Day One
Saturday, 11th June 2022
The Well-Gardened Mind: Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith
10 am - 10:45 am
Best-selling author and psychiatrist Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith describes the personal journey that led her to write The Well-Gardened Mind, a groundbreaking book that sits at the intersection of two very different subjects: gardening x mental health, and explains how gardening can positively impact our mental health in different contexts, from our own back yards to inner cities.
Icons & Influencers: Justine Picardie
11:05 am - 11:50 am
Best-selling author and former editor of Harper's Bazaar, Justine Picardie, tells us why she decided to write about the sister of Christian Dior, Catherine Dior, rather than the legendary designer, when she wrote Miss Dior, a Story of Courage and Couture. Justine spent decades in the front row of fashion shows, but her interests and observations transcend the fixed confines of that arena. In this session, she talks with Festival founder, Joanne Ooi, about what influences and inspires her, including fashion, history and East Anglia.
Sponsored by Fenwick
The Encyclopedist: Hugh Johnson
12:10 pm - 12:55 pm
The man credited with mainstreaming wine appreciation through his eponymous pocket wine guides, Hugh Johnson fell into writing about wine quite by accident. What's less well known are his prolific and eminent contributions to the world of gardening. In this up-close-and-personal conversation with Hugh, we talk about 360 degrees of his career and passions plus what he sees in store for British viticulture, the impact of climate change on the industry and trends in wine consumption.
Sponsored by Dojima Sake Brewery at Fordham Abbey
Coming of Age at the End of History: Lea Ypi
2:35 pm - 3:20 pm
Political philosopher and author of best-selling, critically acclaimed memoir, Free, Lea Ypi, explains what it was like to grow up as a young teenager during Albania's transition from socialism to political pluralism, how that experience shaped her personal politics and why she decided to become a professor.
Generously supported by Victoria Getty
In conversation with Anne Glenconner
3:40 pm - 4:25 pm
When Anne Glenconner wrote Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown, she had no idea that the book -- about her life as Princess Margaret's lady in waiting for over 30 years -- would become an international runaway hit and launch a new chapter of her life. Since then, she has turned her hand to murder mystery and written two books based on two of her favourite stomping grounds, Mustique and Holkham. With Francesca Beauman, she will talk about not only her books but finding her true calling in her 80s, what she loves about East Anglia and her rules for aging gracefully.
Art Museums Today - a conversation with Frances Morris
4:45 pm - 5:30 pm
Francis Morris, Director of Tate Modern, sits down with Joanne Ooi, EA Festival founder, to tackle some of the biggest questions confronting art museums and the art industry, including funding, repatriation, political correctness, sustainability, art fairs, NFTs and business models.
"Piccante” - Elly Suh & Jubovski Duo
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
This unusual double bill shows off the exciting and multifarious facets of the violin. Besides being one of the leading interpreters of Paganini of her generation, Elly will play a range of pieces that showcases her breathtaking range and virtuosity - from the pyrotechnics of Paganini to the mathematical purity of Bach. In stark contrast, Peter and Liz Cowdrey of the Jubovski Duo will treat us to the flamboyant swoops and flourishes of gypsy violin music from Transylvania and Macedonia, as well as Bosnian wedding music, Greek lute melodies and Jewish street music.
Day Two
Sunday, 12th June 2022
"Put this in your pipe and smoke it" -- a panel discussion about Psychedelic Drugs with Joanna Neill, Lauren MacDonald and Keith Abraham
10 am - 11:15 am
This panel about psychedelic drugs was organised with the assistance of Drug Science, the UK's most authoritative non-profit organisation on the subject, and features panelists with deep expertise about different aspects of drug therapy. Among the questions to be answered by this panel are: How do drugs like psilocybin, MMDA and ayahuasca (DMT) affect the brain and how does that translate into beneficial therapy for sufferers of depression and trauma, especially PTSD? How much have we learned about these drugs from scientific research and what are the limitations of that research? Now that psychoactive drugs are gaining greater acceptance in mainstream culture, what are the prospects for using them more widely as medical therapy? Under what conditions and licensing should these drugs be taken? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of legalising the medical use of these drugs? Keith Abraham, CEO of Heroic Hearts, the charity dedicated to providing alternative therapies to veterans suffering from PTSD, will share his first-hand experiences of how psilocybin and ayahuasca enabled him to cope with his own stress and trauma.
Onwards and Upwards: Paul McKenna
11:30 am - 12:45 pm
Paul McKenna, the renowned hypnotist and motivational speaker, talks to John Lloyd about his new book, Positivity, and how he came to dedicate his life to helping other people overcome their biggest personal challenges. McKenna will then treat the audience to one of his trademark life coaching sessions, teaching us how to quell self-doubt and take control of our thoughts, motivations and feelings so we can thrive in today's challenging world and become the author of our own destinies.
Michael Sheridan: What Happened to Hong Kong?
2 pm - 2:45 pm
Michael Sheridan, author of Gate to China, a brilliantly researched and authoritative history of China and Hong Kong, explains how British diplomatic miscalculations and the rise of the People's Republic under Deng Xiaoping opened the way for the Communist Party to accelerate its takeover of Hong Kong - despite the promise of 50 years of freedom after 1997.
Hannah Rothschild in conversation with William Sieghart
3 pm - 3:45 pm
Hannah Rothschild, the creative polymath with multiple credits to her name, talks to William Sieghart, her good friend and poetry advocate, about her latest book, House of Trelawney, what it's like to shepherd institutions like the National Gallery and Waddesdon Manor through today's cultural turbulence, the British class system and what drives her penchant for reinvention.
Simon Heffer in conversation with Rowan Pelling
4 pm - 4:45 pm
Prolific author, historian and columnist, Simon Heffer, talks to Rowan Pelling about his most recent opus, The Diaries of Henry "Chips" Channon, the third volume of which will be published later this year, what draws him to certain historical figures, his latest prognosis for British politics and the present-day relevance of "Essex Man", the sociopolitical moniker he coined thirty years ago.
Sponsored by Primary Access & Research
Maggi Hambling in conversation with James Cahill
5 pm - 5:45 pm
James Cahill, art historian and critic, and Maggi Hambling, the fiery contemporary artist born in Sudbury, trade notes about creativity. Hambling will tell Cahill about her latest projects, themes and inspirations, chief among them, the perennial influence of East Anglia on her work, while Cahill explains what led him to write Tiepolo Blue, his first novel (hitting bookshelves on 9th June 2022).
This event is co-produced with Essex Book Festival and sponsored by Chestnut.
EA Storytelling Showcase: Terence Blacker & Luke Wright
6 pm - 7:15 pm
This double bill features two wordsmiths from East Anglia telling their stories in dramatically different but equally captivating ways. Terence Blacker (think Bob Dylan laced with self-mocking irony), riffs about reinvention in a performance which draws on his award-winning first album, Playing for Time, and his latest EP, Shock of the Old. Luke Wright, Suffolk's iconic spoken word artist, performs his poems -- tender, riotous, and caustic -- with the elan of a fearless raconteur.
EA Festival x Wild Paths East Anglia Showcase: Bessie Turner, Maya Law & Mosiah Levi
8:15 pm - 9:45 pm
A triple bill of top singer-songwriter talent from East Anglia spanning pop-rock-synth-soul co-curated and co-presented with Wild Paths, the independent music festival based in Norwich.