May Festival - Call for Ideas

As part of the University’s Public Engagement programme for 2013 and beyond, we are planning a new University Festival. A major component of the new Festival will be driven by the creativity and diversity of our research activity. To help shape this element of the new Festival, we would value your input through an informal Call for Ideas.

What’s being looked for?

You may have an idea for an event around a research area – perhaps a debate, cafe topic, exhibition, workshop or schools/children’s offering. You may wish to explore the Festival as an anchor for a public engagement activity you are already planning. You may simply have a suggestion for a high profile speaker who we can invite to Aberdeen.

What should I bear in mind?

Our new Festival must be engaging and accessible - something that people will want to come to. It will also have to be deliverable both logistically and financially. We will have to be selective with our programming and therefore novel, interactive or topical event ideas are more likely to stand out. If there are particular audiences you would like to reach, tell us who they are. And if you think you can run an outreach event (off campus) we’d value any details you can provide.

Will I get support?

The Festival will be backed by the University’s central teams in Events, Public Engagement, Communications and Marketing, offering infrastructure support for programmed events. In addition, linked skills enhancement opportunities, for example in public engagement and creative development, will be available through our Researcher Development Unit. Financial support will be very limited so if you can help fund your idea please tell us.

How do I get involved?

The Call for Ideas is open until Friday 30th November 2012 at 5pm. Please email the May Festival Team with as little or much detail as you wish - we have no prescribed template. All ideas will be considered at a May Festival programming meeting in early December with shortlisted suggestions taken forward and relevant colleagues contacted soon after.