CITY INSTITUTION JOINS BATH FESTIVAL

Bath Royal Scientific and Literary Institution offers
A Collection for the Curious Mind

The Bath Festival’s pledge to extend into more venues and reach wider audiences has been realised as it forms a partnership with one of the city’s great cultural institutions. Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution will be hosting A Collection for the Curious Mind, a series of events as part of the festival’s celebration of books and music , which will run from Friday 13 May to Saturday 21 May 2022.

The historic institution in Queen Square, which dates back to the 19^th century, has undergone a huge transformation since lockdown. It has launched a new digital programme, an app and an updated website in addition to its regular offering of live evening lectures and exhibitions.

Teaming up with The Bath Festival to host a series of talks, the institution continues its determination to offer world class talks with a welcome to all.

The institution’s summer exhibition Beyond Beastly, sees some magical treasures taken out from the natural history and ethnological collections to delight and inspire the child in all of us. There are also plans to encourage first-time visitors and families to enter the building and take part in activities.

Some of the events that are part of A Collection for the Curious Mind are:

• Creating Compelling Characters: a writing workshop. Acclaimed novelist Jason Hewitt (The Dynamite Room) will provide practical steps to help you create complex and fully formed characters that bring your story to life and drive the narrative in fresh and exciting ways. Monday May 16, 10am. There will be a second writers’ workshop on Friday 20 May, with advice on how to pitch your work to an agent
• A series of Lunchtime Lectures at 1pm, to stimulate the mind. On Monday 16 May Nino Strachey will be talking about the Young Bloomsbury set, on Tuesday Jim Al-Khalili celebrates the joy of science, on Wednesday writer and broadcaster Nicholas Crane will be sharing the real life story of his book Latitude, on Thursday we’re invited to look back 100 years to the discovery of the tomb of the young Pharoah, Tutankhamun, while on Friday 20 May, there’s a chance to explore the history of books
• On Saturday 21 May at 1.30pm war reporter Toby Harnden will be talking about First Casualty, his gripping account of the six-day battle that began the War in Afghanistan following 9/11
• There will be talks throughout the festival at the institution about the big topics of our age, from the BBC (celebrating 100 years of broadcasting) to the re-telling of Greek myths, analysis of politic and war. Discover too a fresh take on stories from our past, including the fascinating facts behind Catherine the Great’s secret mission to smuggle a British doctor into her court

The institution joins an illustrious list of city venues as part of The Bath Festival, including Bath Abbey, The Assembly Rooms and the former Art Deco cinema The Forum, Komedia, known for as band and comedy venue and the official festival bookseller, Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights will also be hosting a series of book events in store in John Street. Festival-goers will also find events at Persephone Books in George Street, at Walcot House and in the festival’s intimate Literature Lounge which will be set up in Alfred Street. Dorothy House Hospice is also hosting book events at its charity shop in Broad Street as part of the festival.