Programme of events
Being Human is an annual, UK-wide festival celebrating the humanities. From literature to archaeology – and more! – the festival holds hundreds of free public events every November.
To celebrate the 2023 Being Human Festival, The University of Edinburgh have organised a fantastic programme of free events, designed to give children, young people, and adults a taste of Psychology, Philosophy, and Linguistics. Discover our 2023 events below!
A Poetic Experience
- Grassmarket Community Project Café
- Sunday 12 November 2023 | 2.00-3.30 PM
What happens in our mind and brain when we “understand” a word or a sentence? What if the meaning isn’t literal, but metaphoric or figurative? Led by Dan Mirman and Patrick Errington, this free event will combine science, literary theory, and poetry reading to talk about what it means to experience and understand poetry.
Attendees will learn about what happens in our minds when we process language, what is special about reading poetry, and how different approaches to reading can make that experience more enjoyable.
Rhyme & Reason: arts & science in dialogue
- National Museum of Scotland
- Thursday 16 November | 12:30-1.30 PM
Take a free guided walk through the historic parts of Edinburgh with University of Edinburgh neuroscientist and accredited multilingual tourist guide, Thomas H Bak, and Edinburgh-based writer, actor, and director, Gerda Stevenson.
The world of science and that of arts and humanities are often seen as not only different, but indeed opposite, as expressed poignantly by Lord Snow in his famous “The Two Cultures” essay. This walk will take attendees on a journey in and around Edinburgh’s historic Old Town exploring how we can consider sciences and humanities as interdependent disciplines!
Please be aware: this is an hour-long outdoor event which involves light walking. You will need to dress according to the weather.
Hail the Darker Season
- The Salisbury Centre
- Multiples dates
Hail the Darker Season is an immersive soundscape guiding you through a walking relaxation experience, connection with nature, and the season. It mixes modern knowledge of ritual studies, ceremony, and body awareness with the effects of sound, rhythm, and music composition on the sense of well-being.
Led by performing artist Aino Venna and cognitive neuroscientist Ekaterina Shurkova, Hail the Darker Season is a guided walk in an outdoor garden where participants listen to a soundscape, composed specifically for the event, mixed with verbal guidance to release tension, to relax the body, and the mind, and to get ready for a winter season.
Please be aware: This is an hour-long outdoor event which involves walking in a dimly lit outdoor garden. Please dress according to the weather.
Symbolic Space Circle
- The Salisbury Centre
- Multiple dates
A Symbolic Space circle allows participants to experience a novel way to approach problems that require thinking in novel ways. The Symbolic Space approach offers us ways of exploring a relationship with the problem, not just its apparent aspects, using bodily awareness and movement in space. This allows us to activate additional problem processing mechanisms in the brain that are otherwise unavailable to conscious thinking.
Led by performing artist Aino Venna and cognitive neuroscientist Ekaterina Shurkova, the activity includes movement through the space (of the room), following guiding questions, and self-reflection.
Lothian Birth Cohorts: How 11-year-olds helped discover secrets of healthy ageing
- Closed event
At this event for schools, the Lothian Birth Cohort team will share the unique story of one of the longest studies of human cognition in the world and an ongoing study into cognitive and brain ageing at the University of Edinburgh.
Students will discover insights into what happens to our thinking skills and brain as we advance through life. They can try on Augmented Reality glasses to see the transformation of the brain shaped by health conditions and lifestyle choices, and will be invited to discuss their views on the role of music, board games, diet, and exercise for healthy mind and brain!
Please note: this is a closed event.
Speaking Languages
- Closed event
This session will explore myths and facts about language learning and bilingualism as well as young people’s attitudes about their own languages and bilingual experiences.
Led by Antonella Sorace, the event will inspire, normalise, and celebrate linguistic diversity and the experience of growing up with more than one language!
Please note: this is a closed event.
Further information
All of these events are part of Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 9–18 November 2023. Led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, with generous support from Research England, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. For further information:
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