Our monthly 'Meet the Haymaker' series shares stories of the change-makers at the heart of Hay Festival Global and the impact it has had on their lives. This month, hear from Liz Hyder, author and recent Scribblers Tour artist.
What does Hay Festival Global mean to you?
Ah I love Hay! Hay Festival means ideas and excitement, entertainment and energy. It means thought-provoking and fascinating and it never fails to open my mind to new concepts and stories. Plus bunting, lots and lots of bunting - and who doesn’t love the joy of brightly coloured flags?
What’s your favourite Festival memory?
Too many to choose from! Dancing wildly to Ezra Furman late one night, being mesmerised by the great goddess Jackie Morris when she was artist-in-residence, watching as she conjured up sleek, whiskered otters with ink and a brush. Working behind the scenes and filming little interviews with some of the greatest minds alive today, everyone from David Olusoga and Marcus du Sautoy to Bettany Hughes and Natalie Haynes - what a privilege! One of my most treasured moments was filming with Nicola Davies, the brilliant zoologist, artist and writer, and realising that I hadn’t met her before but that she’d been on the Really Wild Show on TV when I was a kid and that’s why she was so familiar to me. She’s so kind-hearted and wise, clever and mischievous and I am so lucky to now count her as a dear friend. Hay always feels very welcoming, a hug of a festival for everyone with a curious mind.
Have you ever changed your mind on something having been to a Hay Festival event?
Yes! One of my most memorable was eating insects - bear with me! I remember seeing children’s author MG Leonard doing a kids event on bugs and beetles with Sarah Beynon from The Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire and I ate a cookie afterwards made with powdered insects. It was surprisingly delicious but there’s no way I’d have eaten it before the event… And there are events like that on all the time, every day, all sorts of things that will tickle and provoke your brain. I love it when you discover new facts, put forward persuasively, and that it opens your minds to other ideas and opportunities.
Who was the best speaker or performer you saw on a Hay Festival stage?
Ooh that’s a tough one. At a push, i think it would have to be The Lost Words Spell Songs. Pure magic. The most beautiful music, exquisite voices, gentle lyrics, and live painting, all at once. A true feast for the senses. One of the most memorable nights of my life. It’s not often I’m rendered speechless but I really was that night! I love that Hay always programmes musicians and comedians, it’s about storytelling and ideas in all their forms, it’s not exclusionary.
What advice do you have for a first-timer at the Festival?
Don’t be afraid to ask! And I don’t just mean Hay’s lovely volunteers, I mean complete strangers, just ask. Some of the best things I’ve been to have been spur of the moment things where I’ve overheard a snippet of a conversation and asked total strangers what they were going to see. It’s a very friendly festival in every sense, don’t be afraid to embrace it! I’ve met so many new friends at Hay and I’m so grateful for it.
Sum up Hay Festival Global in five words or less…
Exciting, provocative, welcoming, thoughtful, creative.
