Speakers announced for Information Stage at FORWARDS Festival 2025

FORWARDS is proud to present its 2025 talks programme with speakers including Munya Chawawa, Carol Vorderman, Zarah Sultana, David Olusoga, Denise Gough, Moonchild Sanelly, DJ Krust and Gary Stevenson, forming a dynamic talks line-up hosted at The Information Stage. 2025 will feature talks on Optimism, hope, action, community, food, race, class, history and youth. 

A pivotal platform at FORWARDS, The Information stage is a space to tackle some of the most pressing cultural issues of our time, offering thought-provoking dialogue, big-picture thinking, and powerful perspectives from leading voices over the festival weekend. With a focus on timely conversations and meaningful engagement, The Information stage invites audiences not only to listen, but to advocate for change big or small

On Saturday, bold voices and thinkers take centre stage at The Information to explore justice, culture, and care. Political satirist Munya Chawawa joins a conversation with the YoungSixSix Cohort, an ensemble of young people who regularly meet at Bristol Old Vic to make and experience theatre. The project aims to offer pathways into theatre for young people who may not have considered it before. Hosted by Tundun Adebanjo, the talk also explores Munya Chawawa’s own initiative, Black Boys Theatre Club, which offers young Black boys access to the arts, specifically theatre while tackling barriers like cost, visibility, and cultural perception. Black Boys Theatre Club has already introduced 120 schoolboys to the theatre, attending 8 shows at leading venues.

A talk on Mobilising For A Free Palestine will see Director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign Ben Jamal, Actor and Activist Denise Gough, Senior Lecturer for the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol Dr. Eldin Fahmy, and Deputy Leader of the Green Party, Zack Polanski, hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Image - FORWARDS Festvival 2023

Other standout talks will include Our Rhythm, Their Stage, a hard-hitting conversation on who profits from Black music, with Musician Dread MC and Moonchild Sanelly, Led by Pops Roberts (Saffron Music); and Hospitality & Humanitarianism, with Chair of Trustees,  Feeding Bristol Andy Street, Community Organiser of Bristol North West Foodbank Eleni Morus, Team Canteen, Chef - The Pony Chew Valley Josh Eggleton. Hosted by Xanthe Clay at The Telegraph. Alongside Climate, Conflicts & Care, featuring Soliphilia, Tori Tsui, Raeeka Yassaie, Moyah, and Ron Mendel, Jewish American in Defence of Palestinian Rights, hosted by Gigi El-Halaby.

The Information on Sunday is all about politics, people, and pushing for change. Carol Vorderman, Gary Stevenson, Coco Khan, and Zarah Sultana MP for the talk Pissed Off With Politics, a sharp look at the future of democracy. David Olusoga returns to FORWARDS with The State of the Dream, joined by Talks4Change and Bristol Bus Boycott Legends, the talk will commemorate 60 years of the Race Relations Act, part of this anniversary. The Talks4Change project by Curiosity Unltd has ambitious plans to bring down Martin Luther King III in November. As well as a talk on Youth Spaces and DIY Culture brings together DJ and Producer Krust, Musician JayaHadADream and  Creative Director Teddy Good, two young voices shaping the creative landscape, engage in the conversation with Cherelle Grant from Aspiration Creation Elevation/Born2Be and Musician, Eva Lazarus, hosted by Big Team.

With this programme, FORWARDS continues to be more than just a music festival, harnessing the power and legacy of live events to stir collective consciousness. Set in one of Britain’s most progressive and socially-minded cities, Bristol, FORWARDS pairs purpose with sound. This year’s music programme is headlined by Barry Can’t Swim, Ezra Collective, Doechii, Jorja Smith, The Last Dinner Party plus Olivia Dean returning.

The full list of talks unveiled today to for the THE INFORMATION programme at FORWARDS , include:

Saturday 23 August
Team Canteen	Hospitality & Humanitarianism	13:30 - 14:15	Andy Steet (Chair - Feeding Bristol, InHope, Fareshare) Eleni Morus (Community Organiser - Bristol North West Foodbank) Josh Eggleton (Team Canteen, Chef - The Pony Chew Valley)   Hosted by Xanthe Clay (Telegraph)
Soliphilia	Climate, Conflicts and Care	14:35 - 15:20	MoYah (Rapper, Hip Hop Garden Manager - May Project Gardens) Raeeka Yassaie (Climate & Free Iran Activist, Poet) Ron Mendel (Jewish American in Defence of Palestinian Rights) Tori Tsui (Climate Justice Activist)   Hosted by Gigi El-Halaby (Activist, Facilitator)
Palestine Solidarity Campaign	Mobilising For A Free Palestine	15:40 - 16:25	Ben Jamal (Director - Palestine Solidarity Campaign) Denise Gough (Actor, Activist) Dr. Eldin Fahmy (Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign) Zack Polanski (Deputy Leader - Green Party)   Hosted by Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Bristol Old Vic	What About Us?	16:45 - 17:30	Munya Chawawa in conversation with YoungSixSix Cohort   Hosted by Tundun Adebanjo (Bristol Old Vic)
Sunday 24 August
Citizens For Culture	Obstacles and Opportunities	12:30-13:15	Dr Thom Oliver (Senior Lecturer in Politics - UWE Bristol) LaToyah McAllister-Jones (Lead Facilitator - Citizens for Culture Assembly) Ruby Sant (Artist, Designer, Maker) Saad Eddine-Said (CEO, Artistic Director - New Art Exchange)   Hosted by Jemma Forte (Political Commentator)
Talks4Change	The State of the Dream	13:30 - 14:15	Guy Bailey (Bristol Bus Boycott Legends) Joyce Morris-Wisdom (Bristol Bus Boycott Legends) Tina Johnson (Bristol Bus Boycott Legends) Vernon Samuels (Bristol Bus Boycott Legends)   Hosted by David Olusuga (Historian)
Saffron Music	Cultural Currency - Who Profits from Black Music?	14:35 - 15:20	Dread MC (Musician) Moonchild Sanelly (Musician)   Hosted by Pops Roberts (Saffron Music)
Big Team	Youth Spaces & DIY Culture	15:40 - 16:25	Cherelle Grant (Aspiration Creation Elevation/Born2Be) Eva Lazarus (Musician) JayaHadADream (Musician) Krust (DJ, Producer) Teddy Good (Creative Director)   Hosted by Big Team Rep
The Movement Forward	Pissed off With Politics	16:45 - 17:30	Carol Vorderman (Bristolian, Broadcaster, Political Commentator) Gary Stevenson (Economist) Zarah Sultana (MP - Coventry South)   Hosted by Coco Khan (Pod Save UK)