From 16-18 June, the British Academy – the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – will once again be holding the annual Summer Showcase, a free public festival of ideas for curious minds.

Twelve interactive exhibits will bring to life the latest humanities and social sciences research shaping the world today from researchers funded by the British Academy, and we are inviting school and college groups to visit on Friday 17 June. This is a unique opportunity for your students to see the humanities and social sciences in action, speak directly with our researchers about their work, and be inspired to think differently about the world around them.

Our Schools’ Day will encourage students (age 14+) to explore subjects beyond the curriculum, which we hope will expand their thinking about what to study in the future, or what unexpected career prospects they may lead to.

We use the latest technology to bring these subjects to life, such as immersive VR and live digital linkups, enabling students to speak directly to participants in Turkey, Sweden, and Greece. Alongside cooking up a conspiracy theory and learning calligraphy, a range of activities – from engaging talks to pop-up performances – will also take place throughout the day in our historic building and garden marquee.

93% of students attending our last event in 2019 said that it had improved their understanding of the relevance of humanities and social sciences to everyday life and 87% said that the event increased their awareness of the variety of subjects in the humanities and social sciences.

Feedback from previous teachers and students includes:

• “Quite often you see events for science subjects, but the fact that the Showcase is about the humanities really struck me. Also, the variety and unusualness of some of the exhibits was fascinating.” (Teacher)
• “Because the exhibitors are so passionate about research it’s really interesting when you are talking to them, like some of their passion comes through to you. It’s just very inspiring. I just want to find something that I am passionate about.” (Student)
• “I never really knew what researchers did before. So the main thing has been learning about that. That it’s an actual job, being able to do something you are really, really interested in and passionate about.” (Student)

Exhibitors and activities

The subjects covered by our 12 exhibitors include: international relations, development studies, archaeology, history, psychology, political science, economics, history of art, English, literature and media, cultural heritage, Latin American studies, linguistics and sociology.

Students will have ample opportunity to engage with each exhibit and to ask questions.

A range of talks and participatory activities will take place throughout the day in our garden marquee which will also include stalls with information about the study of subjects at university. Booking is not required for these activities.

Full information about our 12 exhibitors and a confirmed schedule of activities will be available from May.

Booking

Group bookings can be made for students aged 14+. Younger students can also visit with their parents on Saturday 18 June.

Visits are free, with groups asked to register through the British Academy’s events team in advance. Staggered entrance timeslots for groups are available from 9:30 to 14:00.

Please book indicating your preferred time slots. You will need to supply the following information:

• Name and email of lead tutor
• Name of school and address
• Year group attending
• Number of students
• Whether any attendees have access requirements
• If you require a travel bursary to attend the Showcase

A visit will take 1-2 hours; however, visitors are welcome to stay for as long as they wish.
You are welcome to book as many places as you wish (subject to availability). Large groups will be asked to split into groups of 10-12 people on arrival. If the places for a preferred slot are ‘sold out', please get in touch at summershowcase@thebritishacademy.ac.uk as we might be able to free up more spaces.

If you have any accessibility requests or further questions, please contact the British Academy’s events team: summershowcase@thebritishacademy.ac.uk.

To request a BSL interpreter, please contact us at the point of booking.

Facilities

Our cloakroom space is very limited, so students and teachers are advised to bring as little as possible ie no bulky bags.

Groups are advised to either have lunch before or after the event or to bring their own lunch to eat in our garden. A small café will be on-site plus water will be available.

The British Academy is fully accessible. Facilities include lift access from street level into the building, two accessible toilets on the ground floor and lift access to exhibits on level one.

Travelling to the Summer Showcase

A small number of travel bursaries are available for schools based outside London and for those unable to travel via public transport. Up to £400 per school is available.

Due to our location, there is limited parking outside the Academy. A small number of spaces for minibuses are available and can be booked through the events team. Coaches can drop off and collect but will need to find alternative parking in the area.

The British Academy is easily accessible via public transport, within a short walking distance of Piccadilly Circus and Charing Cross tube stations.

Further information

Further information about the Showcase will be sent to all booked groups in May. Our events team can also be contacted should you have any questions not covered above.

Events team: summershowcase@thebritishacademy.ac.uk or call 020 7969 5316.

Booking form privacy notice: The personal data you provide to us on the event booking form is being collected so that we can administer the event efficiently, contact you with important updates about the event (where required), ensure that your accessibility requirements are accommodated, notify event partners or individuals shaping the event about the event guest list (N.B. only your name and job title/organisation will be shared with relevant partners and individuals. Your contact details will never be shared) and to pass on an evaluation survey after the event. It will only be used by the British Academy for this purpose and it will be securely deleted within six months of the event ending. This privacy information does not apply to the processing of your personal data by TicketTailor which will be governed by their privacy policy or by Zoom which will be governed by Zoom’s terms and conditions. If you book a place for a chargeable event, or choose to donate to the British Academy, your personal data will be used for the purpose of administering your payment or donation, both by the British Academy and the financial services company Stripe, who will process your card payment. This privacy information does not apply to the processing of your personal data by Stripe which will be governed by the terms outlined in their privacy policy. If you have any questions or concerns about how we use your personal data, please contact the British Academy’s Data Protection Officer at dpo@thebritishacademy.ac.uk.