’s Free University of Glastonbury, Glastonbury Festival’s own literary institute in The Park.

Other speakers include Tim Burgess, BBC 6 Music presenter and stand-up comedian Shaun Keaveny, fiendishly clever writer of questions for QI John Mitchinson, hip young gunslinger, author and poet Joe Dunthorne, journalist and comedian Viv Groskop, and music industry legend James Endeacott, Culture Show presenter and author Michael Smith. There are also have daily helpings from our resident artist Matt Sewell and resident poet Will Burns and audiophiles In the Dark.

This year The Free University can be enjoyed with a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake in the Crow’s Nest right at the top of the Park – from where you can also see the best view of the Festival, between 11.30 and 3pm everyday.

Here’s the line-up in full:

Friday

11.30 In the Dark
Each day kicks off with a carefully selected radio mash-up from around the world brought to you by the radio makers collective In the Dark.
 
12 Roy Hutchins
Roy Hutchins performs the poetry of Heathcote Williams, author of epic ecological poems such as Whale Nation and Autogedden.

12.30 Matt Sewell, If a bird were a band…  
If a Bird Were a Band…. what would they be?  Live drawing every day, as artist and illustrator Matt Sewell, transforms a well known band into a well known bird.

12.45 Richard King
Richard talks about his book, How Soon is Now, a landmark history of indie labels and some of the hugely inspirational, eccentric, impulsive and visionary figures who created them.

13.30 Joe Dunthorne
Poet and award-winning author of Submarine (later turned into a film with Richard Ayoade) talks about his latest novel Wild Abandon and other adventures.

14.15 Will Burns
Poet-in-residence Will Burns offers some respite, reflection and inspiration every day.

14.30 Viv Groskop
Writer and stand-up comedian Viv Groskop previews her extremely funny one-woman show exclusively for Glastonbury.

Saturday

11.30 In the Dark
Each day kicks off with a carefully selected radio mash-up from around the world.

12 Will Burns
Poet-in-residence Will Burns offers some respite, reflection and inspiration every day.

12.15 James Endeacott
Music industry legend James Endeacott – the man who signed The Libertines, The Strokes and The View – spills the beans on his new autobiography.  

12.45 Matt Sewell, If a bird were a band…
If a Bird Were a Band…. what would they be?  Live drawing every day, as artist and illustrator Matt Sewell, transforms a well known band into a well known bird.

13.00 Michael Smith
Author and Culture Show presenter will be talking about his new book Lost in London.

13.30 Shaun Keaveny
BBC Radio 6 Music’s Breakfast presenter unleashes his stand-up alter ego.

14.15 Brian Cox in conversation with Shaun Keaveny
Professor Brian Cox, astrophysicist, TV presenter and sometime band member, reveals the secrets of the universe to Shaun Keaveny. This session will also include a surprise guest who arguably knows more about time travel than even Prof Brian Cox.

Sunday

11.30 In the Dark

12.00 Tim Burgess in conversation with Shaun Keaveny
Charlatan’s frontman and solo artist Tim Burgess talks to Shaun Keaveny about his new solo album, life, the universe and everything prior to his performance on the main Park stage that afternoon.

13.00 Resident poet Will Burns
Poet-in-residence Will Burns offers some respite, reflection and inspiration every day.

13.15 Matt Sewell, If a bird were a band…
If a bird were a band…. what would they be?  Live drawing every day, as artist and illustrator Matt Sewell, transforms a well known band into a well known bird.

13.45 Dan Kieran
Co-founder of Unbound and author of The Idle Traveller talks about why travelling shouldn’t be all about arriving.

14.15 John Mitchinson
The terrifyingly clever John Mitchinson, QI question master and founder of crowd-funded publisher Unbound, poses a significant challenge to everyone’s IQ on Sunday afternoon.