Leeds International Festival of Ideas (LIFI) has confirmed its first three speakers for its 2026 edition, with comedian and composer Tim Minchin, Sunday Times bestselling author Ashley James and birder and climate activist Dr Mya-Rose Craig all set to appear. The festival takes place 6–10 October 2026 at Leeds Playhouse.
The trio represents a deliberately wide spread of disciplines. Minchin brings music and satirical wit; James offers a sharp feminist lens on modern womanhood; and Craig delivers urgent commentary on nature, race and climate justice. Together, they set the tone for what festival director Martin Dickson describes as LIFI’s most ambitious programme yet.
Tim Minchin is one of the most recognised comedian-composers working today, with two globally successful stage musicals to his name: Matilda the Musical and Groundhog Day, the latter earning him multiple Olivier and Helpmann Award wins. His most recent tours, An Unfunny Evening With Tim Minchin and his Piano (2024) and Songs The World Will Never Hear (2025), sold hundreds of thousands of tickets across three continents, and his 2025 album Tim Minchin Time Machine peaked at number one in Australia. He is also a Sunday Times bestselling author and holds three honorary doctorates. At LIFI26, he brings three decades of songwriting and sharp social commentary to the Leeds Playhouse stage.
Ashley James has become one of the UK’s most prominent feminist voices through her work as a broadcaster, DJ and ITV This Morning commentator. Her debut book, BIMBO, went straight to number one in the Sunday Times bestseller chart, sparking a national conversation about the labels society uses to diminish women. With more than 700,000 social media followers and a background campaigning with charities including Girlguiding and Women’s Aid, her LIFI26 appearance promises what organisers call a “frank, funny and fearless contribution to an important conversation.”
Dr Mya-Rose Craig made headlines at 17 when she became the youngest person ever to see half of the world’s bird species, having started her Birdgirl blog at just 11 years old. She founded diversity-in-nature charity Black2Nature at 14, and her memoir Birdgirl chronicles how the natural world became a lifeline during her childhood alongside a mother with severe bipolar disorder. She now campaigns against palm oil, plastic pollution and the marginalisation of indigenous peoples’ rights, bringing an intersectional perspective on nature and climate to the festival.
Martin Dickson, Festival Director, said: “We’re thrilled to be back for another exciting year of LIFI, and these first three names set the tone for what’s to come. Tim, Ashley and Mya-Rose each bring something truly different — music and satire, feminism and cultural commentary, environmental activism and youth voice. LIFI26 is shaping up to be our most ambitious programme yet, and we can’t wait to bring it to Leeds Playhouse this October.”
Shawab Iqbal, Chief Executive of Leeds Playhouse, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Leeds International Festival of Ideas back to Leeds Playhouse for the fourth year running. LIFI26 is exactly the kind of work we want across our theatre spaces — offering bold thinking, open conversation and a platform for the voices shaping the world around us.”
A full programme of keynote talks and panel discussions spanning politics, culture, science, society and more will be revealed on 3rd June 2026. Tickets for LIFI newsletter subscribers go on sale on 4th June, with general sale opening on 10th June. Priority subscribers also benefit from exclusive pricing on selected events. Sign up at leedsintfest.com for first access and the best prices.
LIFI is delivered by LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District) and Welcome to Leeds, supported by Weightman, City of Maths, Pinsent Mason and AV Matrix. Previous speakers at the festival have included Carol Vorderman, Davina McCall, David Olusoga, Mary Beard, Katherine Ryan, Yotam Ottolenghi, Chuck D and many more.
Image credits: LIFI
In this article: Leeds Playhouse, Tim Minchin, Matilda the Musical, Ashley James, Girlguiding, Women’s Aid, Pinsent Masons, Leeds, Carol Vorderman, Davina McCall, David Olusoga, Mary Beard, Katherine Ryan, Yotam Ottolenghi, Chuck D. Generated by Wikidata Schema Link Builder.
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