FORWARDS Festival Unveils Bold 2025 Talks Line-Up

FORWARDS returns to Bristol in 2025, once again transforming the festival experience into something bigger than music. Set in one of the UK’s most progressive, politically engaged cities, FORWARDS is a space where sound and social conscience collide, continiously harnessing the powerful legacy of live events to spark collective awareness and inspire action.

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This year’s music programme is not to be missed! Taking top billing boundary-pushing talents like Barry Can’t Swim, Jorja Smith, The Last Dinner Party, Mercury Prize-winning Ezra Collective, rising star Doechii and the return of Olivia Dean. Each artist brings their own voice to a lineup rooted in innovation, identity, and impact.

But FORWARDS doesn’t stop at the stage, it also challenges us to think and reflect. Alongside the music, the festival unveils its 2025 talks programme, an unmissable series of conversations hosted at The Information Stage. This year’s lineup includes a powerful roster of speakers who are shaping the cultural and political dialogue in the UK and beyond: Munya Chawawa, Carol Vorderman, progressive MP Zarah Sultana, David Olusuga, acclaimed actor and mental health advocate Denise Gough, Moonchild Sanelly, Bristol's own DJ Krust and economic justice campaigner Gary Stevenson.

Across the weekend, The Information Stage will tackle vital topics including community, youth, race, class, history, whilst creating a platform for discussion and change. A cornerstone of FORWARDS, The Information Stage stands as a dedicated space to confront some of the most urgent cultural questions of our time. It’s a place where dialogue is deep, debate is encouraged, and every voice matters.