Norwich History Festival launched last night, ready for its return for a second year this July. Festival team members Emma Turner, Milly Kirby and Tabitha Burrell share what they are most looking forward to this year
Who are you and what is your role at Norwich History Festival?
Emma – I’m Emma Turner, an illustrator, bookseller and Norwich enthusiast! My role within the Norwich History Festival is anything design related, focusing on the festival’s brochure.
Milly – My name is Milly Kirby and I’m a freelance Festival Producer for this year’s Norwich History Festival, running from the 14th -24th July across the city. We hosted the inaugural festival last year, and this year we’re bringing together a really dynamic programme, including talks, walks, films, theatre and exhibitions that celebrate the rich history of Norwich (and beyond!).
Tabitha: My name is Tabitha and I am the festival intern/assistant. I have been able to achieve this internship through my master’s degree that I am currently undertaking at the UEA, Masters of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies.
What does your role involve?
Emma – My role includes working on the visual language for the festival and creating bold, edgy, and eye-catching illustrations as well as designing the brochure where I curate all the info and events into an exciting and accessible format, ready for the public. Last year, for our ‘Rebels & Radicals’ theme, as well as the brochure and graphics, I also designed a walking trail sheet for young people to explore Norwich’s historical figures, which also doubled up as a fun colouring sheet.
Milly – We’re a small and energetic team, so we all do a little bit of everything, which I love. Currently we’re working hard to get the programme finalised and ready to go on sale. My role includes helping to put some of the events in programme together, as well as supporting the marketing and getting the word out about the festival. I come from a background in LGBTQ+ and women’s history, so it’s been great to draw on that.
Tabitha – As the festival assistant, I work closely with the festival producer, Stuart. I assist with organising the festival programme, ensuring we have the correct information for each of our events. As well as this, I also liaise with publicists and historians. I oversee our information email and reply to any enquiries we may have had, as well as this I collect the names for any potential volunteers. I attend meetings with Stuart, other members of the festival team, our partners and venues. This allows me to create a strong working relationship with everyone involved in making the festival happen. I have also assisted Stuart in contacting potential sponsors to help our festival continuing running. Best of all, I am able to contribute my own ideas into what the festival may look like!
So, last year’s inaugural festival was a success – so much so that you’re doing it all again this year! What do you think made it a success?
Emma – It was such a privilege to work for the festival last year and be part of the original team, making it a no-brainer that I would want to return this year. The festival was so vibrant and full of community, which makes it so rewarding seeing how it is developing and growing.
Milly – Norwich has such a deep and varied history, from our beautiful historical buildings and museums to the lives of some of the iconic people who lived here. As a city it is all around us, and I think that makes us really engaged with it and eager to learn more. I also think that now more than ever people are really connected to understanding what has happened before. It’s not only fascinating to us but also helps us to understand what is happening in the present. Our theme this year is ‘Why History Matters’ and that feels like such an important question to be asking right now.
Tabitha – I think Norwich has such a vibrant history that often goes unnoticed, a festival to celebrate the history of Norfolk, Norwich and the wider world is just what Norwich has been missing. It is an opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved and potentially learn something new!
What are you particularly looking forward to this year?
Emma – This year, being our second year, it is really exciting to return to the buzz and community of the festival. This year’s theme of ‘Why History Matters’ is broad and inclusive, with so many wonderful events lined up from July 14th– 24th. I’m looking forward to sharing my love for Norwich and history and watching the festival grow!
Milly – There are some exciting and big named speakers lined up. I’ve been putting together some events that are exploring the legacy of Norwich’s suffragettes. We often don’t hear about the women’s suffrage movement here and the women involved so I can’t wait to share that with the festival’s audiences. We’ve got some great walking tours of the city, including an LGBTQ+ tour of Norwich. There’s also a bus tour working in partnership with the American Library that will head out of the city to explore some of the US airbases, and it’ll be on a vintage Routemaster bus.
Tabitha – I am most looking forward to our events held by Queer Norfolk, they are a fantastic project that are cataloguing Norfolk’s queer heritage, they provide a fascinating insight into the hidden stories in Norfolk. I am also looking forward to the talk by Jeremy Deller, discussing his public artworks, this is something that really interests as it makes art more accessible than when it is displayed in galleries and museums.
Do you have to be a history buff to enjoy the festival or is there something for everyone?
Emma – There is definitely something for everyone at the Norwich History Festival! A key moment from last year was taking some friends who wouldn’t consider themselves ‘history buffs’ to theatre-maker and storyteller John Osborne’s ‘Norwich: A Love Story’. The show was a real celebration of Norwich and its people, history, pubs, market, etc. They all adored the event and left feeling so lucky and grateful to call Norwich their home.
Milly – This year’s programme is designed to be really accessible, and I’m confident that there will be something for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy, even if you think history isn’t your thing. There will also be loads of events that explore history beyond the city, covering a whole range of subjects including Roman archaeology, the Tudors, politics and even punk music.
Tabitha – The festival has events for all ages and interests. We have events in the form of talks, walks, exhibitions, films and performances. There is something for everyone.
Norwich History Festival will run from 14th – 24th July 2026, with an exciting programme of 34 talks, 30 walks and other events across the city, all with the theme of ‘why history matters’. Venues include the Great Hospital, Norwich Cathedral, Old Meeting House, The Octagon Chapel, Friends Meeting House, Guildhall, Waterstones, Forum Auditorium, Whiffler Theatre, Dragon Hall and UEA Lecture Theatre. Visit norwichhistoryfestival.co.uk.
Featured image of (left to right) Milly, Emma and Tabby by Abi Spray
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